Help With Discount Coupons

[Paradigm]

The day I posted this frustration filled post was how to apply a discount/coupon. No directions on how to create the coupon.

For these transactions that don't come up often, I want to create a "How To" book for each of our shops. This way everyone does it the same, however, if I can't find out how to do it in the first place, how can I teach them or create a cheat sheet?

[timbre4]

My apologies, Discount Coupons in Help section is pretty thin. http://www.managerhelp.buymitchell1.net/Discounts.htm

We'll be adding some of the text below to the Help section; this is for a short video that will be produced in the next 60 days:

Discounts / Discount Coupons

Pricing for parts and labor for all customers & vehicles in your database should be set to automatic to save time, reduce errors and control discounting. Customer Type stores which labor rate and parts price levels to use. This carries over to the vehicles for the most part, although exceptions are supported at the vehicle level. If the customer is supposed to be getting fleet labor rate and fleet rate on parts and this was set in Customer Type, nothing further is required. It is when you need to make departures from these previously selected rates that discounts or discount coupons become necessary. These coupons will apply a discount calculated on the parts, labor or total order dollars of the order according to your design; only one coupon may be applied to an order.
Clicking in Promos and selecting the Discounts tab provides access to your current Discount Coupons. The display selector can be changed to show Expired or All coupons. Each has a number, description, amount* and expiration date. Please note that if the coupon is built as a percentage it will read “Percent” in the Amount column.

These entries are maintained in the Configurations – Packages & Discounts section. Select the Discounts tab; this is where new coupons are created or existing entries are edited when required. Click on Add to create a new coupon. The Add Discount Coupons dialog box contains the following fields and options:

Coupon Type: Select whether it’s going to be a Dollars or % off type coupon.
- Dollar Off - Indicates that the coupon will apply a flat dollar discount to an order.
- Percent Off - Indicates that coupon will apply a discount as a % of the sales amount.

Note that the Parts & Labor lines below follow your Dollar Off or Percent Off selection.
Coupon # - provides simple ID for selection and later on Coupon Utilization report
Description - how a coupon appears as line item on orders. Example: "$10 off Brakes"
Start Date - The date that the coupon will begin to be in effect.
End Date - The date that the coupon will expire and no longer be offered.

Parts Dollar/Percent Off - This is where you enter a parts discount dollar amount or percentage depending upon whether you selected "Dollar Off" or "Percent Off" for Coupon Type. A percentage discount is entered as a whole number; For example, a Parts Percent Off value of 10.00 equals 10% off all parts on the order.
Labor Dollar/Percent Off - This is where you enter a labor discount dollar amount or percentage depending upon whether you selected "Dollar Off" or "Percent Off" for Coupon Type. a Labor Percent Off value of 10 equals 10% off all labor charges on the order.

To apply a Discount to an order, click on Promos, select the Discounts tab. Choose the Discount you want to add to the order. Click OK. The program asks you to confirm your selection; Click Yes to add this discount to the order The Discount appears as a “note” line with the Description assigned in the Discounts setup. A new Discount column opens in the running totals; this is also seen in the printed Estimate, Repair Order or Invoice.
To remove a discount from an order, click on the note line and press the Delete key. The program asks you to confirm the removal of the discount. Answer Yes; the note line with Discount description disappears along with the Discount column in running totals.

Another approach to discounting is found in Order Options as the Discounts button. It not only provides access to existing discount coupons and the ability to clear them from an order, it provides the means to create and apply an on-the-fly discount. Select whether this discount is to be Dollar or Percent type and enter the figure desired.
Please note that the Order Options – Discount button may be password protected in Program Security. These improvised discounts will show in Posted Order Detail and similar reports but not the coupon Utilization report since they are not formalized entries.

[mharlan]

Is there a way to put a cap on a discount? example would be 10% on parts and labor with a $50.00 cap. Much like we do with shop supplies.

[timbre4]

While the Discount Coupon by percentage method doesn't have a Max parameter, you can create the same effect by having a second discount by DOLLARS method that is equal to the cap amount. Here is an example we show in the workshop events:

discx2.png (45.86 KiB) Viewed 2617 times