How to Cash Out Gift Card Balances in Dynamics 365 Commerce: A Retail Guide

Gift cards are a popular choice for gifts, but sometimes customers are left with small remaining balances that are inconvenient to use. The cash out gift card feature in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Commerce Store Commerce app provides a solution for this, allowing retailers to enhance customer satisfaction and streamline operations. This article will guide you through understanding and implementing the cash out gift card functionality within Dynamics 365 Commerce.

This feature enables cashiers to easily process requests to cash out the leftover amount on a gift card. Many retailers recognize the need to offer this service, especially when customers have very small balances remaining on their cards. Instead of leaving a negligible amount unused, retailers can provide cash in exchange, improving customer perception and loyalty.

Prerequisites for Cashing Out Gift Card Balances

Before you can implement the cash out gift card feature, ensure the following prerequisites are in place:

• Payment Connector Compatibility: Your payment connector and the associated payment gateway or processor must support the cash out functionality. This connector serves as the communication bridge between Dynamics 365 Commerce and payment services. The instructions outlined here are based on a connector built using the standard payments SDK.
• External Gift Card Configuration (If Applicable): If you are using external gift cards, these must be properly configured in both Dynamics 365 Headquarters and the Point of Sale (POS) system. Setting up external gift cards requires an existing account with an external gift card service provider.

Scenarios Where Cashing Out Gift Card Balances is Useful

The ability to cash out gift card balance is particularly relevant in regions with specific regulations. For instance, in Washington state, there’s a cash out threshold of $5. In such cases, retailers can configure their systems to allow cash out operations for gift cards with balances below this limit. This feature allows businesses to comply with local laws while providing added convenience to their customers. Retailers can customize the gift card balance limits that trigger the cash out option, tailoring the functionality to their specific needs and regional requirements.

Configuring Headquarters for Gift Card Cash Out

To enable the cash out gift card balance feature, you need to configure Dynamics 365 Headquarters. Follow these steps:

1. Navigate to All Stores: Begin by opening the All stores page within Dynamics 365 Headquarters.

2. Select Your Store: From the list of stores, choose the specific store you want to configure, for example, the Houston store.

3. Access Payment Methods Setup: On the Action Pane at the top of the page, click Set up and then select Payment methods.

4. Open Payment Methods: Search for “payment methods” in the search bar to quickly access the Payment methods page.

5. Select Gift Card Payment Method: Locate and select the Gift Card payment method from the list.

6. Enable Cash Out and Set Threshold: In the Amount FastTab section, find the Cash Out Gift Card field.

   • Check the Cash Out Gift Card checkbox to enable the feature.
   • In the Gift card Cash out threshold field, enter the maximum gift card balance amount that is eligible for cash out. For example, you might enter “5” for a $5 threshold.
   • Click Save to apply your changes.

7. Open Button Grid Page: Navigate to the Button grid page.

8. Select Button Grid Layout: In the navigation bar on the left, search for F2S1M (or the relevant button grid layout for your store) and select the filtered option.

9. Open Button Designer: On the Action Pane, click Designer to launch and download the button designer application.

10. Create New Button: Once the grid designer is open, right-click on an empty gray area within the button grid and choose New button.

11. Configure Button Properties: Right-click on the newly created button and select Button properties.

12. Define Button Action and Text: Set the button properties according to the following table:

    Property	Value
    Action	Cash out gift card
    Payment type	Gift Card
    Text on button	Cash out gift card

    Your completed button layout should look similar to the image below.

13. Confirm and Close Designer: Click Ok to save the button configuration and then close the designer application.

14. Run Distribution Schedules: Search for Distribution Schedule.

15. Select Required Schedules: In the navigation bar, search for and select schedules 1090, 1115, and 1070. These schedules ensure the configuration changes are distributed to your stores.

16. Execute Schedules: On the Action Pane, click Run now to initiate the distribution jobs.

17. Monitor Job Status: Check the progress of the distribution jobs by searching for Download sessions.

18. Wait for Completion: Wait until the status for all jobs shows as Applied. Once completed, you can close the browser.

Configuring and Testing the Store Commerce App for Gift Card Cash Out

After configuring Headquarters, you need to set up and test the cash out gift card balance feature in the Store Commerce app at the store level.

1. Launch Store Commerce App: Start the Store Commerce application on your POS device.
2. Sign In: Log in using your standard cashier credentials.
3. Non-Drawer Operation (If Prompted): If prompted, select Perform a non-drawer operation.
4. Select Hardware Station: On the main screen, tap Select hardware station.
5. Manage Hardware Settings: On the right-side bar, select Manage.
6. Enable Virtual Peripherals: Turn on the Virtual Peripherals toggle and then select OK.
7. Choose Virtual Peripherals: In the Available paired stations field, select Virtual Peripherals.
8. Open New Shift (or Non-Drawer Operation): You may be prompted to open a new shift or continue with non-drawer operations. You can proceed by opening a new shift.
9. Navigate to Current Transaction: On the main screen, select Current transaction.
10. Access Gift Card Options: Select Gift cards.
11. Initiate Cash Out: Tap Cash out gift card.
12. Enter Gift Card Number: Enter or scan the gift card number that the customer wants to cash out gift card balance from.
13. Verify Cash Out Line Item: A line item for “gift card cash out” will be added to the Current transaction, reflecting the balance to be cashed out.
14. Complete Transaction with Cash Payment: Select the Cash payment method to finalize the transaction. The cash drawer will open upon completion, allowing you to provide the cash to the customer.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you encounter any issues while setting up or using the cash out gift card balance feature, consult the Store Commerce app or IIS Hardware Station event logs. These logs can provide valuable insights into any errors or warnings. You can find the logs in the Windows Event Viewer under:

• Application and Services Logs > Microsoft > Dynamics > Commerce-ModernPOS
• Application and Services Logs > Microsoft > Dynamics > Commerce-Hardware Station

By following these steps, retailers can effectively implement the cash out gift card balance feature in Dynamics 365 Commerce, leading to improved customer service and operational efficiency.