Discount Breakdown on Invoices

AccuArk invoices provide a complete, transparent breakdown of every discount applied to a transaction. Whether the discount comes from a manual entry by the cashier, an automatic promotion, a coupon code, or a loyalty point redemption, each source is displayed separately so both the cashier and the customer can see exactly how the final total was calculated. This guide explains how to read the discount summary, what each discount source means, and how the system prevents over-discounting.

Reading the Discount Summary

Every AccuArk invoice includes a discount summary section between the item list and the final total. This section shows each discount source as a separate line, with the discount name and the dollar amount deducted. The combined total of all discounts is also displayed, making it easy to see the overall savings at a glance.

The discount summary is visible on screen during the transaction and is printed on the receipt, so the customer receives a permanent record of all discounts applied to their purchase.

Discount Sources

AccuArk recognizes four distinct discount sources. Each one is tracked and displayed independently on the invoice:

Manual Discount

A manual discount is entered directly by the cashier during the transaction. Manual discounts can be applied as either a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of the invoice subtotal:

• Dollar amount — The cashier enters a specific amount to deduct (e.g., $5.00 off).
• Percentage — The cashier enters a percentage to deduct (e.g., 10% off the subtotal).

Manual discounts are typically used for manager-approved price adjustments, customer service gestures, or situations where a specific discount is negotiated that does not match any existing promotion. Depending on your permission settings, manual discounts may require manager authorization before they can be applied.

On the invoice, a manual discount appears as a line labeled with the discount type (e.g., "Manual Discount - 10%" or "Manual Discount - $5.00") along with the calculated dollar amount.

Automatic Promotion

Automatic promotions are applied by AccuArk's promotion engine without any cashier intervention. When the items in the cart and the invoice conditions match an active promotion's rules, the discount is applied automatically.

On the invoice, each automatic promotion appears as a separate line showing the promotion's name (e.g., "Summer Sale - 15% Off", "Buy 2 Get 1 Free - Shirts") and the discount amount. If multiple promotions apply (within stacking limits), each one is listed on its own line.

For a detailed explanation of how automatic promotions are evaluated, see the article How Promotions Apply Automatically at the POS.

Coupon Discount

A coupon discount is applied when the cashier enters a valid coupon code during the transaction. Coupons are created and managed in the Marketing module and are tied to specific promotions:

• The cashier enters the coupon code in the coupon field on the payment screen.
• The system validates the code (checks that it exists, is active, has not expired, has not exceeded its usage limit, and that the cart meets the coupon's minimum requirements).
• If valid, the associated discount is applied to the invoice.

On the invoice, the coupon discount appears as a line showing the coupon code and the discount amount (e.g., "Coupon: SAVE20 - $20.00").

Loyalty Redemption

A loyalty redemption discount is applied when the customer chooses to redeem accumulated loyalty points toward their purchase:

• The cashier selects the loyalty redemption option on the payment screen.
• The system displays the customer's available point balance and the dollar equivalent.
• The customer decides how many points to redeem (all or a partial amount).
• The redeemed points are converted to a dollar discount and applied to the invoice.

On the invoice, the loyalty redemption appears as a line showing the number of points redeemed and the dollar value (e.g., "Loyalty Redemption: 500 pts - $5.00").

The Combined Total Discount

Below all individual discount lines, the invoice displays a Total Discount line that sums all four sources. This gives the cashier and customer a single number representing the total savings on the transaction.

For example, if a transaction has a $5.00 manual discount, a $12.00 automatic promotion, a $20.00 coupon discount, and a $5.00 loyalty redemption, the total discount line shows $42.00.

How the $0 Floor Works

AccuArk enforces a strict rule: the invoice total can never go below zero. This is known as the $0 floor.

In rare cases, the combined value of all discounts could theoretically exceed the invoice subtotal. For example, a customer might have a large coupon, an automatic promotion, and enough loyalty points to more than cover the purchase amount. When this happens:

• The system calculates all applicable discounts as normal.
• If the sum of all discounts (plus tax adjustments) would result in a negative total, the system clamps the invoice total to $0.00.
• The excess discount amount is simply not applied — it does not carry over as a credit, nor does it generate a refund.
• The discount breakdown on the invoice still shows each individual discount source, but the total line reflects the clamped amount.

The $0 floor ensures that the business never pays the customer for making a purchase, even if multiple generous discounts happen to stack together.

Combined Discount Caps

In addition to the $0 floor, AccuArk's stacking rules enforce combined discount caps that limit the total percentage or dollar amount of discounts across all sources.

How Caps Work Across All Discount Layers

The stacking configuration includes a max_discount_percent setting that applies to the combined total of all discount sources — not just automatic promotions. For example, if max_discount_percent is set to 30%, then the combined value of manual discounts, automatic promotions, coupon discounts, and loyalty redemptions cannot exceed 30% of the invoice subtotal.

Here is how the cap is enforced:

1. All individual discounts are calculated normally.
2. The system sums all discount amounts.
3. The system calculates the cap threshold (e.g., 30% of the subtotal).
4. If the sum exceeds the cap, the total discount is reduced to the cap amount.
5. The reduction is applied proportionally across the discount sources, or the last-applied discount is trimmed (depending on your stacking configuration).

This prevents scenarios where a combination of a generous coupon, an automatic promotion, and a manual discount could erode the entire margin on a sale.

Example

Consider an invoice with a $100.00 subtotal and a 30% combined discount cap:

• Manual discount: $10.00 (10%)
• Automatic promotion: $15.00 (15%)
• Coupon: $10.00 (10%)
• Loyalty redemption: $5.00 (5%)

The uncapped total would be $40.00 (40%), but the 30% cap limits the total discount to $30.00. The system adjusts the discount amounts to stay within the cap, and the invoice reflects the adjusted figures.

Reading the Final Invoice

The complete invoice layout from top to bottom is structured as follows:

1. Item lines — Each item with its name, quantity, unit price, and line total. Item-level discounts (BOGO, bundle, category, item) are reflected in the adjusted line prices.
2. Subtotal — The sum of all item line totals before any invoice-level discounts or tax.
3. Discount lines — Each discount source listed separately (manual, automatic promotion, coupon, loyalty), with the discount name and dollar amount.
4. Total Discount — The combined sum of all discount lines.
5. Tax — The applicable tax amount, calculated on the discounted subtotal.
6. Final Total — The amount the customer owes after all discounts and tax are applied.

This structure provides complete transparency. The cashier can explain every line to the customer, and the customer's receipt serves as a detailed record of how their total was determined.

Tips for Reading Discount Breakdowns

• Check each source independently — If a customer questions their total, review each discount line to confirm that the expected discounts were applied.
• Look for capped discounts — If the total discount seems lower than expected, check whether a discount cap is in effect. The invoice may note that the cap was applied.
• Verify coupon codes — If a coupon discount is missing, the coupon code may have been invalid, expired, or already used. The system logs the reason for rejection.
• Confirm loyalty balance — If a loyalty redemption is lower than expected, verify the customer's point balance. They may have fewer points than anticipated.

What to Read Next

• How Promotions Apply Automatically at the POS — Understand the full automatic evaluation flow that generates promotion discounts.
• Stacking Rules and Discount Caps — Configure the caps and combination rules that govern how discounts interact.
• Coupon Creation and Management — Learn how to create coupon codes that customers can use at the POS.