A discount is a parameter defining a reduction in respect of a regular price. The system handles the mechanism of discount allocation in trade transactions.

In the system, it is possible to differentiate:

• user discount
• document header discount
• item discounts
• bundle promotions

On the basis of the above-mentioned discount types, a user can create discounts defining detailed conditions of their calculation.

The discounts are available form the level of tab Sales section Discounts.

The following buttons are available in Discounts button group:

• Discount Types – list of predefined item discount types, bundle promotions and document header discounts for which a user can define the order of their calculation.

• User – list of system operators along with the maximum user discount granted them, that they can give to a customer when issuing a document, regardless of item discounts.
• Discounts – list of item discounts and bundle promotions defined by an operator

Principles of calculating discounts in the system:

• discounts are granted in document currency (if a discount is expressed in another currency, then it is recalculated into the currency of a given document at a rate binding on a given document)
• depending on VAT direction in a document, a discount is calculated:
  • on value/subtotal price – if a document is issued on subtotal
  • on value/total price – if a document is issued from total
• depending on the Discount on Price parameter on the item form, discounts are calculated from either a price or an item value of a document
• value-based discounts (amount-based discounts) as well as user discount on items are combined with other discounts always by the Add method
• the system takes into account the parameter of control: quantity*price=value
• the system takes into account the minimum margin control – after calculating discounts, a price can be increased so as to fulfill the conditions of the minimum margin
• order of discount calculation:
  • line item discounts (item discounts) according to the order defined in the list of discount types
  • user discount (given directly on the line item of a document)
  • header percentage discount
  • header value discount
  • checking the control of minimum margin and control: quantity*price=value
• the value of the whole document calculated on the basis of the item value of a document

Discount types are models predefined in the system; on which basis a user can define discounts with specified conditions of their calculation.

From the level of tab Sales → Discount Types, a list of all item discount and header discount types is available, where a user can determine the order of calculation of item discounts and bundle promotions.

Two columns are available in the list

• Type – defines type of discount and indicates general criteria according to which the system calculates discount and which have to be specified in a detailed way by an operator defining a given discount.
• Priority – defined on discount type, affects setting a default priority for a newly added discount which determines the order of discount calculation (a discount with the lowest priority value is calculated as first). Exceptions include header discounts (percentage and value) and bundle discounts which are always calculated as the last ones.

Item discounts include the following:

• Customer discount in item – a special discount on a given item or several items is granted to a specified customer or several customers
• Customer discount on item group – a discount on item from a given group/groups of items is granted to a specified customer or several customers
• Customer group discount on item – a special discount on a given item or several items is granted to a specific group/groups of customers, e.g. partners of a company
• Customer group discount on item group – similarly as the described above
• Threshold discount on item – thresolds regarding the quantity of a purchased item/items and the amount of a discount for each threshold are defined, e.g. below 100 pcs of a given item – no discount, from 101 to 1000 pcs – 5% discount, over 1000 pcs – 7%
• Customer discount on payment form – defined for specific customer/customers on a given payment form
• Customer group discount on payment form – similarly as the Customer discount on payment form, but it is defined for a group/groups of customers

Bundle promotions include the following:

• Fixed Bundle – applied after adding specific items (creating a bundle) to a document, only in determined quantity or its multiplication
• Elastic Bundle – a global quantity or value threshold is determined after exceeding of which a discount is granted on items or groups of items indicated in a given bundle

Header discounts include the following:

• Header percentage discount – type of user discount, granted by a customer directly in the header of an issued document and then divided into particular document items by the system; an operator has to earlier define if a discount is to be calculated with other discounts by adding or multiplying.
• Header value discount – type of user discount, similarly as in the header percentage discount, it is defined directly in the header of an issued document and divided by the system into individual document items, proportionally to their value.
• Header discount on transaction value – discount granted depending on defined value thresholds. It can be granted both in the value and percentage form. A discount defned in Comarch ERP Standard will be calculated only in transactions processed in Comarch POS.

User discounts are the discounts granted by an operator when a sales document is being issued. On the same document, an operator cannot grant a discount higher than the discount which has been assigned to him/her in the system.

A list of the users, along with the maximum discount value assigned to them, is available from the level of the tab Sales → (Discounts) → User Discounts.

User discounts can be expressed in percentage or value (amount) form and they are calculated:

• by granting a discount on a specified document item (manual change of prace, discount or value of an item on document item; hereinfafter referred to as a user discount)
• to the whole document, the so-called document header discount

Before defining a discount, it is necessary to create an account for a specified user (Configuration → Company Structure → Operators) and assign an employee that account. Them, from the level of the tab Sales → (Discounts) User Discounts, define the maximum amount of a discount that can be granted by the user.

User discount and header value discount are always calculated by adding (they sum up).

Header discounts are available on SI, R, SOR, SO and SQ.

Header percentage discount

The percentage header discount is defined on the discount list as the only one from the user discounts (Sales → Discounts). However, its definition is subject to minor modifiactions – a user can change its name and a method of combining with other discounts.

A percentage discount can be granted both before adding items to a document and after it. Depending on the settings of the method of conbining with other discounts on the the definition of a deader percentage discount, such a discount:

• reduces the value of an item after discount by the header percentage discount and after reducing the value, recalculates the price and the effective item discount – option Multiply

• adds the header discount to the item discount and will finally calculate an item price, depending on the parameter settings Discount on price – option Add

If the header percentage discount has been granted after calculating the value discount, the system will recalculate this discount on the items in accordance with the standard order – item discounts, a user discount on item, a header percentage discount and a header value discount.

Header value discount

After entering the amount of header value discount in the document header, the system divides this amount into document items proportionally to their values.

When adding items to a document, the value discount is calculated:

only on the items which were added to the document before entering the discount

if a user enters the header percentage one morde time, then, the system recalculates all discounts for each item according to the standard order

The minimum margin control may lead to the situation that the item value cannot be reduced by the proportional part of the header percentage discount of this item. In such a case the system will try to divide this amount into the remaining items on a document.

In case of deleting an item from a document on which a header value discount was calculated, the system verifies whether the total of header value discount amounts on the other items equal to the amount specified in the header.

[/alert] The header discount value is calculated only on these items which have been added on a document before this discount has been set. If a user sets a header value discount on a document and then adds new items, the system does not divide this discount one more time and will not take it into account on all items added as new. [/alert]

Header discount on transaction value

Header discount on transaction value allows for calculating a discount which depends on the value of the whole document. The discount is granted to a customer if the value of the transaction reaches one of defined thresholds.

A step necessary defining a discount is defining the value of granted discount for at least one threshold. A user determines the value/percentage of a granted discounts, its currency and a threshold defining its effectiveness.

When creating a header discount on transaction value, apart from the standard fields available in the discount definition <<item discounts>>, a user can also define additional parameters determining the method of calculating document value:

• Include items not subject to discounts – selecting this parameter allows for including into transaction value items which have parameter Subject to discounts unchecked on item form
• Include bundles not subject to header discounts – selecting this parameter allows for including into transaction value bundle promotions for which the parameter Include header discounts is unchecked in discount definition

Bundle promotions are used in order to increase sales of in low demand with those which are most frequently purchased. With the use of “bundles” a user can define a promotion in which, for example, a purchaser, upon purchasing an item from specific group, receives a freebie. Combining bundle promotions with header discounts allows for maximum increase of sales of the whole assortment.

It is possible to define two types of bundle promotions:

• fixed bundle
• flexible bundle

On their basis it possible to define promotions such as:

• a customer receives a freebee when purchasing any item/items from the list
• a customer is granted discount on particular items when purchasing specific quantity of items
• a customer is granted discount on particular items when purchasing items of specific value
• a customer is granted both discount on particular items and receives a freebee upon satisfying specific promotion conditions

Calculation bundles in a document

In definitions of SQ, SO, Sor, SI and R is available parameter Handle bundle promotions which specifies method of calculating discounts: A user can select one of two options:

• Automatically when adding items – upon selecting this option, bundle discounts are calculated when adding items to a document
• Manually – bundle discounts are calculated only after clicking on the button [Bundle Promotions]

When in document definition (SQ, SO, SOR, SI, R) the parameter Handle bundle promotions is unchecked, on a given document type, the system:

• does not verify assignment of items to a bundle when document items are added
• does not calculate discounts when confirming or modifying data in a document

In the column N., bundle promotions are marked with icons informing about:

– an item for which there are bundle promotions defined

– fulfilling all conditions defined in the definition of discounts and calculating a bundle discount

In case bundle discounts are calculated manually, after selecting the button [Bundle Discounts], a user can select one of the following options:

• Calculate discounts – bundle discounts are calculated in accordance with conditions defined for each bundle.
• Delete Discount – allows for deleting a discount from a document This option is active if in a document there is a bundle discount calculated.

Combining bundle promotions and header discount

If bundle promotions have been calculated on a document, then header discounts are calculated on items which:

• are not included in bundle discount
• are included in a bundle promotion with parameter Include header discount checked and are not marked as freebies

Fixed bundle is a promotion which is calculated only in case if all items defined as bundle elements are added to a document in a specified quantity or in a quantity being multiplication of it.

The following fields of the header of this discount are different compared to other item discounts:

• Define Sort of Discount – depending on selected option, it allows for defining discount:
  • for particular bundle items – On item/freebie form
  • for an entire bundle, dividing a discount proportionally to all items – In discount header

After selecting In document header option:

• field Calculate Discount On is presented, which allow for specifying whether a discount is to be calculated on:
  • Basic Items, which results in hiding sections On item/freebies
  • Additional Items/Freebies – after selecting this options items added in section Items constitute discount conditions. If these conditions are fulfilled, a discount on items added in section Additional items/Freebies is calculated.

• field Distribute Discount To Bundle Items assumes the value Proportionally (without the possibility of changing it)
• field Sort of Discount becomes available in discount header. It allows for selecting one of the following discount sorts:
  • Percentage
  • Value
  • Package Fixed Price Subtotal – (option available only for fixed bundles), allows for defining final subtotal value of a bundle
  • Package Fixed Price total – (option available only for fixed bundles) allows for defining final value of a bundle
• Currency – allows for defining currency of a given discount

The tab Items is divided into two sections:

• Items
• Added Items/Freebies (available when option Define Sort of Discount: On item/freebie form is selected)

After selecting items or item group, a user should define:

• Sort of Discount – drop-down list with the following options:
  • Percentage Discount
  • Fixed Price Subtotal
  • Fixed Price Total
• Quantity – required quantity of items which must be added to a document for a promotion to be calculated. In case of adding greater quantity of item than indicated in this column, document items are divided into quantity resulting from the promotion and quantity not subject to the promotion.
• Minimum Item Quantity – field available for modifying only for a row regarding item group, defines the minimum quantity of different items from a given item group which must be added in order to be able to calculate a discount on a document.
• UOM – unit of measure of an item for which a given discount is to be valid
• Classification (column hidden by default) – field filled in only for a row regarding item group. It displays classification do which belongs a given group.
• Additionally, in the section Added Items/Freebies, the following column is available:
• Include header discounts – column available after selecting parameter Include header discounts. Allows for selecting method of distributing discount to bundle items

Value of the parameter Include header discounts	Method of distributing discount to items	Method of calculating discount
unchecked	None	Successive discounts are not calculated on an item marked as freebie.
checked	None	Successive discounts may be calculated on a freebie according to their definition; order and priorities.
checked (without the possibility of unchecking it)	Proportionally	Successive discounts may be calculated on a freebie according to their definition; order and priorities.

Additionally, in section Additional items/Freebies, the following column is available:

• Required – parameter allowing for marking an item as a freebie required for a bundle discount to be calculated.

• Least Expensive – option available in case of selecting a group of items in the section Freebies. Its selection determines calculation of a discount for an item with the lowest price/value.
• Most Expensive – option available in case of selecting a group of items in section Freebies. Its selection determines calculation of a discount for an item with the highest price/value.

In order to save a fixed bundle, it is necessary to:

• add at least one basic item
• define quantity for all added items in the list Items and Added Items/Freebies
• attach a customer
• define center

With the use of a flexible bundle, a user can determine deductions for items in case their sales volume acheives a specified threshold (value or quantity).

For each global threshold it is possible to define different discount conditions for selected items and add a freebie if bundle threshold is satisfied.

Flexible bundle thresholds

Flexible bundle is defined the same way as fixed bundle. In case of this type of promotion, in the tab Items, there is an additional section Threshold which allows for defiining quantity and value thresholds (so-called global thresolds) regarding the enitre promotion.

A column Threshold Type is available in section Items. Value defined in this field at the level of promotion items can be different from the global threshold. In this case, for a bundle to be calculated, a document must satisfy both all the specified thresholds at the item level, as well as global threshold defined for entire promotion.

In order to be able to save a flexible bundle, it must satisfy the same conditions as in the case of fixed bundle. Additionally, the system verifies whether the minimum item quantity/value defined in the threshold is not lower than the total of minumum item quantities/values specified for promotion items (section Items). In such a case, an appropriate message informing abount inconsistency of defined thresholds is displyed.

In the case of flexible bundle promotions, it is important to complete:

• Values of global thresholds – section Thresholds
• Values of thresholds on individual items – column Threshold Value (that is, item quantity which must be added to a document)
• Adding freebies to selected thresholds

Discount structure is a tool which enables user to verify discounts calculated on a document item and at the same time the final item price on an item of a document for released items.

Apart from the standard discounts, the value or the price of an item (and thereby a discount) can change as a result of:

• minimum margin control
• control: quantity * price = value (difference resulting from rounding)

Additionally, the following factors affect the method of discount calculation:

• setting of the method of combining discount in discount definition – Add or Multiply
• parameter Discount on Price parameter on item form
• VAT direction in a document

The structure of granted discount is available for documents: SI, R, SOR, SO and SQ. It is available in the form of an additional window opened from the level of a document or as an expanded section from the level of a document item form (tab Calculation) It presents detailed list of calculated discounts for a currently selected item. The order of discounts on the list is compliant with the sequence of their calculation on an item.

A user can change item selection without closing a window with discount structure.

The preview of an item structure depends on permission Access to discount structure in operator group. For users who do not have permission Access to discount structure granted, structure preview is not available.

Influence of the parameter Control: Quantity * price = value and Minimum margin control

• If item value does not change after control: quantity*price=value, but total discount in discount structure changes – no entry is added.
• If item value changes after control: quantity*price=value, the system registers such a change in the discount structure.
• If an item is modified after minimum margin control, the system also adds an appropriate entry in the discount structure.

Coupons allow for calculating a percentage or value discount for purchased items by using an appropriate code.

Definition of coupons

From the level of the tab Sales → Coupons, a user can add and verify coupons existing in the system. The list contains basic information about coupon-based promotion, such as:

• Name – field presenting name of a given coupon-based promotion, it is not a unique value
• Active – information regarding activity of a given coupon
• Effective From – indicates a date from which a given coupon is valid
• Effective To – indicates a date to which a given coupon is valid
• Calculated Discount – name of discount associated with a coupon
• Discount Type – type of discount associated with a coupon
• Schedule-Limited – informs whether coupon-based discount is associated with a schedule

In order to add new coupon, it is necessary to click on button [Add] placed over the list.

The following fields and parameters should be completed on the form:

• Name – obligatory field, allows for entering any character (letters and/or numbers) sequence corresponding to the name of the object, it is not a unique value
• Symbol – alphanumeric code on the basis of which a discount code is defined If in the field Symbol value DISCOUNT is entered, then field Code for a new discount code is automatically completed with the same value. After adding subsequent discount code, the following value will be set: DISCOUNT1
• Numbering Scheme (Configuration Tool) – non-mandatory field After selecting button […] a list of configuration tools appears, limited to configuration tools based on the object Coupon. Only active configuration tool can be set as numbering scheme. On its basis a discount code in the field Code is created.
• Discount – this field allows for associating an item discount (for which, in its definition, the parameter Coupon-based promotion is checked) and a header discount on transaction value with a coupon (discount name is displayed)
• Discount Type – indicates the type of discount associated with a coupon (type retrieved from details of the associated discount)
• Customer in Document – value in this field can be selected only after discount is first associated with a coupon. Defined value determines whether a discount code can be used in a document. Depending on associate discount type, the following options are available:
  • Non-mandatory – the system does not control the consistency of customers between a document and a customer associated with a discount code.
  • Mandatory – a discount code cannot be added to a document in which an Undefined customer has been selected.
  • Mandatory and consistent with discount code – the system controls consistency of customers between a document and a customer associated with a discount code.
• Code usage limit – checking this parameter allows for specifying how many times a given discount code can be used in a document. Moreover, a user should define the nature of a discount with the following options:
  • Global – it can be used a specified number of times in the entire system
  • Center – it can be used a specified number of times in particular centers
  • Customer – it can be used a specified number of times for a given customer
• Effective From – indicates a date from which a given coupon is valid
• Effective To – indicates a date to which a given coupon is valid
• Schedule-limited – parameter not available for editing, it is automatically checked upon attaching a schedule to a coupon.
• Do not use other coupons – checking this parameter blocks the possibility of adding several discount codes to a document.

Tab Discount Codes

In subtab Codes, a user can define a new discount code which is automatically associated with a currently edited coupon. To add a new discount code, it is necessary to select [Add] button.

Selecting the button [Add] adds a new row to the list, where the basic data regarding created discount code will be displayed:

• Code – mandatory field, code assigned automatically on the basis of an associated configuration tool or, if it does not exist, on the basis of the Symbol field. This field should contain a unique value in reference to defined codes with Inactive and Active status.
• Valid From – the value of this field is retrieved from the definition of a discount, with a possibility of changing it. The date cannot be earlier than the date indicated in the coupon definition.
• Valid To – the value of this field is retrieved from the definition of a discount, with a possibility of changing it. The date cannot be later than the date indicated in the coupon definition.
• Status – discount code status. By default, it is set to Inactive, with the possibility of changing it to: Active – a coupon can be used in a document, Blocked – blocks the possibility of using it in a document.
• Customer/Customer Group Code – field allowing for associating a customer/customer group with a discount code. In case, when adding a new discount code, one of the following options has been selected: for Group/for Customer in selected group/for Customer, the field is completed automatically, with the possibility of changing it.
• Customer/Customer Group Name – field provided for information purposes, displays name of the associated customer/customer group
• Source – indicates method of creating a discount code. In case a code was added manually or imported from file, the following option is set: Added manually. If a discount code was generated on the basis of a document, the number of that document is presented.
• Note – in this field it is possible to enter additional notes to the added discount code

If option Mandatory and consistent with discount code is selected in field Customer in Document, then it is possible to add discount codes in a single batch for selected customers/customer groups (the available options of batch addition depends on discount type).

Subtab Usage Count presents basic information about documents in which a given discount code was used. It is always the firs source document in which a given discount code was used. In the path SO → SI → SOR, a sales order number is only presented.

In tab Centers, a user indicates organizational units of a company which can grant a given discount. It is possible to attach here only centers of e-Shop type or a center attached to a POS workstation.

In tab Schedules it is possible to attach a previously defined schedule to a given discount.

Promotion Terms – field allowing for introducing additional description of a promotion