Currently, this process requires a bit of manual work to ensure everything is handled correctly.
If You Take Payment Directly via Mana:
Step 1: Charge the Customer
Go to Checkout > New Checkout in Mana.
Select a User (if one exists) or create a new user.
Select Add Item and then Custom Checkout.
Write a Label, for example: “Gift Card 200 SEK CODE BK4SH”.
Set the price for the gift card, e.g., 200 SEK.
Create a unique code with 5 letters or numbers (e.g., BK4SH). The code should be easy to remember but hard to guess.
Step 2: Send the Payment Link to the Customer
Send the payment link to the customer via email.
Alternatively: Take payment on-site and use the QR code displayed after completing Step 1.
Provide the unique code and the gift card amount to the customer who will be using the gift card.
Step 3: Document and Send Confirmation
Create a Google Spreadsheet where you register all issued gift cards. For each gift card, enter:
Amount (e.g., 200 SEK)
Unique Code (e.g., BK4SH)
Send a confirmation to the buyer with the gift card's unique code and amount. You can also create a nice PDF or an image with the code and amount if you wish.
Step 4: When the Customer Wants to Use the Gift Card
When the customer contacts you to use their gift card, ask for the unique 5-character code.
Look up the code in your Google Spreadsheet and cross it off the list.
Adjust the customer's purchase to account for the value of the gift card. You may need to modify a membership or assign credits free of charge since they have already been paid for. (There are other guides available for this).
Confirm the purchase and finish the transaction as usual.
If You Take Payment Outside of Mana:
Handling gift cards when paid via external methods (e.g., Swish, Bank Transfer, or Cash).
Step 1: Document and Create a Unique Code Start by establishing a routine to track the value and assign a (generated) code to the gift card:
Create a Unique Code: Come up with a code using 5 letters or numbers (e.g., GOLD2 or BK4SH).
Register in Google Spreadsheet: Create a sheet where you log all issued gift cards. For each card, enter:
Amount (e.g., 500 SEK).
Unique Code (e.g., BK4SH).
Sale Date.
Status (e.g., "Active").
Step 2: Send Confirmation to the Buyer Once you have confirmed that the funds have arrived and you have documented the code, notify the customer.
Send a message or email to the buyer with the gift card's unique code and amount.
Tip: You can also create a nice PDF or an image with the code and amount for the customer to give away.
Step 3: When the Customer Wants to Use the Gift Card When the recipient of the gift card contacts you to make a purchase:
Ask for the Code: Have the customer provide the 5-character code.
Validate and Cross Off: Search for the code in your Google Spreadsheet. If the code is valid, mark it as "Redeemed" or cross it off the list so it cannot be used again.
Adjust the Purchase in Mana: Since the gift card is already paid for, you need to grant the customer access to the service without them paying again. This is usually done by:
Manually assigning Credits to the customer's account.
Or modifying a membership/price at checkout so the total becomes 0 SEK.
Complete: Confirm to the customer that everything is ready.
Optional: Log the Sale in Mana (for Statistics) If you want to see the gift card sale in your Mana statistics (without it being saved for automatic bookkeeping), do the following:
Go to Checkout > New Checkout in Mana.
Select a User (or create a new one).
Select Add Item and then Custom Checkout.
Write a Label, e.g., "Gift Card 500 SEK (Swish)".
Set the price to the amount the customer paid.
Select External Checkout at payment.
Why do this? By using External Checkout, the sale is recorded in your Mana statistics, but the system does not expect the money to arrive via Mana's payment gateway, keeping your figures organized.