How to create specials and coupons
Specials are discounts that can be applied to a sale. The most common use of specials is to handle discounts, including coupons, vouchers and other discounts for valued customers or for specific dates and times. Coupons are specials that can be selected in Sales based on the products that are linked to them.
Note: that the Coupon button is only available as a global option: there is no Coupon button associated with line items. Once a special is associated with a product, then it is accessible from the Coupon button on the main Sales screen; the operator simply clicks the global Coupon button to find the item(s) for which a particular coupon can be used.
Some important features of specials are:
• Specials may be associated with particular products, or they may be maintained independently of products and instead applied to an entire sale.
• Specials may be date-based for holidays or special events. They may be displayed during designated periods, and hidden when inactive. These features enable an extensive list of specials to be compiled independently of their active periods.
• Security levels can be assigned to each special to restrict access.
• Discounts can be set as a percentage of a product price and/or as a flat rate. They apply to the current pricing.
• Specials can be configured to prompt the operator for the selection of a marketing code, source code, person authorizing the special, or reason for the special.
Note: Standard discount coupons and other specials for which you have data can be entered at any time, and then can be associated with products later, or be defined as global specials. One-time specials can be created on the fly in Sales as needed by operators with enough security.
You assign names and descriptions to each special. Specials are named such that:
• The most commonly used specials require the fewest keystrokes possible to access them (for example, put them near the top with names that begin with numbers).
• The least commonly used specials are easy to find, taking into consideration ease of reporting so that specials commonly reported on together appear consecutively within the dropdown filters within the ReportManager reports.
Note: Typing the first letters of a selection in a menu brings you to that area of the menu – this is kept in mind when naming specials for quick access.
You also want to collect the following for each special:
• The minimum security level required to apply this special during a sale.
• The discount amount, whether as a percentage or as a flat rate, or both.
• Whether the special requires a valid pass when applied.
• The Salespoint Types where this special is available (this is one of the few areas in Salesware 4.0 where Salespoint Types are still sometimes used, though rarely).
• Whether this special applies to all products, or is linked to specific products.
• When (specific date ranges, days of the week, and times) this special is available, and any blackout dates.
Note: Specials can be used to mark a selected type of sale even if there is no discount. For example, if you want to track the number of people from a specific company or group who buy tickets, a special can be designed and applied whenever that target purchase is made.
How to create a special:
1. Go to SysManager > Activities > Financial Lists > Specials.
2. Click the New button to create a new special. The following fields, at a minimum, are specified for each special you define:
a. Provide a Name and Description for the special.
b. From the
General tab, provide the
Discount (the percentage or flat amount of the discount). Leave
Min Security to Sell at
0 unless there is a reason to specifically restrict the view of this special at the salespoint based on operator log-in. In version 4.0, the application of certain controlled specials - such as a “manager comp” - is typically managed with role based security as opposed to the numeric security level (see
Salesware 3.x security levels vs. Salesware 4.0 security roles for an explanation).
Note: The discount amount can be calculated as a percentage of the item price And/Or a flat dollar amount that is applied when this special is selected during a sale. The maximum discount allowed is one that results in a cost of $0.00 for the item. Both a percent discount and a dollar discount can be assigned. If both are assigned, the percent discount is applied first. For example, for a $10.00 item, if the item was assigned a 50% plus $1.00 discount, the cost would be ($10.00*.5) - $1.00, or $4.00.
Important: It is possible to discount an item below $0.00 as a negative amount. For example, an item that is $1.00 in price and is included with in a group that has a special applied called $5.00 off. The price of the discounted item will be reduced to -$4.00.
c. From the Security tab, select the Role membership required to edit this special and Role membership required to apply this special in Sales. After the latter is selected, provide an Authorized role for Sales.
Note: These are optional configurations used to limit who can edit the special in SysManager and who can apply the special in Sales.
3. Click the Save button.
Note: Specials are listed in ASCII-order by Name in the list.
The following table provides descriptions of the other settings available from the Special dialog.
Tab | Setting | Description |
General | Set Final Price | Click the Set Final Price radio button to set the final price at the salespoint to the amount entered here when this special is applied. Note: A discount can be defined or a final price to be set (Set Final Price) can be defined, but not both. |
General | Force Validation when applied | Check this check box if at the time of sale a valid pass/access ticket number is required to apply this special and finalize the sale. See the Salesware Validation document for more information. |
General | User Defined | Used in conjunction with a barcode to automatically apply a special or coupon at a salespoint with a scanner. See How to use coupons and barcodes. |
General | Source code required to apply this special | If checked, these settings are used to link specials to source and marketing codes. If you have a special that requires a source or marketing code selection, the operator is presented only with the list of source or marketing codes linked to that special. If the special has no authorized source codes or marketing codes, then the entire list of available source codes or marketing codes is displayed. If the special has only one source or marketing code associated with it, the source or marketing code is automatically tied to the special. Once a source or marketing code is selected from the list of those available in Sales (or if the special has only one source code or marketing code associated with it) the corresponding data gets written into the transact table when the sale is finalized and this information can be reported on using ReportManager. |
General | Marketing code required to apply this special |
Type | (Salespoint Type check boxes) | If you are using Salespoint Types, you can specify the Salespoint Types where the special appears. The same functionality for global specials can be achieved using Salespoint Groups and checking the Global Special check box on the Restrictions tab and selecting the appropriate Salespoint Groups. |
Source Codes | Available Source Codes | These are all of the Source Codes that were entered from SysManager > Activities > Item/Sales Lists > Source Codes. |
Restrictions | Allow Sales On: | The day(s) of the week when the special is available. |
Restrictions | Black-out Dates | Dates during which the special cannot be used. Note: SysManager lets you define a Black-out Date range that is the same as the Available for Sale date range, even though this makes the special unavailable all the time. Carefully set up your Restrictions to ensure that you are restricting specials in the way that you mean to restrict them. |
Restrictions | Available for Sale | Dates during which the special is available for use at a salespoint. Can specify the specific Times: when the special can be used. |
Restrictions | Global Special | If checked, the special is available to all items. You can limit the salespoints at which these appear by selecting a Salespoint Group (see How to create a salespoint group) from the Limit Use to SalesPoints in This Group dropdown. For more information about Global Specials, see Global versus product specials. |
Source Codes | Authorized Source Codes | These are the Source Codes that you select to be associated with this special. |
Marketing Codes | Available Marketing Codes | These are all of the Marketing Codes that were entered from SysManager > Activities > Item/Sales Lists > Marketing Codes. |
Marketing Codes | Authorized Marketing Codes | These are the Marketing Codes that you select to be associated with this special. |
Security | Operator must select a person authorizing this special | If checked, the operator must select the person who authorized this special. The operator is presented with all of the Persons Authorizing Comps that were entered from SysManager > Activities > Financial Lists > Persons Authorizing Comps. |
Security | Operator must select a reason for issuing this special | If checked, the operator must select the reason for issuing this special. The operator is presented with all of the Reasons for Comps that were entered from SysManager > Activities > Financial Lists > Reasons for Comps. |
Dept/Cat Link | Ability to attach a certain department or category to a special | It is possible to attach a special to a certain department or category so that the special is applicable to all items in that department or category instead of having to assign the special to each item. To do so, go to SysManager > Activities > Financial Lists > Specials > Edit > Dept/Cat Link tab > Department and (possibly) Category > Add > Save. Sales respects the specials links at department and category levels. If it is set for a special to be applicable to a certain department or category, Sales lists all the items under that department or category when the special is selected under Coupon. |