Tag discounts let you quickly build custom discounts for specific subsets of your customers (such as financial aid recipients). A tag discount can be linked to almost any item in your store and only applies to handpicked persons or household accounts that have been tagged with the relevant tag(s). Use tag discounts to offer reduced pricing for special groups such as veterans, to reward loyalty among returning customers, for employee discounts and more.
- How can I use tag discounts? - |
Scholarship DiscountsApply scholarships as a discount on an invoice (rather than a payment) to reduce the item's price and maintain proper net sales values in your reports. |
Special Group DiscountsEmployee discounts, Corporate group discounts, volunteer discount, donor discount, first responder discount, Veteran discount, etc. |
Creative Campaign DiscountsLimited time deals, Black Friday special for returning customers, referral, etc. |
1. How to set up a discount by tag
Step 1 - Create your tag(s) & assign them to people/accounts
Before you create a tag discount, you must first have created your tags. The tag(s) that you link to your tag discount must also be assigned by an admin to people or accounts for them to be eligible for the discount in the store. You can add or remove tags at any time, including expiration dates (if any).
Click here for our article on how to create and assign tags.
❗ If you assign a tag with an expiration date, the tagged person(s) or account(s) will no longer be eligible for the tag discount after the expiration date.
ex: If the tag assignment expires on May 1st,
the tag is no longer assigned as of May 2nd.
Step 2 - Create the discount by tag
In the Discounts & fees > Discounts subtab, click + New discount > By tag.
Click to expand each field for more information:
Name
Name
The name appears in the store (if the discount is displayed in store) and also appears on the client's invoice. You can't edit the name once the discount has been used.
Tags
Tags
Add one or more tags. You can add or remove tags at any time, even after the discount has been used.
When a tag discount has multiple tags and the person/account is tagged with two or more of them, they only get the discount once per eligible item.
Admin note (optional)
Admin note (optional)
The admin note only appears on the tag discount's configuration page. It doesn't appear on invoices nor any reports. Use it as you see fit!
Display discount in store (optional)
Display discount in store (optional)
If you leave this box unchecked, the discount tag won't show in the store (not even for admins). If you check this box, the discount tag will show to both admins and clients in the store, on any item set up as eligible for a tag discount.
When the discount is displayed in the store, you may click the discount drop-down menu to view the default discount description and the Additional discount details (if any).
Additional discount details (optional)
Additional discount details (optional)
Additional discount details appear when you expand the discounts label in the store (the discount must be displayed in the store).
Dates
Dates
You may edit the start date until the discount has been used. The end date is optional and can be edited any time. Click the 'Reset dates' button at any time to clear the end date.
Eligible items
Eligible items
Tag discounts can be applied to session activities, drop-in activities, memberships, multipasses, online facility bookings, merchandise, and private lessons.
You may add or remove eligible items at any time (even after the discount is used) to stop future purchases on those items from accessing the discount.
History
History
The History (for now, exclusive to tag discounts) provides a log of all changes made to the tag discount. It provides the name of the admin who made the changes, the action that was taken (in bold), and the date and time the change was implemented. It also shows the configuration setting before the change, vs the new configuration implemented. The History tracks actions taken from the time the tag discount was created and onward (there's no limit to the number of logs in the History).
Step 3 - Track Accounts and People with Tags
The Client tag assignments report gives a list of those who've been assigned a tag and shows tag expiration dates, when they were applied, who was the most recent admin to assign the tag(s), and whether the tag assignment is still active.
2. Tag discounts in Client Billing
There's a couple of things to keep in mind about tag discounts on an invoice.
The same tag discount is never applied more than once per person, per invoice.
An item can be eligible for tag discounts and other discount types, in which case all discounts would apply if a person is eligible.
Click to expand each billing scenario for more information:
When an account vs a person is eligible for a tag discount
When an account vs a person is eligible for a tag discount
An item gives the tag discount if an account/person has at least one of the tags.
Below, this account is tagged with the 'Family' tag, while an account member has an additional tag, 'Volunteer'.
Let's say an item is bought for two account members. This item has the 'Special members' tag discount, which has two linked tags ('Family' and 'Volunteer').
As expected, the tag discount is applied to Sally (because the account has the 'Family' tag). However, even though Grandma Smith technically has both eligible tags, she only receives the discount once, because the same tag discount is never applied more than once per person, per invoice.
When an item is eligible for at least two different tag discounts
When an item is eligible for at least two different tag discounts
If an account/person buys an item that is linked to two (or more tag) discounts, they are eligible for both (or more) tag discounts if the account/person has the appropriate tags.
Sally buys an item linked to two tag discounts, and she's eligible for both.
Sunny buys an item linked to two tags discounts, and he's eligible for both.
Melissa buys an item that is linked to one tag discount, for which she's eligible.
When an item is eligible for a tag discount & another discount type
When an item is eligible for a tag discount & another discount type
When an item is eligible for a tag discount in addition to any other discount type (rebate code, early bird, multi-person, etc.), both discounts apply at checkout to eligible account members.
Simon and Serge buy an item that is eligible for a tag discount and a multi-person discount. Both participants answer the criteria to receive both discount types.
Do replacements work with tag discounts?
Do replacements work with tag discounts?
Tag discounts on items that support replacement are taken into consideration during replacement. However, if the replacement item is eligible for other tag discounts, these will also apply if the recipient has the proper tag(s).
In this example, an activity (eligible for one tag discount) is
replaced with another activity (eligible for three tag discounts).
During the replacement, the activity charge and the
discount amount from the original invoice is cancelled (credit memo).
The new item is charged (on the new invoice) and is eligible for three different tag discounts. Since the participant has eligible tags for all of them, the three tag discounts are applied (in this case, resulting in a credit in the account).
Do tag discounts work with recurring billing?
Do tag discounts work with recurring billing?
Here's what to expect if an item with recurring billing (currently only on New Membership) is eligible for a tag discount:
If you buy an item with recurring billing and it's eligible for a tag discount, the tag discount will apply on each recurring invoice as long as item is eligible for the tag discount and the account or person is tagged with the appropriate tag(s).
If an item with recurring billing is eligible for a tag discount at the time of purchase but the tag discount is later removed or the account/people are no longer tagged, the tag discount will not apply on the next recurring invoice.
If an item with recurring billing isn't eligible for a tag discount at the time of purchase,but later becomes eligible for a tag discount, the tag discount is applied on the next recurring invoice if the account or person is tagged with the appropriate tag(s).
3. Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which reports provide discount information?
Download the summary of awarded discounts and fees report to see the number of instances where a particular discount was applied (keep in mind, this report does not reflect discount or fee cancellations).
To get the actual total amount of discounts awarded, download your Sales Summary (this report will reflect the value of discounts given, as well as the value of discounts that were cancelled).
We’re excited to share that we’re working on a new discounts report that provides every instance a discount is applied and/or cancelled. Click here to visit our Updates page and subscribe to get notified when this much anticipated report is released!
2. What can I edit on a tag discount after it's been used?
You can edit | Before purchase | After purchase |
Name | Yes | No |
Tags | Yes | Yes |
Admin note | Yes | Yes |
Additional details | Yes | Yes |
Discount amount | Yes | No |
Start date | Yes | No |
End date | Yes | Yes |
Eligible items | Yes | Yes |
3. When do I track scholarship as a payment or as a discount?
There are 2 ways to reflect scholarships in SmartRec. You may only use one.
Scholarship Feature | Tag Discounts |
Activate Scholarships in the Apps tab | Available in the Discounts subtab |
Shown as a payment taken from a pool of scholarship funds to help pay the item's price | Shown as a discount to reduce the price of an item |
Doesn't impact your net sales. | Maintains proper net sales values in reports by reducing the net sales on eligible items. A $100 item's net sales are reduced to $80 by a tag discount |
If you have already activated the Scholarships feature but would like to use tag discounts, we recommend the following:
Step 1 - Go to the Communities > Scholarships subtab.
Step 2 - Click the crayon icon next to each scholarship and edit the expiration date so that the scholarship is expired. Click Continue to save.
Step 3 - You must create new tags, because your old scholarship tags cannot be linked to Tag discounts.
Step 4 - Follow the steps in this article to create tag discounts, and if necessary, revisit tagged people and accounts to assign an expiration date to their tags.
* Last updated in March 2025
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