How to Create a Purchasable Gift Certificate

This guide will show you how to generate a purchasable gift certificate.

1A) Create a New Course to Allow Registration for a Gift Certificate

1)  Choose the Add A Course option from the top menu from the Courses menu.  Give the course a name and categories that are identifiable to users as a gift certificate.

2) Add materials to the course that represent the dollar amounts of the gift certificates that are available for purchase.

3) Make the Instructor of the course the admin you want to manage the distribution of the gift certificates. The Instructor can be fictitious, as it won't print on anything, but the email link should go to whoever is managing the gift certificates.

4) Make the end date when you want the certificates to no longer be purchasable. If there is no definite end in mind, put the end date far in the future.

5) Set the Collect Recipient option to 'yes'. This option can be found under the Information tab for course creation or editing. This option allows the purchaser to enter the name of the gift card recipient.

1B) Additional Course Changes

Set 'Copy confirmation email to Facilitator(s)' to 'Yes' and set 'Course Emails' to 'No Email'.

If you need a reminder on how to add courses with these fields, check out the help guide on adding courses.

2) Create a Certificate for the Gift Certificate

Create a certificate to send to the purchaser of the gift certificate.  Click here for a blank gift certificate background.

If you need a reminder on how to create a certificate, check out the help guide on creating certificates.

3) Create a Coupon

Create a coupon for each gift certificate value. The coupon codes can be sent to purchasers of the gift certificates to allow them to pay for classes on your site.

If you need a reminder on how to create a coupon, check out the help guide on creating coupons.

4A) Change Course Checkout Option

Open the System Configuration menu under Configuration

4B) Select Substitute and Checkout Options

Select Substitute and Checkout Options

4C) Modify Extra Participant Label

Change the Extra Participant Label to Recipient and press Update

5A) Print Certificates

When you go to print a certificate, you will be presented with the options screen for printing certificates.  Be sure to select your Gift Certificate under the custom certificates option.

5B) Print Certificates  

For each person that purchased a gift certificate, use the Custom Text field to put in their code and the amount they purchased.  if you want to Email the certificates automatically make sure to check the Email Certificates to Students option before you click the Print Certificates for Checked Students button.