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Issue, deliver, reload, and redeem gift cards

Last updated 2026-08-063 min read

Create a printable gift card with optional email or text delivery, verify balance, add money, and use partial value at POS.

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Ellich gift cards store a currency balance that can be delivered by email or text and used partially at POS. A gift card is different from loyalty points, an earned reward, or a prepaid pass. Its code and QR identify the card, while the stored-value ledger controls its remaining balance.

Create and optionally deliver a gift card

Open Admin → Customers & CRM → Rewards & Prepaid Value and select Gift Cards. Under the issue form:

  1. Enter a positive card value.
  2. Optionally enter Valid for days; leave it blank for no configured expiry.
  3. Optionally enter an email address, phone number, or both for delivery. Leave both blank to create a printable card without sending a message. Add the recipient name and sender note when appropriate.
  4. Select Create gift card.
  5. Record the generated card code and verify the displayed value and Customer checkout QR.

The card can be created without delivery details, when a delivery provider is not configured, or when a send fails. Review the separate email and SMS result messages when delivery details were provided. Gift card issued is proof that the stored-value record exists, not proof that the recipient received a message.

Check or resend delivery

Email delivery can show pending, sent, failed, or not applicable. When a card with an email recipient remains pending or failed, use its Send action after correcting Email Settings. For SMS, confirm that text messaging is connected before promising delivery.

Do not create a second gift card merely because delivery failed. Find the existing code, check its balance and status, then resend the existing card so the customer does not receive duplicate value.

Check balance or add money

Under Check balance or add money, scan or enter the full card code and select search. Verify status, Remaining, Original, recipient, QR, expiry, and delivery state.

When the card is active, enter a positive amount under Add money and select Add. Refresh or look up the card again and verify the new remaining balance. Adding money changes stored value; it does not create a payment receipt or prove that external funds were collected, so follow the restaurant's authorized sale and reconciliation process.

Redeem at POS

To pay part of the check with a gift card, choose Gift card at payment or open Rewards & Benefits after attaching the customer by phone. Use a linked card, or choose Apply Gift Card by Number or QR, scan the QR or enter the code, and select Find.

Enter the amount to redeem, up to the displayed remaining balance, then select Apply. Review the Gift card tender amount and complete capture. Partial redemption leaves the unused balance on the card. The ledger is deducted during successful payment capture, not merely when the card is selected.

Troubleshoot a declined card

Confirm the code, active status, remaining value, expiry, tenant context, and that Gift card benefits are enabled for POS. Online-order payment channels do not expose this in-person benefit tender. If capture fails, do not retry against multiple cards without first reviewing the order payment state.

For support, provide the masked or last portion of the code, status, remaining amount, order ID, and approximate time. Never place the complete gift-card code, QR payload, customer password, or payment-card data in a public support search.