Redeeming a gift certificate: Should it be marked as "redeemed" or posted as "redeemed"?

Redeeming a gift certificate: Should it be marked as “redeemed” or posted as “redeemed”?

“The voucher is redeemed.” Sounds simple—until multiple systems are involved.
Because then the crucial question quickly arises: Where does the redemption actually take place?
In the incert system? In the property management system, or PMS for short? At the register, in spa software, or directly in the booking process?

This is exactly where two terms come into play: redemption and redemption posting. Both ensure that a gift card is verified, redeemed, and its remaining balance updated.
The technical process, however, differs.

Redemption Posting: incert redeems, the PMS posts

During the redemption posting process, the actual voucher redemption takes place in the incert backend. There, the following checks are performed:

Is the gift certificate valid?
How much credit is available?
Can the desired amount be redeemed?

The voucher is then redeemed in full or in part. The current voucher value is updated directly in the incert system.
The information about the redemption is then transmitted to the connected PMS. Simply put, incert notifies the PMS:

The gift certificate has been redeemed. Please record the corresponding amount as a gift certificate payment on the bill or in the guest’s profile.

The PMS therefore handles the payment transaction. The actual voucher management remains within the incert system.

An Overview of the Process

The gift certificate will be verified in incert.
Redemption takes place in the incert system.
The remaining balance will be updated.
The payment information is transmitted to the PMS.
The PMS posts the amount.

Validation: The daily routine system triggers the process; incert checks

When a devaluation occurs, the process begins directly in the system where the team is already working. This could be, for example:

the PMS,
a cash register,
SPA software,
a booking segment.

The connected system sends a background query to incert:

Is the gift certificate valid?
Is there enough credit available?
Can the desired amount be redeemed?

If the requirements are met, the voucher is validated. At the same time, the current voucher value is updated in the incert system.

For employees, this often means they remain in their familiar work interface throughout the entire redemption process.

What’s the difference?

The main difference is the technical location where the redemption takes place.
The result is the same in both cases: The gift card is redeemed correctly and its balance is updated.

When posting a redemption

redemption takes place in the incert system,
the voucher value will be updated there,
The PMS then receives the payment information.

When validating

initiates the redemption process in the connected third-party system,
incert checks the validity and balance in the background,
The team remains in its familiar system interface.

Can the company choose any option it wants?

Not always.
Whether an interface uses validation or redemption posting depends primarily on the technical capabilities of the connected system and the existing integration.
Therefore, this is usually not a setting that can simply be changed in the backend. The process is part of the respective interface architecture.

What does this mean for your business?

For day-to-day work, these questions should be clearly answered:

In which system does the redemption process begin?
Which system verifies the gift certificate?
Where is the balance updated?
Where is the payment posted afterward?
What interface does the team use?

Once these roles are clearly defined, it becomes easier to explain processes, provide more targeted training for employees, and plan cross-functional projects more effectively.

Tina’s System Check: It is not the result that distinguishes “devaluation” from ”
” and “redemption posting,” but rather the point at which the technical redemption process begins.

Conclusion: Two Paths, One Goal

Redemption and redemption posting serve the same purpose: to securely redeem vouchers and keep their values up to date.
With redemption posting, the redemption takes place in the Incert system. The payment information is then transferred to the PMS.
With validation, the process begins directly in the connected day-to-day system. Incert handles the verification and updating in the background.
The specific integration determines which variant is used.

Redeemed—now what?

Once the gift card is redeemed, its value is updated. However, the process isn’t complete yet.
That’s because sales, payments, discounts, and shipping costs must also be sent to where they are processed and recorded.
That’s exactly what the next section is about:

from

Sandra Baumgartner

ca. 4 min.

Stand Alone vs. iframe

Not an Apple launch, not a farewell – but plain language on technology! Find out which integration solution is right for your website and what the differences and advantages of the respective system approaches are.

FAQ: Cancellation or Redemption Posting

Frequently Asked Questions About Redeeming Gift Certificates

Can the company itself choose between validation and redemption posting?

As a rule, this is not a setting that can be freely selected. How it works is determined by the available interface and the technical implementation of the respective partner system.

Can a gift certificate be redeemed in part?

During the redemption posting process, a gift certificate can be redeemed in full or in part, depending on the intended process. The remaining balance is then updated in the incert system. The options available through a connected third-party system depend on the specific integration.

Is a write-down better than a redemption posting?

Neither option is inherently better. Both serve the same purpose: to ensure that the gift card is redeemed correctly and its remaining balance is updated. Which option is used depends on the specific partner integration and the technical capabilities of the connected system.

What is the difference between cancellation and redemption posting?

The main difference lies in where the technical redemption process begins. With redemption posting, it takes place in the incert system. With cancellation, the process begins directly in the connected third-party system.

What is a redemption posting?

During the redemption process, the gift certificate is redeemed in the incert backend. There, its validity and available balance are verified. The payment information is then transferred to the connected PMS and assigned to the corresponding invoice or guest profile.

What does “redeeming” a gift certificate mean?

When a voucher is redeemed, it is processed directly in an integrated third-party system. This could be, for example, a PMS, a point-of-sale system, spa software, or a booking channel. The system queries incert for the voucher’s validity and available balance. The voucher value is then updated in the incert system.