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Set Up and Apply Discounts

Updated

What this does: Sets up reusable discounts and applies them to invoices for memberships, events and other purchases.

Applies to: GrowthZone staff with permission to manage Finance billing settings.

Before you start: Have your discount accounts (and any deferred discount account) and the fee item ready, so the discounts post the way your accountant wants.

Time needed: About 10 minutes for a discount type and its first discount.

Important: You can only add a discount when an invoice is first created. You can't add one to an existing invoice.

Discounts take two steps. First set up a discount type, which decides the accounts and where the discount can be used. Then set up the discounts themselves.

Set up discount types

A discount type is a reusable template. It keeps a discount in one area from affecting another, and lets staff create discounts without asking the accountant each time.

  1. Go to Finance, Administrative section, click Billing Settings and select Discount Types.
    Discount Types page showing the list of existing discount types
  2. Click the Add button.
    Discount Types page with the ADD button boxed, and the Add Discount Type screen it opens
  3. Enter a Name and Description.
  4. Select the Discount Account. A discount is debited to this account. If the discount applies to deferred revenue, also select the Deferred Discount Account.
  5. Select the Discount Type. It decides where the discount can be used (see the table below).
  6. Select the Saleable Item Type: the fee item this discount is for.
  7. Click Done.
Discount type Where you can use it
Universal Anywhere in GrowthZone
Event Registration The Attendee Setup tab of an event
Event Sponsorship Not available yet
New Memberships Membership types and the membership application
Membership Renewal Membership renewals
Web Content Web content purchases
Benefit Tracking Required if you use benefit tracking
Exhibitor Registration The Exhibitor Setup tab of an event (Expo add-on)

Set up discounts

Create discounts ahead of time, or create them on the fly when you build an invoice. Event discounts are the exception: create them inside each event. See Set Up Discounts for your Event.

  1. Go to Finance, Administrative section, click Billing Settings and select Discounts.
    Discounts page showing the list of configured discounts
  2. Click the Add button.
    Add Discount screen showing the Name, Description, Discount Type and discount method fields
  3. Enter a Name and Description. Both print on the invoice.
  4. Select a Discount Type.
  5. (Optional) Enter a Start Date and End Date, and a Promo Code.
  6. (Optional) Set limits:
    • Total Available: how many times the discount can be used in total. 0 means unlimited.
    • Limit Per Purchase: how many times it can be used on one purchase. 0 means no limit.
    • Min To Activate Discount: how many items someone must buy to qualify, for example two event registrations.
    • Sliding Expiration Days: the discount expires this many days after it is given.
  7. Choose how to discount:
    • Discount New Price: the price drops to the amount you enter.
    • Discount Percent: a percentage off, for example 20%.
    • Discount Amount: a fixed amount off, for example $10.
  8. Select Can Be Used with Other Discounts if it can combine with other discounts.
  9. Click Done.

Once the discount is in use, Used Quantity shows how many times it has been used.

Apply a discount to a new invoice

Add the discount while you create the invoice.

  1. Start the invoice as described in Create a Single Invoice and add the fee item.
  2. On that line, click Disc.
    Invoice line item with the Disc. link boxed
  3. Select a Discount, or click Add (+) to create one.
  4. Adjust the details if needed:
    • Discount Description: prints on the invoice.
    • Discount Expiration: when the discount stops being valid. Mostly used for applications and registrations.
    • Discount Amount or Discount Percent: applies to the line total, not to each item.
  5. Click Done.

Checkpoint: The line shows the discount and a lower total.

Common pitfalls

  • Adding a discount to an existing invoice: not possible. Recreate the invoice with the discount.
  • Choosing the wrong discount type: the discount won't appear where you expect. Match the type to where you will offer it.

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