Universal Vouchers (UVs), if you keep up-to-date on the Elevent changelog, were introduced midway last year as a solution for vouchers that could be redeemed for multiple kinds of items. They can also exist outside of a voucher bundle and can be quickly generated instead of sold, could have no real owner, and were an easy way to generate emergency vouchers in lieu of refunds.
When we first introduced Universal Vouchers, assigning them to one specific customer did two things:
- Assigned an owner to the voucher--so they could be found easily and associated with an actual person
- Restricted that voucher so only the owner could use them
One of the most valuable aspects of vouchers is how easy they are to share--give that voucher or voucher number to another person and they can use it. With UVs, we made an exception to that sharability principle and let them become restricted to an owner when assigned.
It turns out simple sharing of vouchers is more valuable than the ability to restrict them to one person. This is especially true when you do sell UVs as part of a voucher bundle--it's far too confusing to try to communicate to someone that some of their vouchers may be sharable and others cannot be.
We have since changed how UVs work. Now, even if you:
- Assign a Universal Voucher to a customer, or;
- Sell/comp Universal Vouchers to a customer as part of a Voucher Bundle
Anyone, including the owner, can use those vouchers to get items without payment. As with all vouchers, as soon as _anyone _uses it, it cannot be used again by anyone anywhere at any time.
Along with this change, we also introduced a limit to each line item in a voucher bundle--we need to limit the number of vouchers and other items in a voucher bundle to 25 lest they become unmanageable. A voucher bundle can have more than 25 entitlements in it, but no more than 25 of any one line item.
Learn how to issue and manage universal vouchers here.
