Vouchers
Sell, redeem and cancel multi-purpose and single-purpose vouchers – including correct VAT treatment
SimpliServ supports two voucher types that differ for tax purposes. Choosing the right one is mandatory – a wrongly chosen type leads to incorrect VAT treatment on sale or redemption.
Multi-purpose vs. single-purpose – the core distinction
For tax purposes, Austria/Germany have two voucher types. Which one you need depends on whether, at the time of sale, it's already fixed what the voucher redeems and at which tax rate.
| Attribute | Multi-purpose voucher | Single-purpose voucher |
|---|---|---|
| Redeemable for | Any goods or services | A specific product or service with a fixed tax rate |
| VAT on sale | 0% – no taxable service yet | Full tax rate of the later service (e.g. 20%) |
| VAT on redemption | Goods are fully taxed; the voucher acts only as a means of payment | Goods are booked at 0% (VAT was already paid on sale) |
| On the receipt | GS receipt with a 0% VAT bucket | GS receipt with e.g. a 20% VAT bucket |
| In the day-end | No revenue on sale – revenue arises only on redemption | Revenue is booked already on sale |
| Typical use | Gift voucher "€50 on everything" | A value voucher for a specific service ("1 × tyre change") |
When in doubt: multi-purpose. Only if the later service is exactly fixed at the time of sale (e.g. "1 × inspection") and a fixed tax rate always applies, choose single-purpose.
Sell a voucher (at the POS)
Choose the "Sell voucher" tile
In the register sale, click the Sell voucher tile on the product selection.
Capture the values
- Face value: the voucher's later redemption balance (e.g. €50)
- Sale price: what the customer actually pays (default = face value). Different values are allowed (e.g. face value €60 sold for €50 as a promo).
- Tax type: multi-purpose or single-purpose
- Tax rate (single-purpose only): e.g. 20%, 10%, 0%
- Product binding (optional, single-purpose only): tie to a specific product – on redemption, stock is reduced automatically
- Quantity: several identical vouchers in one transaction (1–50)
- Valid until (optional)
- Name (optional, e.g. "Anna's birthday")
Payment method and completion
Choose cash or card, enter the payment amount, Complete. SimpliServ creates a GS receipt (GS{register no.}-{sequential number}) and prints a PDF with a code and QR for each issued voucher.
Goods and a voucher sale together in the same sale are not allowed – they each need their own receipt (BON for goods, GS for the voucher). The cashier processes them one after the other.
Redeem a voucher
Goods into the cart
Like a normal sale: add products.
Enter the voucher code
At checkout, scan or type the code (VCH-XXXXXXXXXX) into the voucher field. Click Redeem.
The system calculates automatically
- Multi-purpose: the voucher's balance is applied – up to the goods value. If some balance remains, it's kept for later redemptions. If the balance isn't enough, the rest is settled by cash/card.
- Single-purpose: the goods covered by the voucher are booked at 0% VAT (tax was already paid on sale). Remaining goods stay fully taxed.
Completion
Print the receipt. Multi-purpose: full revenue is now taxed on the sale (the sale at voucher issue was 0%). Single-purpose: no double VAT.
Voucher redemption + partial payment at the same time isn't possible (it would endanger the balance logic). The register blocks this with a note.
Multiple redemption (remaining balance)
A multi-purpose voucher with a €50 balance can, for example, first be used for €30 of goods (remaining balance €20), later for the remaining €20. The system writes each redemption to the coupon-redemption history and reduces the balance atomically (lock-for-update against double redemption).
Voucher balance & validation
At the POS, the voucher field immediately shows the usable amount after entry
(calculated as min(available balance, cart total)). Validation rules:
- The validity date hasn't yet been reached
- Not cancelled
- Not exhausted by a usage limit
- Balance > 0
On a violation, a clear error message appears instead of a silent failure.
Cancellation rules
| Cancellation case | Behaviour |
|---|---|
| A sale paid with a multi-purpose voucher is cancelled | Cash refund. The voucher balance is NOT topped up again (the customer typically no longer has the voucher). |
| GS receipt (voucher sale), voucher not yet redeemed | Cancellation allowed → the voucher is voided (balance = 0, status cancelled). |
| GS receipt, voucher already (partially) redeemed | Cancellation blocked – the redemption would have to be unwound. A note toast for the cashier. |
| A redemption is cancelled (a receipt with the voucher as a means of payment) | Like a cash-sale cancellation: negative cancellation receipt, no automatic balance restore. |
Void a voucher (cancel)
In the back office (coupons list) a voucher can be manually cancelled.
The balance is set to 0, status cancelled. Later redemption attempts
are rejected with coupon_inactive.
Fiscal treatment – short version
- Receipt type: GS receipt, signed (RKSV)
- VAT: 0% (zero bucket)
- Z-report: no revenue, but "vouchers issued" is shown
- Cash drawer: cash comes in
Examples
Example 1 – Multi-purpose €50 fully on €30 of goods
- Customer comes with
VCH-ABC(multi-purpose, balance €50) - Cashier rings up €30 of goods
- Voucher redeemed → the voucher draws €30, balance 50 → 20
- €0 cash, the receipt shows: goods €30, tender "voucher €30"
Example 2 – Multi-purpose not enough, rest cash
- Balance €30, cart €80
- The voucher covers €30, the missing €50 as cash
- Receipt: 2 tenders (voucher 30 + cash 50), cash drawer +50
Example 3 – Single-purpose 20% on a bound product
- The voucher was sold as "1 × inspection" with 20% VAT → already at sale €16.67 net + €3.33 VAT → €20 gross
- On redemption, the inspection is booked at 0% – the VAT was already paid
- No additional revenue in the Z-report for the covered share
Voucher overview in the back office
Under Vouchers, all active and issued vouchers are findable – with balance, usage history, status (active/cancelled), expiry date. Filter by code, customer, balance range.
Common errors
| Problem | Cause / solution |
|---|---|
| "Voucher can't be combined with a partial payment" | Both aren't possible at once – decide between full redemption or a pure partial payment. |
| "coupon_inactive" on redemption | The voucher is cancelled, expired or the balance is 0. |
| "coupon_invoice_locked" | The invoice is already in a state that doesn't allow voucher changes (e.g. partially paid in the back office). |
| "Voucher sale and items can't be combined in one sale" | Process two separate sales – one for the goods, one for the voucher. |
| GS cancellation blocked | The voucher has already been redeemed – cancel the redemption receipt first, or cancel the voucher. |
Related topics
- Point of sale (POS) — vouchers are issued and redeemed directly in the register sale.
- Digital receipt — the GS receipt can be passed on to customers as an online receipt via link or QR.
- RKSV logic & fiscalization — how GS receipts are signed and treated in the Z-report.
- Discount coupons — discount codes for a percentage or fixed amount, distinct from the value voucher.
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