Creating a New Coupon

Coupons provide a way for an organization to convey a benefit of specific value that can be used when paying for the purchase of a product. Like discounts, coupons reduce the cost of a purchase. Coupons can be defined to reduce the cost of a product purchase by a specific amount, by a percentage of either an order line or an entire order, or can be defined at the time of order.

Coupons are not like Gift Cards that are good for $100 and can continue to be used until they’re used up. Coupons are good for use on one order. If the coupon is for $100 and the customer only bought products totaling $50, the coupon (if Customer Specific) will be “used up” on that order and the customer will not be able to use the remaining $50.

The Coupon Definition screen provides you with a means to offer tailored discounts to their customers. The differences between applying a coupon versus a discount include:

· You can limit coupons to one use per customer

· You can earn coupons based on the purchase of another product

· You can have different dates for earning versus redeeming customer coupons

· Coupons are never automatic – orders are not impacted unless someone mentions/inputs coupon

It is assumed that your organization will print a “physical” coupon (or notify the customer of the coupon in another manner) that will be included with the shipment of the product.

Personify manages two types of coupons:

· General. This can be used by anyone and can be redeemed by referencing the coupon code. There are no restrictions on how many times a general coupon can be used by the same customer. General coupons can be further restricted to members-only.

General coupons are used when an organization wants a coupon to be used on any order, regardless of the customer (but subjected to rules about the type of product for which the coupon can be used).

· Customer Specific. This can be used only by a specific customer after their purchase of a designated product and can be only one time. You can define expiration dates with customer-specific coupons. There is currently no way to cancel the use of a customer coupon to make it available for further use. The system determines if a customer is eligible for the coupon when the order is placed.

When doing an order transfer, a coupon amount must be transferred to the new order as in the change from one booth to another. Personify processes coupon amounts financially in the same manner as discounts. Coupons can have a specific value or be worth a percentage of the sales price and can only be assigned to a customer through the purchase of a product. Coupon amounts cannot be refunded.

Coupons can be applied as a discount against:

· An entire order

· A specific line item

· A specific product

· A product of a specific type

· Products of a specific subsystem

Coupons can be configured to be combined with other discounts or be exclusive of other discounts. Coupon amounts are treated in the same financial way that discounts are treated:

· They reduce the sales amount

· Each coupon can carry its own discount account or can share discount accounts with other coupons and discounts

· Taxes are calculated on the resulting revenue amount (revenue less coupon)

· You cannot refund a coupon

You can assign both an availability period and an expiration date to all coupons. Coupons can be restricted to members of the primary membership group.

The following scenarios are supported in Personify:

· With a membership, you receive a coupon for an educational course.

· Journal purchase includes a coupon for 10% off of the Annual Meeting.

· Journal purchase includes a coupon for $10.00 off of the Annual Meeting.

· Gold Sponsorship includes the value of a 10x10 booth.

· Coupon delivered with a promotion and can be used by anyone.

· Registration for an exhibition provides one free advertisement in the journal.

· Registration for an exhibition provides one free advertisement in any of the association's publications.

· Sponsorship provides one free 10x10 booth plus one advertisement in the program book.

· General open credit granted through a coupon.

· Renew a membership and receive 10% off the next meeting. The customer must purchase the membership renewal and then you can limit the usage to one time for the 10% coupon.

You can define the following for the coupon:

· General Information (see below)

· Rules

· Special Instructions

· Usage

To enter general information about the coupon:

1. Perform one of the following:

a. On the Product Maintenance screen, click Coupon Maintenance from the Rates and Discounts task category.

b. From the toolbar, select Products > Rates, Discounts, Coupons > Coupon Maintenance.

2. Click Create New Order Coupon.
The Coupon Maintenance screen displays.

3. If necessary, change the Coupon code.

4. Select the Coupon Status from the drop-down.

5. Enter the Description.

6. Select the Coupon Type from the drop-down.

7. Select the Order Scope Rule from the drop-down.

8. Select the Valid from date from the drop-down.

9. If necessary, select the Valid thru date from the drop-down.

10. By default the Combine with Discounts checkbox is selected. If this coupon cannot be combined with other discounts, uncheck this checkbox.

11. Select the Value Rule from the drop-down.

12. If you selected "AMOUNT" as the Value Rule, enter the Value Amount.

13. If you selected "PERCENTAGE" as the Value Rule, enter the Value Percent.

14. Click the Discount Account link and search for the discount account to associate with the coupon.

15. Click Save.

Screen Element	Description	Business Rule
Coupon	Text box. The coupon number assigned by Personify. However, you can change this number according to your preferences. The coupons are established for the customer through the purchase of a product or some other process that might assign a coupon to a customer. Only the customer in possession of the coupon can use it once.	ORD_COUPON COUPON_CODE Validations – Max length: 24 alphanumeric characters.
Coupon Status	Drop-down. Displays the status of the coupon. For example, active, expired, etc.	ORD_COUPON STATUS_CODE Validations – Defaults to “Active.” Populated by the Coupon_Status system type.
Description	Text box. The description of the coupon.	ORD_COUPON DESCRIPTION Validations – Max length: 255 special and alphanumeric characters.
Coupon Type
Coupon Type	Drop-down. The type of coupon. Valid values: · General (default). General coupons can be used by anyone referencing the coupon number in an order. · Customer Specific. These coupons are established for the customer through the purchase of a product or some other process that might assign a coupon to a customer. Only a customer with this coupon can use the coupon. The customer can use the coupon only once.	ORD_COUPON COUPON_TYPE_CODE Validations – Defaults to “General.” Populated by the Coupon_Type fixed system code.
Scope
Order Scope Rule	Drop-down. This indicates whether the coupon is applicable to the entire order or to an order line item. Valid values: · Subsystem. This enables the Subsystem field and makes it required. Disables Product_Type, Parent_Product, Product_Code. · Product. This enables the Parent_Product and Product_Code and makes them required. Disables Subsystem and Product_Type. · Product_Type. This enables the Subsystem and Parent_Product and makes them required. Disables Product_Type and Product_Code. · Parent_Product. This enables the Parent_Product and makes it required. It also enables Product_Type but does not make it required. Disables Subsystem, Product_Code. · Open. This disables Subsystem, Product_Type, Parent_Product, Product_Type.	ORD_COUPON ORDER_SCOPE_RULE_CODE Validations – Defaults to “Line.” Populated by the Order_Scope_Rule fixed system type. Order_Master.Coupon_Code holds an order-level coupon that will be automatically copied to an applicable Order_Detail.Coupon_Code. This recalculates the order with the coupon discount applied.
Availability
Valid from	Drop-down. The date the coupon goes into effect.	ORD_COUPON EFFECTIVE_BEGIN_DATE Validations – This date must be less than or equal to the Valid Thru date.
Valid thru	Drop-down. The late date the coupon is valid.	ORD_COUPON EFFECTIVE_END_DATE Validations – This date must be greater than or equal to the Valid From date.
Discount Flag
Combine with Discounts	Checkbox. This indicates that the coupon can be combined with other discounts. Please note that discounts get applied first.	ORD_COUPON COMBINE_WITH_DISCOUNTS_FLAG Validations – Yes or No.
Value
Value Rule	Drop-down. Valid Values: · Percentage (default). This means that the coupon is valid for some percentage of discount. · Amount. This means that the coupon is valid for a specific amount. This is only allowed when value_scope_code=LINE. · None. This means that the CSR will make any price adjustment based on information in the “Instructions” section.	ORD_COUPON VALUE_RULE_CODE Validations – Defaults to “Percentage.” Populated by the Value_Rule fixed system type.
Value Percent	Text box. The percentage off the cost of the product this coupon allows. This value is only needed if “Coupon is for some percentage of discount” is selected as the Value Rule.	ORD_COUPON VALUE_PCT Validations – Max value: 100.000. Min value: 0. Negative numbers are not allowed. This value is only needed if “Percentage” is selected as the Value Rule.
Value Amount	Text box. The amount off the cost of the product this coupon allows. This value is only needed if “Coupon is for Specific Amount” is selected as the Value Rule.	ORD_COUPON VALUE_AMOUNT Validations – Max value: 99999999.99. Min value: 0. Negative numbers are not allowed. This value is only needed if “Amount” is selected as the Value Rule.
Accounting
Discount Account	Link. This is enabled when value_rule_code=Percentage. It must be positive number and less than 100. When applied to an order or line item, this defines the percentage discount that will be applied.	ORD_COUPON DISCOUNT_ACCOUNT Validations – The account must be active and must have an Account Class Code of “R,” “X,” or “A.”