Configuring Stacking Rules

The Stacking Rule Editor is where you configure exactly how discounts interact across your entire AccuArk system. Every setting in this editor applies globally to all locations and all POS terminals. This guide walks through each setting with explanations and practical examples.

Opening the Stacking Rule Editor

Navigate to Marketing > Stacking Rules to open the Stacking Rule Editor. The editor displays all stacking settings on a single form, organized into logical sections.

Permission Required

Access to the Stacking Rule Editor requires the MKT_STACKING_RULES permission. Only users with this permission assigned to their role can view or modify stacking rules. If you do not see the Stacking Rules menu item, contact your administrator to request the permission.

Each Setting Explained

1. Max Promotions Per Invoice

This numeric field controls how many automatic promotions can apply to a single invoice simultaneously.

• Set to 1 for a "best single deal" approach. The promotion engine evaluates all qualifying promotions and applies only the one with the highest priority (according to the precedence order). This is the safest choice for businesses that want simple, predictable discounting. Example: if a customer's cart qualifies for both a 10% off invoice promotion and a BOGO on sunglasses, only the higher-priority promotion applies.
• Set to 2 or higher for combination discounts. Example: setting this to 2 means the two highest-priority qualifying promotions both apply. A customer might receive both the BOGO on sunglasses and the 10% off invoice discount.
• Set to 0 or leave blank for unlimited stacking. All qualifying promotions apply with no count limit. Use this only if you rely on discount caps (below) or careful promotion design to control total discount amounts.

2. Max Discount Percent

Check the Enable max discount percent checkbox to activate this cap, then enter the percentage value in the field.

This setting limits the total combined discount from all sources (promotions, coupons, loyalty) as a percentage of the invoice subtotal. The subtotal used is the pre-discount amount.

Example: set to 30%. A customer with a $100 order can never receive more than $30 in total discounts. If three promotions would collectively give $40 off, the system reduces the total to $30. The reduction is applied proportionally across the active discounts.

Leave the checkbox unchecked to disable this cap entirely.

3. Max Discount Amount

Check the Enable max discount amount checkbox to activate this cap, then enter the dollar value in the field.

This setting limits the total combined discount in absolute dollar terms, regardless of the invoice size.

Example: set to $50. Whether the invoice is $80 or $800, the total discount from all sources combined cannot exceed $50. If promotions, coupons, and loyalty collectively calculate to $65 off, the system reduces the total to $50.

When both max discount percent and max discount amount are enabled, the system applies whichever produces the smaller cap for the given invoice. On a $100 order with a 30% cap and a $50 cap, the percent cap ($30) is more restrictive and takes effect. On a $200 order, the dollar cap ($50) is more restrictive than the percent cap ($60) and takes effect.

4. Allow Coupon With Promotion

This checkbox controls whether coupon codes can be applied to an invoice that already has automatic promotions.

• Checked (allowed) — Customers can use a coupon code on top of whatever automatic promotions the engine has applied. Both the coupon discount and the promotion discounts appear on the invoice. The total is still subject to any discount caps configured above.
• Unchecked (not allowed) — When automatic promotions are already applied to the invoice, entering a coupon code is rejected. The cashier sees a message indicating that the coupon cannot be combined with active promotions. The customer must choose: keep the automatic promotions or remove them and apply the coupon instead.

Example: a store runs a permanent 5% off loyalty promotion but also distributes seasonal 20% off coupons. With this setting unchecked, customers cannot get both — they get the better of the two.

5. Allow Loyalty With Promotion

This checkbox controls whether loyalty point redemption can combine with automatic promotions on the same invoice.

• Checked (allowed) — Customers can redeem loyalty points for a discount even when promotions are active on the invoice. Both discounts apply.
• Unchecked (not allowed) — Customers must choose between redeeming loyalty points or keeping the automatic promotion discounts. The system blocks loyalty redemption when promotions are active.

Example: a customer has 1,000 loyalty points worth $10 off and their cart also qualifies for a 15% off promotion on a $80 order. With this setting unchecked, the customer chooses either the $10 loyalty redemption or the $12 promotion discount — not both.

6. Allow Loyalty With Coupon

This checkbox controls whether loyalty point redemption can combine with a coupon on the same invoice.

• Checked (allowed) — Customers can redeem loyalty points and use a coupon code on the same transaction.
• Unchecked (not allowed) — Customers must choose between loyalty redemption and the coupon. The system blocks whichever is attempted second.

Example: a customer has a $5 off coupon and also wants to redeem 500 loyalty points for $5 off. With this setting unchecked, they can use one but not both.

7. Allow Item and Global Stack

This checkbox controls whether item-level discounts (BOGO, bundle, category) can stack with invoice-level discounts (invoice percentage off, tiered spend) on the same transaction.

• Checked (allowed) — Item-level and invoice-level promotions can coexist. A customer might receive a BOGO deal on specific items and also a 10% off the entire invoice.
• Unchecked (not allowed) — Only one type applies. If item-level promotions are active, invoice-level promotions are not evaluated, and vice versa. The precedence order determines which type takes priority.

Example: a customer buys two pairs of shoes (qualifying for a BOGO on shoes) and their total is $150 (qualifying for a $15 off tiered spend). With this setting unchecked, the precedence order decides whether the BOGO or the tiered spend applies — not both.

8. BOGO Replaces Item Discount

This checkbox controls what happens when a BOGO promotion applies to an item that already has an item-level discount from another promotion (such as a category discount).

• Checked (replaces) — The BOGO discount replaces any existing item-level discount on the reward item. The customer receives only the BOGO discount on that item, not both.
• Unchecked (stacks) — The BOGO discount is applied in addition to the existing item-level discount. Both discounts appear on the item.

Example: a pair of shoes has a 10% category discount and also qualifies as the free item in a BOGO deal. With this setting checked, the BOGO (free item) replaces the 10% discount — the item is free, not 10% off and also free. With this setting unchecked, both discounts would technically apply (though the BOGO making it free makes the additional 10% moot in this specific case; the distinction matters more when the BOGO gives a partial discount like 50% off the second item).

9. Tier Threshold Uses Original

This checkbox controls how tiered spend promotions calculate whether the invoice meets a spending threshold.

• Checked (uses original) — The tiered spend threshold is compared against the pre-discount subtotal (the original prices before any promotions are applied). This means other discounts do not reduce the subtotal used for threshold calculation.
• Unchecked (uses discounted) — The tiered spend threshold is compared against the post-discount subtotal (after other promotions have been applied). This means prior discounts can push the subtotal below a threshold that would otherwise be met.

Example: a tiered spend promotion gives $20 off orders over $100. A customer's cart totals $110 before discounts, but a 15% category discount reduces it to $93.50. With this setting checked, the tier threshold compares against $110 (original) and the $100 threshold is met. With this setting unchecked, the threshold compares against $93.50 (discounted) and the $100 threshold is not met, so the tiered spend promotion does not apply.

Precedence Order

At the bottom of the Stacking Rule Editor, you will find the Precedence Order list. This list shows all promotion types in their current evaluation order. The promotion type at the top of the list is evaluated first, and the type at the bottom is evaluated last.

To change the order:

1. Select a promotion type in the list.
2. Click the Up button to move it higher in the list (higher priority) or the Down button to move it lower (lower priority).
3. Repeat until the list reflects your desired priority order.

The precedence order matters most when the max promotions per invoice setting limits how many promotions can apply. In that scenario, the engine evaluates promotions in precedence order and stops once the limit is reached. Promotion types higher in the list get first consideration.

Even when unlimited promotions are allowed, the precedence order still determines the sequence in which discounts are calculated and applied, which can affect the final amounts when discounts are calculated sequentially (e.g., percentage discounts applied in sequence produce different results depending on order).

Saving Changes

After configuring all settings and arranging the precedence order, click Save to apply the changes. The new stacking rules take effect immediately for all future transactions across all locations and POS terminals.

There is no versioning or undo for stacking rule changes. If you need to revert, you must manually change the settings back to their previous values. It is good practice to document your stacking configuration (e.g., take a screenshot or write down the settings) before making changes, so you can restore the previous configuration if needed.

Changes do not affect transactions that have already been completed. Only new transactions processed after the save will use the updated rules.

Recommended Starting Configuration

For businesses setting up stacking rules for the first time, the following configuration provides a balanced starting point:

• Max Promotions Per Invoice: 1 (start conservative, increase if needed)
• Max Discount Percent: 25% (adjust based on your margin targets)
• Max Discount Amount: Leave disabled initially
• Allow Coupon With Promotion: Unchecked (prevents double-dipping)
• Allow Loyalty With Promotion: Checked (loyalty is a reward, not a promotion)
• Allow Loyalty With Coupon: Checked
• Allow Item and Global Stack: Unchecked (keeps discounting simple)
• BOGO Replaces Item Discount: Checked (avoids double item discounts)
• Tier Threshold Uses Original: Checked (more predictable for customers)

Adjust these settings as you gain experience with how your promotions interact in practice.