How to Create a Coupon Definition

For the latest version of Commerce Server 2007 Help, see the Microsoft Web site.

You can create a coupon by using the Add Coupons Wizard. You can access the wizard from the Completing the New Discount Wizard page immediately after you create a new discount. You can also create a coupon through the Discount Properties screen, Coupons tab.

To create a coupon by using the Add Coupons Wizard

  1. On the Completing the New Discount Wizard page, click Add Coupons.

    For information about how to use the New Discount Wizard, see Discount Types in Commerce Server.

  2. On the Welcome to the Add Coupons Wizard page, click Next.

  3. On the Coupon Definition page, click Create New.

  4. On the New Coupon Definition page, do the following:

    Use this

    To do this

    Coupon Definition

    Type a name for the coupon definition.

    The coupon definition specifies the details of the coupon. For example, it specifies how many times the coupon can be used, and whether the coupon will be public, private, or restricted.

    Aa546179.alert_note(en-US,CS.70).gifNote:
    The same coupon definition can be attached to more than one discount.

    Usage Limit

    Type the number of times you want to apply this coupon to the basket.

    For private and restricted coupons, this is the number of times to apply each coupon code to a shopping basket. For example, if the private coupon definition contains 1,000 coupon codes, and the usage limit is five, the discount can be applied a maximum of 5,000 times.

    Aa546179.alert_caution(en-US,CS.70).gifCaution:
    Decreasing the usage limit may cause your current reservations to be not valid.

    Type

    Select the type of coupon for the discount from the drop-down list. This box is dimmed if you selected an existing coupon definition.

    There are three types of coupons:

    • Public. Coupons that anyone can use. The coupons all use the same public coupon code.

      Aa546179.alert_note(en-US,CS.70).gifNote:
      You cannot export a public coupon definition or add coupons to a public coupon definition.
    • Private. Personalized coupons that you target to specific users. Private coupons have multiple coupon code identifiers.

    • Restricted. Coupons that are restricted to one user.

      Aa546179.alert_note(en-US,CS.70).gifNote:
      You must import the user list for restricted coupons. You can also import the associated coupon codes, or you can generate the codes automatically.

    Public Coupon Code

    Type the public coupon code.

    This box is available only if you select Public Coupon Definition in the Type box.

  5. Click OK.

  6. On the Coupon Definition page, click Next.

  7. On the Coupon Batch of Coupons page, do the following:

    Use this

    To do this

    Batch Name

    Type the name of the coupon batch.

    Creation Method

    Select the coupon creation methodfrom the drop-down list. The following options are available:

    • Generate Coupons. Select this option to automatically generate coupons. You can generate coupons only for types that are private or restricted.

    • Import Coupons. Select this option to import coupons from a file.

  8. Click Next.

  9. If you select Generate Coupons, on the Batch Generation Details page, do the following:

    Use this

    To do this

    Number of Codes

    Type the number of coupon codes you want to generate.

    Prefix

    Type the prefix of the coupon.

    Number of Characters

    Type the number of characters in the random code part of the coupon.

    Suffix

    Type the suffix of the coupon.

  10. If you select Import Coupons, on the Batch Import File Selection page, in the File Location box, type or move to the location of the file that you want to import.

  11. Click Next.

  12. On the Coupon Generation Summary page, review the coupon property values. To make changes, click Back. To accept the property values and create the coupons, click Create.

  13. On the Completing the Add Coupons Wizard page, click Finish.

To create a coupon by using the Discount Properties screen, Coupons tab

  1. Click Start, point to Microsoft Commerce Server 2007 , and then click Marketing Manager.

  2. In Commerce Server Marketing Manager, in the Views pane, click Campaigns.

  3. In the Tree View pane, click All Discounts.

    Note

    If you cannot see the Tree View pane, click Tree View on the toolbar.

  4. In the Search Results pane, select the discount to which you want to add a coupon.

  5. In the Tasks pane, click Edit.

  6. In the Discount Properties screen, on the Coupons tab, click Create New.

  7. In the New Coupon Definition screen, do the following:

    Use this

    To do this

    Coupon Definition

    Type a name for the coupon definition.

    The coupon definition specifies the details of the coupon. For example, it specifies how many times the coupon can be used, and whether the coupon will be public, private, or restricted.

    Aa546179.alert_note(en-US,CS.70).gifNote:
    The same coupon definition can be attached to more than one discount.

    Usage Limit

    Type the number of times you want to apply this coupon to the basket.

    For private and restricted coupons, the usage limit is the number of times to apply each coupon code to a shopping basket. For example, if the private coupon definition contains 1,000 coupon codes, and the usage limit is five, the discount can be applied a maximum of 5,000 times. You can use each coupon code up to five times.

    Aa546179.alert_caution(en-US,CS.70).gifCaution:
    Decreasing the usage limit may cause your current reservations to become invalid.

    Type

    Select the type of coupon for the discount from the drop-down list. This box is unavailable if you select an existing coupon definition.

    The following three coupon types are available:

    • Public. Coupons that anyone can use. These coupons all use the same public coupon code.

      Aa546179.alert_note(en-US,CS.70).gifNote:
      You cannot export a public coupon definition or add coupons to a public coupon definition.
    • Private. Personalized coupons that you target to specific users. Private coupons have multiple coupon code identifiers.

    • Restricted. Coupons that are restricted to one user.

      Aa546179.alert_note(en-US,CS.70).gifNote:
      You must import the user list for restricted coupons. The associated coupon codes can also be imported, or they can be automatically generated.

    Public Coupon Code

    Type the public coupon code.

    This box is available only if you select Public Coupon Definition in the Type box.

  8. Click OK.

  9. Click Save and close on the toolbar.

See Also

Other Resources

Discount Types in Commerce Server

How to Add Existing Coupons to a Discount

How to Export Coupons

Managing Discounts

Searching the Business Management Applications

Deleting Information from the Business Management Applications

Refreshing the Business Management Application Cache