Gift Certificates Documentation

Menu Location: Settings > Gift Certificates

Access Level: Manager and above

Last Updated: 2026-03-01

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Overview

The Gift Certificates page allows you to create, manage, track, and redeem digital gift certificates that customers can purchase or that you can issue for promotional purposes. Gift certificates act as store credit that can be applied to orders.

Primary Functions:

• Create gift certificates manually or through automated purchase flows
• Track gift certificate redemption and balance
• Search and filter gift certificates by status, amount, or customer
• Monitor gift certificate usage and revenue
• Issue promotional gift certificates
• Resend gift certificate emails to recipients

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Page Layout

Header Section

• Search Bar: Quick search by certificate code, recipient email, or purchaser name
• Filter Controls: Status filters (Active, Partially Used, Fully Redeemed, Expired)
• Create Button: Generate new gift certificate manually

Main Content Area

Table displaying all gift certificates with columns:

• Certificate Code (unique identifier)
• Original Amount
• Current Balance
• Recipient Name/Email
• Purchaser Name (if different)
• Purchase Date
• Expiration Date (if applicable)
• Status (Active/Used/Expired)
• Actions (View, Resend, Edit, Deactivate)

Summary Section

• Total active gift certificate balance
• Total redeemed this month
• Total issued this month
• Average certificate value

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Creating Gift Certificates

Manual Creation

Purpose: Issue promotional certificates, customer service credits, or special gifts

Steps:

1. Click "Create Gift Certificate" button
2. Enter recipient email address
3. Enter recipient name (optional but recommended)
4. Enter gift amount (e.g., $50.00)
5. Add personal message (appears in email to recipient)
6. Set expiration date (optional)
7. Enter purchaser name or "Promotional" if company-issued
8. Click "Create & Send"

Requirements:

• Valid email address
• Amount greater than $0.00
• Unique certificate code (auto-generated)

Automated Creation

Gift certificates are automatically created when:

• Customer purchases gift certificate through website
• Corporate bulk gift certificate order is processed
• Gift certificate promotion is triggered

No manual action needed - system handles creation and email delivery

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Gift Certificate Codes

Code Format

• Length: 12-16 alphanumeric characters
• Example: GIFT-A8B9C2D4E5F6
• Case insensitive for customer redemption
• Auto-generated to ensure uniqueness

Code Security

• Codes are randomly generated
• Cannot be guessed or sequential
• One-time use only (balance tracked)
• Deactivated codes cannot be reused

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Redemption Process

How Customers Redeem

Customer Path:

1. Customer adds items to cart
2. At checkout, enters gift certificate code
3. System validates code and applies balance
4. Remaining balance saved for future use
5. Customer receives confirmation email

Admin-Assisted Redemption

When customer calls for help:

1. Search for gift certificate by code or email
2. Verify customer identity
3. Click "Apply to Order" button
4. Select order to apply certificate
5. Enter amount to apply (up to current balance)
6. Confirm application
7. Balance updates automatically

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Managing Gift Certificates

Viewing Certificate Details

Steps:

1. Find certificate using search or filters
2. Click certificate code to open detail view
3. View complete information:
   • Original amount
   • Current balance
   • Redemption history (dates and amounts)
   • Associated orders
   • Recipient and purchaser info
   • Email delivery status

Editing Certificate

Available Edits:

• Update recipient email
• Change expiration date
• Modify current balance (add/remove value)
• Update recipient name
• Change status

Cannot Edit:

• Certificate code (permanent)
• Original amount (for record keeping)
• Purchase date (historical)

Steps:

1. Open certificate detail page
2. Click "Edit" button
3. Make desired changes
4. Enter reason for modification (audit trail)
5. Click "Save Changes"

Deactivating Certificates

When to Deactivate:

• Customer reports certificate lost/stolen
• Fraudulent activity suspected
• Replacement certificate issued
• Certificate expired per company policy

Steps:

1. Find certificate
2. Click "Deactivate" action
3. Enter reason for deactivation
4. Confirm action
5. Certificate can no longer be redeemed

Note: Deactivation is reversible if needed

Resending Certificate Email

Common Scenarios:

• Recipient didn't receive original email
• Email went to spam
• Customer lost email and needs another copy
• Email address was incorrect

Steps:

1. Find certificate
2. Click "Resend Email" action
3. Confirm or update recipient email address
4. Click "Send"
5. New email sent with certificate code

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Search & Filtering

Quick Search

Search across:

• Certificate code
• Recipient name
• Recipient email
• Purchaser name
• Purchaser email

Status Filters

• Active: Certificates with remaining balance
• Partially Used: Some balance redeemed, some remaining
• Fully Redeemed: $0 balance remaining
• Expired: Past expiration date
• Deactivated: Manually deactivated certificates

Date Range Filters

• Purchase Date: Filter by when certificate was created
• Expiration Date: Filter by expiration
• Last Redeemed: Filter by recent redemption activity

Amount Filters

• Balance Greater Than: Find high-value active certificates
• Balance Less Than: Find nearly depleted certificates
• Original Amount: Filter by initial certificate value

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Reporting & Analytics

Gift Certificate Report Data

Metrics Available:

• Total certificates issued (count and value)
• Total redeemed (count and value)
• Outstanding balance (liability)
• Redemption rate (percentage)
• Average certificate value
• Average time to first redemption

Export Options:

• CSV export of all certificates
• Custom date range reports
• Status-based exports
• Detailed redemption history

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Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Issue Apology Certificate

Goal: Give customer service credit due to product issue

Steps:

1. Click "Create Gift Certificate"
2. Enter customer's email address
3. Enter customer's name
4. Set amount: $25.00
5. Message: "We're sorry about the quality issue with your recent order. Please enjoy this $25 gift certificate on your next purchase."
6. Purchaser: "Customer Service - Quality Issue"
7. Leave expiration blank (no expiry)
8. Click "Create & Send"
9. Add note to customer account documenting the credit

Result: Customer receives email with certificate code immediately

Use Case 2: Corporate Bulk Gift Order

Goal: Process corporate order for 50 gift certificates

Steps:

1. Receive CSV file from corporate customer with recipient list
2. Navigate to "Bulk Create" section
3. Upload CSV file (columns: email, name, amount)
4. Review preview of certificates to be created
5. Set uniform message and expiration (if any)
6. Click "Create All"
7. System creates all certificates and queues emails
8. Download confirmation report
9. Send report to corporate customer

Tips:

• Verify CSV format before upload
• Test with 1-2 certificates first
• Set reasonable expiration (6-12 months)
• Track campaign with purchaser name

Use Case 3: Customer Lost Certificate Code

Goal: Help customer who can't find certificate email

Steps:

1. Ask customer for recipient email address
2. Search gift certificates by email
3. Verify customer identity (ask for name, recent order)
4. Locate active certificate
5. Click "Resend Email"
6. Confirm email address is correct
7. Click "Send"
8. Customer receives email in 2-5 minutes

Alternative: Read certificate code to customer over phone

Use Case 4: Apply Certificate to Existing Order

Goal: Manually apply gift certificate to customer's order

Steps:

1. Have customer provide certificate code
2. Search for certificate by code
3. Verify certificate is active and has balance
4. Click "Apply to Order"
5. Search for customer's order
6. Enter amount to apply (up to balance)
7. Click "Apply"
8. Order total updates
9. Certificate balance decreases
10. Customer receives updated order confirmation

Use Case 5: Replace Stolen Certificate

Goal: Deactivate compromised certificate and issue replacement

Steps:

1. Customer reports certificate stolen/compromised
2. Search for original certificate
3. Note current balance: $75.00
4. Click "Deactivate"
5. Reason: "Reported stolen by customer"
6. Click "Create Gift Certificate"
7. Enter same recipient email
8. Amount: $75.00 (matching balance)
9. Message: "Replacement certificate for security reasons"
10. Click "Create & Send"
11. Add note to customer account documenting replacement

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Troubleshooting

Customer Says Certificate Code Doesn't Work

Symptoms:

• "Invalid code" error at checkout
• Code not recognized

Solutions:

1. Verify code entry is correct (easy to mistype)
2. Check if code is case-sensitive in your system
3. Search for certificate by code in admin
4. Check certificate status (Active vs. Deactivated/Expired)
5. Verify certificate balance is greater than $0
6. Check if certificate is site-specific (multi-tenant)

Common Causes:

• Typo in code entry
• Certificate already fully redeemed
• Certificate deactivated
• Expired certificate

Email Not Received

Symptoms:

• Recipient didn't get certificate email
• Email sent but not arrived

Check:

1. Verify email address spelling is correct
2. Check spam/junk folders
3. Look for email bounce notification
4. Verify email server is working
5. Check email delivery log

Solutions:

1. Update email address if incorrect
2. Click "Resend Email"
3. Try alternative email address
4. Provide code via phone/SMS as backup

If Problem Persists:

• Check email template is configured
• Verify email service integration (Mandrill, SendGrid, etc.)
• Contact tech support if widespread issue

Certificate Balance Shows Incorrect Amount

Symptoms:

• Balance doesn't match expected amount
• Redemption history doesn't add up

Check:

1. Review complete redemption history
2. Check for partial redemptions
3. Look for manual balance adjustments
4. Verify original amount vs. current balance
5. Check audit log for changes

Solutions:

1. If error confirmed, click "Edit" on certificate
2. Adjust balance to correct amount
3. Document reason for correction
4. Notify customer if needed

Cannot Create Gift Certificate

Symptoms:

• Create button doesn't work
• Error message on creation
• Form validation fails

Common Issues:

1. Email address format invalid
2. Amount is $0 or negative
3. Duplicate code generation (rare)
4. Permission issue (check access level)
5. Email service not configured

Solutions:

1. Verify all required fields completed
2. Check email address format
3. Ensure amount is positive number
4. Try again (code generation may succeed)
5. Verify you have Manager+ access

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Related Pages

• Gift Card Images (gift-card-images.php) - Design visual gift card templates
• Gift Card Promotions (gift-card-promotions.php) - Configure promotional campaigns
• Customer Detail - View customer's certificate usage history
• Orders - See certificates applied to specific orders
• Reports > Revenue - Track gift certificate revenue

Typical Workflow:

1. Gift Certificate page → Create certificate
2. Email sent to recipient → Customer receives code
3. Customer Detail → View customer's redemptions
4. Orders → See certificate applied to order

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Permissions & Access

Required Access Level: Manager or higher

Access Level Capabilities:

• Manager: Create, view, edit, resend, basic deactivation
• Administrator: All Manager capabilities + bulk operations, balance adjustments
• Kiva Admin: All features + audit log access, system configuration

Restricted Features:

• Bulk Creation: Requires Administrator
• Balance Adjustments: Requires Administrator approval per company policy
• System Configuration: Requires Kiva Admin

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Best Practices

Creating Certificates

1. Always include personal message - makes gift feel special
2. Set reasonable expiration - 6-12 months balances urgency and generosity
3. Use clear purchaser names - helps tracking and reporting
4. Test email delivery - send test certificate to yourself first
5. Document promotional certificates - track in customer account notes

Customer Service

1. Verify identity before resending certificates
2. Check balance before promising customer can redeem
3. Resend emails liberally - it's easy and keeps customers happy
4. Document all actions in customer account notes
5. Respond quickly - gift certificates are time-sensitive

Security

1. Never share codes publicly - always send via secure email
2. Deactivate compromised certificates immediately
3. Verify identity for phone requests
4. Track unusual redemption patterns - may indicate fraud
5. Use expiration dates for promotional certificates

Financial Management

1. Track outstanding balance - this is a liability
2. Report monthly on issuance and redemption
3. Review old certificates - follow up on unredeemed
4. Reconcile with accounting - ensure accuracy
5. Monitor redemption rates - identify issues or trends

Things to Avoid

• ❌ Creating certificates without documenting reason
• ❌ Changing balance without audit trail note
• ❌ Ignoring bounced certificate emails
• ❌ Reusing deactivated certificate codes
• ❌ Setting unrealistic expiration dates (too short)

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Export & Download Options

Export Formats:

• CSV Export: All certificate data with redemption history
• Active Certificates: Only certificates with remaining balance
• Redemption Report: Detailed redemption history by date
• Summary Report: Aggregated metrics and totals

Export Process:

1. Apply desired filters (date range, status, etc.)
2. Click "Export" button
3. Select export format
4. Choose fields to include (if custom export)
5. Download CSV file

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Integration Points

Email Service (Mandrill/SendGrid)

• Automatic certificate delivery emails
• Resend capabilities
• Bounce tracking
• Email template customization

Payment Gateway (Stripe)

• Gift certificate purchases processed
• Refund handling
• Revenue tracking

Accounting System

• Gift certificate liability tracking
• Revenue recognition
• Reconciliation exports

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Quick Reference Card

Task	Action/Location
Create new certificate	Click "Create Gift Certificate" button
Search by code	Enter code in search box
Find customer's certificates	Search by email or name
Resend certificate email	Find certificate > Click "Resend Email"
Check certificate balance	Search certificate > View details
Apply to order manually	Certificate detail > "Apply to Order"
Deactivate certificate	Find certificate > Click "Deactivate"
Edit certificate amount	Certificate detail > Edit > Adjust balance
Export certificate list	Apply filters > Click "Export"
View redemption history	Click certificate code > View history

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FAQs

Do gift certificates expire?

This depends on your configuration and local regulations. Some businesses set expiration dates (6-12 months), while others offer non-expiring certificates. Check your company policy and local laws regarding gift certificate expiration.

Can a certificate be used multiple times?

Yes! If the certificate has a balance greater than the order total, the remaining balance stays on the certificate for future use.

What happens if certificate amount exceeds order total?

The difference remains as a balance on the certificate. For example, $100 certificate applied to $75 order leaves $25 balance for next purchase.

Can customers combine multiple gift certificates?

This depends on your system configuration. Most systems allow multiple certificates per order, but check your specific setup.

How do customers check their certificate balance?

Customers can enter their certificate code on the gift certificate balance check page (usually on website footer). Admins can check in the admin panel by searching the certificate code.

Can I refund a gift certificate?

Yes, but follow your company's refund policy. Typically:

• Purchased certificates can be refunded within 30 days
• Promotional certificates are non-refundable
• Partially used certificates can receive partial refund Document all refunds in notes.

What if customer wants to transfer certificate to someone else?

Edit the certificate and update the recipient email address. The new recipient will need the original certificate code.

How do I handle corporate bulk orders?

Use the bulk creation tool with a CSV file containing recipient information. This automates creation and email delivery for large orders.

Are certificate codes case-sensitive?

Typically no - most systems accept codes in any case. Verify your specific configuration.

Can I create a certificate for more than one product?

Gift certificates are monetary value, not product-specific. Recipients can use them to purchase any products up to the certificate value.

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End of Documentation

For additional help, contact your system administrator or Kiva Logic support.