How Do I Set Up Gift Certificates? – iClassPro Support

IN BRIEF
Gift Certificates allow customers to purchase credit through the Customer Portal that can be applied toward future charges. Configuration includes enabling the feature, defining purchasing rules, customizing display options, and setting up email templates. The System records Gift Certificate purchases on a dedicated family account to simplify tracking.

Overview
Accessing the Feature
Step-by-Step Instructions
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Related Articles

Overview

Gift Certificates can be sold through the Customer Portal to allow families or non-logged-in users to purchase credit for themselves or others. When the feature is enabled, the System automatically creates a dedicated “--, Gift Certificate” family account. This account is used strictly for recording Gift Certificate charges, payments, and corresponding credit entries. Because of the potential size of this family record, the System prevents it from being included in any family merge process.

Gift Certificate configuration includes enabling the feature, choosing whether non-logged-in users are allowed to make purchases, defining purchase amounts, specifying image and text content displayed during purchase, and assigning Charge Program and Charge Category values for reporting.

Important: If your payment gateway supports only eCheck transactions, the Gift Certificate option will not be displayed in the Customer Portal. Gift Certificate purchases require the ability to accept credit/debit card payments.

Accessing the Feature

Gift Certificate settings are located in:

SETTINGS>CUSTOMER PORTAL>OTHER SETTINGS>GIFT CERTIFICATES

Step-by-Step Instructions

Enable Gift Certificates

Select Enable Gift Certificates to allow the Gift Certificate option to appear in the Customer Portal.
Enabling this option creates a family named "--, Gift Certificate", which the System uses to record Gift Certificate purchases, payments, and credit entries.
This family is excluded from family merge actions to prevent performance issues.

Configure Purchase Options for Logged-In and Non-Logged-In Users

Enable Gift Certificates for Users Who Are Not Logged In
- When enabled:
  - Anyone can purchase a Gift Certificate and specify a recipient.
  - A charge, payment, and credit are created on the “--, Gift Certificate” family account.
  - Staff must manually create credit on the intended family’s account.
  - Buyer’s name and phone number are required so staff can contact them if needed.
- When disabled:
  - Only logged-in customers can purchase Gift Certificates.
  - If purchasing for themselves:
    - Charge, payment, and credit are created on their own family account.
  - If selecting “This is a Gift for Somebody Else”:
    - Charge and payment are recorded on the logged-in family account.
    - Credit is recorded on the “--, Gift Certificate” family account.
    - Staff must manually create the credit on the intended family’s account.

Customize Display Settings

Title
- Text entered here appears in the Customer Portal navigation menu and on the purchase screen.
Gift Certificate Logo on Customer Portal
- Upload an image to display on the purchase screen.
- The same image is included in the “Gift From Customer Portal” email.
- Recommended image size: 860px wide × 287px tall (approximately 3:1 ratio).
Description
- Text displayed on the Gift Certificate purchase screen.
Thank You Text
- Message shown after a successful purchase.

Configure Gift Certificate Type and Amount Rules

Option 1: Fixed Amount

Choose Fixed Amount if purchases should use a preset price and credit value.
Settings include:
- Cost – amount paid by the purchaser.
- Credit – amount of credit issued to the recipient.

Option 2: Any Amount

Choose Any Amount if purchasers can enter their own gift amount.
Settings include:
- Min – minimum purchasable Gift Certificate value.
- Max – maximum purchasable Gift Certificate value.
- Multiplier % – percentage added to the purchase amount to determine issued credit.
  - Final credit = purchase amount × (1 + multiplier/100).
  - Example: A 25% multiplier on a $100 purchase results in $125 credit.

Assign Charge Program and Charge Category

Charge Program
- Assigns a Program to charges created for Gift Certificates.
- For easier financial reporting, iClassPro recommends creating a dedicated Program such as “Gift Certificates.”
Charge Category
- Assigns a Charge Category to charges created for Gift Certificates.
- A dedicated Charge Category is also recommended for reporting clarity.

Customize Automated Gift Certificate Email Templates

Two Communication Templates are used for Customer Portal Gift Certificate purchases:

Gift Purchase Receipt
- Sent to the customer who purchased the Gift Certificate.
Gift From Customer Portal
- Sent to the recipient when their email address is entered on the purchase screen.

Templates can be customized under: SETTINGS>SETUP>GENERAL SETTINGS>COMMUNICATION TEMPLATES>Customer Portal

Additional Recommendation: Update your Family Policies to include any terms or conditions related to the purchase or use of Gift Certificates.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why is the Gift Certificate option not showing in the Customer Portal?
- Gift Certificates require credit/debit card processing. If your payment gateway supports only eCheck transactions, the option will not appear.
Why are Gift Certificate credits appearing on the “--, Gift Certificate” family?
- The System stores all Gift Certificate purchase data on this dedicated account. Staff must then manually create the appropriate credit on the intended family’s ledger when required.
Can someone purchase a Gift Certificate for another family without logging in?
- Yes, if Enable Gift Certificates for Users Who Are Not Logged In is enabled. The system will record the purchase on the “--, Gift Certificate” family and require staff follow-up to assign credit.