Overview

A voucher is a token or printed card which can be used as cash or credit against a future purchase .  Vouchers are bought by customers and redeemed for goods and services across CRM.COM modules.  The products on which the vouchers can be redeemed can be subject to restrictions. 

Voucher features

• Voucher payments credit the accounts receivable of the customer.
• Can be created for use on specific products or against general purchases.
• Used to create voucher offers that provide additional value when the vouchers are redeemed.
  
• Generated in reusable lots.
• 'Accepted' or 'Activated' vouchers can be used by customers for purchases, while 'Rejected', 'Canceled' or 'Purged' vouchers cannot.
• Can be exported in a CSV file and sent for printing and distribution to shops.
• A voucher's current stage is represented by its life cycle state.

Setting Up Vouchers

Start by defining voucher types that determine the main characteristics of the vouchers to be generated. Next, configure the voucher definition with additional restrictions. 

Types

Voucher types are used to define parameters for generating vouchers, such as the amount that each voucher can be redeemed for, the products that it can be used to purchase, the financial transaction type that will be logged when the voucher is used, as well as information related to the secret number of the voucher.

Types fields

The table describes the sections of Voucher Types Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.

 Mandatory   Configurable

Main Information
Name Alternative code Default Payment Type: Select the type of payment to be created when vouchers of this type are used. Secret Number Length: Determines the length of the generated secret number that is used when a voucher is redeemed to make a payment. Value Option: 'Fixed' (as defined in the voucher type) or 'Variable' (as defined during the creation of the vouchers) Value offered by vouchers of that type (if value option is set to 'Fixed'). Extra Added Value: Additional value offered by vouchers of that type (if the value option is set to 'Fixed').
Supported Products (also referred to as Voucher Products)
Products and product types that each voucher type can be redeemed for.

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Business definitions

Rules used to define restrictions associated with the life cycle state of vouchers. There can only be one active definition at a time.

Definition fields

The table describes the sections of Voucher Definitions Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.

 Mandatory   Configurable

Related configuration areas

The following modules are related to vouchers and may be configured for the vouchers module to operate at its full capacity.

Mandatory modules must be configured for the vouchers module to work.  Optional modules may be configured for the vouchers module to operate at its full capacity.

Using Vouchers

Vouchers are created in lots from which they inherit their type, value and validity dates (required information).  Once the lot details are defined, the vouchers can be generated.

Vouchers go through a number of stages, each identified through its life cycle state before they can be used.  Various processes progress vouchers through their life cycle.

• Generating vouchers
• Amending lots to generate more vouchers 
• Modifying vouchers
• Accepting vouchers
• Activating vouchers
• Exporting vouchers
• Rejecting vouchers
• Cancelling vouchers
• Purging vouchers
• Paying with a voucher 

Voucher life cycle paths (Processes in orange are not carried out in CRM.COM)

Lot fields

The table describes the sections of the Lot Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.

 Mandatory   Configurable

Voucher fields

The table describes the sections of the Voucher Data Entry page and explains how the fields in the page are used.

 Mandatory   Configurable 

Main Information
Number: An auto-generated unique identifier. Secret Number: An auto-generated unique identifier (encrypted using the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)) that is required in order to use the voucher for payment. Value: The amount for which vouchers can be redeemed. Extra Added Value: Additional (free) value offered by the vouchers when redeemed, usually as part of a promotional offer. Effective Date: The date/time from which the voucher can be used. Expiration Date: The date/time on which the voucher ceases to be 'Effective' and can no longer be used. Used vouchers do not expire. The Life Cycle State of a voucher is used by voucher processes to determine whether the voucher can be used at that time. The life cycle state of a voucher can have the following values: Draft: Created and pending acceptance for activation. Accepted for activation: Created and accepted for activation. Not accepted for activation: Created but rejected. Activated: Created and activated (can be exported for printing). Used: Created, activated and redeemed against a financial account. Cancelled: Cancelled by a user or process. Purged: Deleted permanently, cannot be reused. The process cannot be reverted. Voucher Type used to set up the value, extra added value, default payment type and other attributes of the voucher.  Lot that the voucher belongs to.
Voucher Products
The products (goods or services) or types of products on which the voucher can be redeemed.
Voucher History
Keeps track of actions performed on vouchers throughout their life cycle (like 'Audit Trail') and registers modifications on their life cycle state. Voucher history also displays the users who requested to view the voucher's secret number. Log Field that has been affected by the process (usually the life cycle state). Applied Process that modified the field. E.g. 'Creation Process' modified the 'Life Cycle State' field. From Value To Value Modified Date Modified By User

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Creating and processing vouchers

Generating vouchers

Multiple vouchers are created in a single flow through lots. 

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Manage Voucher Lots and click on NEW from the Action menu.
2. Create a lot by providing the voucher type, the number of vouchers to be created and their effective and expiration date. 
3. Once you SAVE, click on Generate Vouchers available from the Actions Menu of the Data Entry page.  
4. Select Execute Now to generate the vouchers immediately or Schedule for to set a date/time and SUBMIT. 

Amending lots to generate more vouchers

Lots can be amended and used again to generate new vouchers.

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Manage Voucher Lots.
2. Search for lots in a 'Posted' life cycle state, select one and go to the Data Entry page.
3. Click on Amend available from the Actions Menu.
4. Select Execute Now to generate the vouchers immediately or Schedule for to set a date/time and SUBMIT. 
   
   

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Modifying vouchers

Vouchers can be modified and their values corrected (e.g., voucher type and validity dates) instead of being canceled or rejected.  

Vouchers must be in an 'Activated' or 'Accepted for Activation' life cycle state to be modified.  

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Manage Lots.
2. Search and select the lot of vouchers you wish to modify and go to the Data Entry page.
3. The Vouchers Included in Lot section displays the vouchers that will be updated.
4. Click on Modify from the Actions menu to open the Modify Vouchers modal and provide the new information.
5. Click on Submit to proceed with the update.
   
   

Accepting vouchers

Once vouchers are generated they are either accepted for further processing or rejected. Vouchers can be accepted individually or all vouchers in a lot can be accepted simultaneously by changing the life cycle state of the lot to 'Accepted'. Once accepted the life cycle state of each voucher is updated from 'Draft' to 'Accepted for Activation'.

Accepting multiple vouchers 

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Manage Lots.
2. Search and select the lot that includes the vouchers you want to accept and go to its Data Entry page.
3. Click on Accept from the Actions menu to open the Accept Vouchers modal.
4. Select Execute Now to accept the vouchers immediately or Schedule for to set a date/time and SUBMIT. 

Accepting a single voucher

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Manage Vouchers.
2. Search and select the voucher you want to accept and go to its Data Entry page.
3. Click on Accept from the Actions menu.

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Activating vouchers

Once accepted vouchers are verified, they must be activated and sent for printing. It is possible to simultaneously activate all vouchers included in a lot, or a number of vouchers within a specific range, or vouchers of a specific type.

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Perform Voucher Activations.
2. Click on NEW from the Top Menu to go to the Data Entry page.
3. Provide any of the following criteria to determine the vouchers that will be activated:
   
   1. Lot
   2. Voucher Type
   3. Voucher Number Range
4. In the Scheduling Settings tab select Run Now to activate the vouchers immediately or Run on a specific date/time to set a time.

5. SAVE and SUBMIT.

Exporting vouchers

Activated vouchers are ready for printing and distribution to customers and can be exported in a CSV, XML, or Excel file format.  

1. Navigate to Foundation > Utilities > Export Data > Export Vouchers.

2. Click on NEW from the Actions menu on the Summary page to create a new export definition.

3. In the Output Settings tab provide the lot from which the vouchers should be exported and the format of the exported file.
4. In the Scheduling Settings tab select Run Now to activate the vouchers immediately or Run on a specific date/time to set a time.

5. SAVE and SUBMIT.

6. Once the run is completed, go to the Process Runs section and click on the Download File link to download the file with the exported vouchers.

Export File Samples

• Excel

The Excel file contains one column for each exported field. The first row includes the headers. 

• CSV

The CSV file contains one column for each exported field. The first row includes the headers.

• XML

 <vouchers>
    <voucher>
		<number></number>
		<secret_number></secret_number> 
		<life_cycle_state></life_cycle_state>
		<value></value>
		<extra_added_value></extra_added_value>
		<effective_date></effective_date>
		<expiration_date></expiration_date>
		<expiration_date></expiration_date>
		<lot_number></lot_number>
        <product_codes>
			<product_code>
        	</product_code>
        </product_codes>
        <product_types>
			<product_type>
        	</product_type>
        </product_types>
        <udf_string_1></udf_string_1>
        <udf_string_2></udf_string_2>
		<udf_string_3></udf_string_3>
		<udf_string_4></udf_string_4>
		<udf_string_5></udf_string_5>
		<udf_string_6></udf_string_6>
		<udf_string_7></udf_string_7>
		<udf_string_8></udf_string_8>
		<udf_float_1></udf_float_1>
		<udf_float_2></udf_float_2>
		<udf_float_3></udf_float_3>
		<udf_float_4></udf_float_4>
		<udf_date_1></udf_date_1>
		<udf_date_2></udf_date_2>
		<udf_date_3></udf_date_3>
		<udf_date_4></udf_date_4>
        <error_message></error_message>
	</voucher>
</vouchers>

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Rejecting vouchers

Vouchers created with errors can be rejected and not activated.  Whereas the voucher type and validity dates can be modified, the value of a voucher cannot, so rejecting a voucher is the only course of action if the value is wrong.  It is possible to simultaneously reject all vouchers included in a lot or reject individual vouchers.

Rejecting vouchers in a lot

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Manage Lots.
2. Search and select the lot that includes the vouchers with errors. 
3. Click on Reject from the Actions Menu of the Data Entry page.
4. Select to Execute Now to reject the vouchers immediately or Schedule for to set a time in the future and SUBMIT.  
   

Rejecting a single voucher

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Manage Vouchers.
2. Search and select the voucher you want to reject to go to its Data Entry page.
3. Click on Reject from the Actions menu.

Canceling vouchers

Vouchers in a 'Draft', 'Accepted for Activation', 'Not Accepted for Activation' or 'Activated' state are disabled by being 'Cancelled'.  Possible reasons for canceling vouchers include their loss or theft or a decision by the business not to distribute the specific voucher type to customers.

Once the process is completed successfully, the voucher's life cycle state is updated to 'Cancelled'.

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Perform Voucher Cancellations.
2. Click on NEW from the Top Menu to go to the Data Entry page.
3. Provide any of following criteria to determine the vouchers that will be canceled:
   
   1. Lot
   2. Voucher Type
   3. Voucher Number Range
4. In the Scheduling Settings tab select Run Now to cancel the vouchers immediately or Run on a specific date/time to set a time.
5. SAVE and SUBMIT.

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Purging vouchers

Purging permanently deletes 'Expired', 'Cancelled' or 'Not Accepted' vouchers and sets their life cycle state to 'Purged'.  Purged vouchers cannot be used in any action or report. 

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Perform Voucher Purging.
2. Click on NEW from the Top Menu to go to the Data Entry page.
3. Provide the Input Settings to determine which vouchers will be purged.
   
   1. Days after Expiration Date
   2. Check one or more of the following boxes to restrict the purge to vouchers in a specific life cycle state.
      
      1. Apply Only on 'Draft' Vouchers
      2. Apply Only on 'Cancelled' Vouchers
      3. Apply Only on 'Accepted For Activation' Vouchers
      4. Apply Only on 'Not Accepted For Activation' Vouchers
4. Provide any of the following criteria to determine the vouchers that will be purged:
   
   1. Lot
   2. Voucher Type
5. In the Scheduling Settings tab select Run Now to purge the vouchers immediately or Run on a specific date/time to set a time.

6. SAVE and SUBMIT.

Paying with a voucher

Vouchers that are activated and valid can be used as a form of payment in CRM.COM.

The voucher's 'Secret Number' (an auto-generated unique identifier encrypted using the Advanced Encryption Standard) is required in order to use the voucher.

Voucher payments can be effected from the voucher's Data Entry page or from the Communication Center page. 

Payments through the vouchers page

1. Navigate to Finance > Vouchers > Manage Vouchers.
2. Search and select the voucher you want to use and go to the Data Entry page.
3. Click on Retrieve Secret Number from the Actions menu to open the modal window and copy the voucher's 'Secret Number'. 
4. Click on Use Voucher from the Actions menu to open the modal window and specify the required information:
   1. Voucher Secret Number 
   2. Accounts Receivable
   3. Payment category
5. Click SUBMIT.

Payments through the communication center

1. Navigate to CRM > Communication Center > Access Communication Center.
2. Search and retrieve the contact or account of the customer.
3. Click on Retrieve Secret Number from the Actions menu.
   1. Type the voucher number.
   2. Click on SUBMIT. The 'Secret Number' will be returned.
4. Click on Use Voucher from the Actions menu to open the modal window and specify the required information:
   1. Voucher Secret Number 
   2. Accounts Receivable
   3. Payment category
5. Click SUBMIT.

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Vouchers Business Examples

Setting up voucher types 

Creating and using vouchers for payment