This Gift Certificate procedure identifies both the sale and the redemption to a specific customer. While the identification of the person receiving the certificate is simple, there is no assurance that it is the same redeeming the certificate. Such a situation can lead to inaccuracies. Therefore, your staff must diligently record the gift certificate number both at the time of sale and at redemption. This method assumes you are using prenumbered certificates.

Gift Certificate Set Up
1) Create an item category for Gift Certificates (see Item Category Screen on page 142).

2) Create a non-inventory Gift Certificate Issued item, with a retail price of $9,999.99, a maximum discount of 100% and require note checked (see Creating Sales Items on page 337).

3) Create a non-inventory Gift Certificate Redeemed item with a retail price of -$9,999.99, a maximum discount of 100% and require note checked.

Issue a Gift Certificate

1) Log into Fore! Reservations.

2) View | Shopping Cart.

3) Identify the customer in the Name field, by searching by last name, phone number or pull-down menu. If the customer is not currently in the database, add him or her.

4) Bring up the Gift Certificate Issued item. Enter the desired dollar value in the unit price.

5) Click the OK button and enter the preprinted gift certificate number in the item note dialog box.

6) Press enter and then the OK button to go to the Payment screen.

7) Enter in the appropriate tender.

8) Post the transaction by clicking the OK button.

Redeem a Gift Certificate

Transaction Balance Greater than the Gift Certificate
1) Start a transaction in the Shopping Cart with all the items that the customer wants to purchase.

2) When all the items are chosen, note the balance of the transaction.

3) Select the Gift Certificate Redeemed Item.

4) Change the unit price to the amount of the gift certificate.

5) Identify the customer in the Name field searching by last name, phone number or pull-down menu.

6) Click the OK button and enter the preprinted gift certificate number in the item note dialog box.

7) Press enter and then Click the OK button to go to the Payment screen.

8) Continue the transaction by requesting payment for the balance of the transaction. Carry out the transaction by entering the appropriate amount in the appropriate tender.

9) Post the transaction by clicking the OK button.

Transaction Balance Less than the Gift Certificate
1) Start a transaction in the Shopping Cart with all the items that the customer wants to purchase.

2) When all the items are chosen, note the balance of the transaction.

3) Select the Gift Certificate Redeemed Item.

4) Change the unit price to amount on the balance of the transaction.

5) Identify the customer in the Name field searching by last name, phone number or pull-down menu.

6) Click the OK button and enter the preprinted gift certificate number in the item note dialog box.

7) Press enter and then Click the OK button to go to the Payment screen.

8) Change the certificate to show the balance not used in this transaction.

9) Post the transaction by clicking the OK button.

Gift Certificate Report
Two options are available to reconcile gift certificates:

1) Log into Fore! Reservations, and go to View | Fore! Sell.

2) View | Reports | Gift Certificates.

3) Select the gift certificate item category from the Item Category pull-down menu.

4) Select the customer radio button to display gift certificates by customer or item note radio button to list by gift certificate number.

5) Click Print and the report will print to the screen.

Gift Certificate Liability Report
A current gift certificate liability report – for a certain day or the whole year – can be obtained from the Sales Detail by Item Category report:

1) Log into Fore! Reservations, and go to View | Fore! Sell.

2) View | Reports | Sales.

3) Since Gift Certificate is a category, fill in the Item Category radio button. Enter the date span from the Start Date and End Date pull-down menu. Select the Gift Certificate category from the Item Category pull-down menu.

4) Click Print and the report will print to the screen.

5) Your total gift certificate liability for that span is the balance for the category, otherwise known as the difference in the Gift Certificate Issued and Gift Certificate Redeemed items.