Overview
External vouchers let box office staff apply discounts from third-party voucher schemes during checkout. When a customer presents a physical or digital voucher from an external provider, the operator enters the voucher code and discount value into the system, and the platform applies it to the order.
Unlike regular discount codes, external vouchers:
- Are only available in box office mode — customers cannot apply them through the self-service shop
- Are created dynamically when first used — staff enter the voucher details, and the system creates or retrieves the matching record
- Are limited to one use per order
- Replace any previously applied discount code on the order
Applying an External Voucher in Box Office
- In the box office checkout, click Add external voucher code
- Enter the External voucher code — the code printed on or associated with the third-party voucher
- Optionally select a Category from the dropdown if voucher categories have been configured
- Choose the discount type by clicking the toggle:
- Currency symbol for a fixed amount discount
- % for a percentage discount
- Enter the discount amount
- Click the submit button to apply
The discount is distributed proportionately across all items in the basket.
Applying an external voucher removes any discount codes already applied to the order — including other external vouchers and regular discount codes. The new voucher discount replaces them entirely.
Removing an External Voucher
To remove an applied external voucher, re-open the external voucher input and submit with an amount of zero. This clears the discount from the order, allowing a different discount to be applied.
Voucher Types
External vouchers support two discount types:
| Type | Behaviour |
|---|
| Fixed amount | Reduces the order by a specific monetary value (e.g. £10 off) |
| Percentage | Reduces the order by a percentage of the total (e.g. 25% off, up to 100%) |
Voucher Categories
Categories let you organise external vouchers by their source scheme for tracking and reporting purposes. When categories are configured, a dropdown appears in the external voucher input allowing the operator to tag each voucher with its scheme.
Categories help you:
- Track redemption volumes per third-party voucher programme
- Report on the total discount value given through each scheme
- Compare the impact of different voucher partnerships
Categories are optional. If no categories have been configured, the category dropdown does not appear and vouchers are created without a category.
Managing External Vouchers
External voucher records are listed in the admin under External voucher codes. This page shows all voucher codes that have been created through box office usage.
Each entry displays:
- The voucher code
- Discount type (fixed or percentage)
- Discount amount
- Category (if assigned)
- Usage count
You can filter the list to show or hide deleted vouchers.
External voucher records are stored internally as a type of discount code. The same state controls apply — vouchers that have been used in orders can be disabled but not fully deleted, preserving the order history.
Reporting
Two dedicated reports provide insight into external voucher usage:
| Report | Purpose |
|---|
| External Voucher Code Usage | Shows usage per individual voucher code — including code, type, category, total discounted amount, and total uses |
| External Voucher Code Category Usage | Shows aggregated usage per category — category name, total discounted amount, and total uses |
Permissions
Box office staff must have the Box office: Can apply external vouchers permission to use external vouchers. This is a separate permission from:
- Applying regular discount codes (available to all box office users with discount access)
- Applying custom discounts (requires the Box office: Can apply custom discounts permission)
How External Vouchers Differ from Discount Codes
| Aspect | Discount Codes | External Vouchers |
|---|
| Created by | Admin, in advance | Box office staff, at point of use |
| Available in | Shop and/or box office | Box office only |
| Code entered by | Customer or staff | Staff only |
| Discount types | Fixed, percentage, Buy X Get Y, multi-buy | Fixed or percentage only |
| Reusability | Configurable via usage limits | One use per order |
| When applied | Replaces other discount codes | Removes all other discounts |
Related Pages
