Recommended Setup Order for Marketing

Setting up AccuArk's Marketing & Promotions module in the right order ensures that each feature has the prerequisites it needs before you configure it. This guide walks through all nine setup steps in sequence, explains what each step depends on, and provides a checklist to review before going live.

Why Order Matters

Many marketing features depend on other parts of AccuArk being configured first. For example, promotions need locations to define their scope, coupons need promotions to link to, and the loyalty program needs customer records to track points. Setting things up out of order can lead to incomplete configurations, promotions that do not apply correctly, or features that appear broken because their prerequisites are missing.

Step 1: Locations

Where: Settings > Locations

Before creating any promotions, make sure all of your business locations are set up. Every promotion has a location scope that determines which POS terminals it applies to. If you create promotions before your locations exist, you will not be able to assign them the correct scope.

Prerequisites: None — locations are a foundational setting.

What to configure:

• Create a record for each physical location where you operate a Point of Sale
• Assign location addresses and identifiers
• Ensure each user has the correct location access in their user profile

Step 2: Customer Database

Where: Customers module (import or manual entry)

Several marketing features require customer records to function. The loyalty program tracks points per customer, customer segments group customers by attributes, and first-time customer promotions check purchase history. Import or create your customer records early so these features have data to work with.

Prerequisites: Locations (customers may be associated with a home location).

What to configure:

• Import customer records from your existing system or create them manually
• Ensure each customer has at minimum a name and contact information
• Assign customer types or tags if you plan to use segments

Step 3: Stacking Rules

Where: Marketing > Stacking Rules

Configure your stacking rules before creating promotions. Stacking rules define the boundaries within which all promotions operate — the global discount cap, which promotion types can combine, and how tiered spend thresholds are measured. If you create promotions first and configure stacking rules later, your promotions may not interact the way you intended.

Prerequisites: None — stacking rules are a configuration-only step with no dependencies.

What to configure:

• Set the global maximum discount cap (percentage) to prevent excessive discounting
• Define which promotion types are allowed to stack (combine) with each other
• Configure the TierThresholdUsesOriginal setting to control whether tiered spend thresholds use the pre-discount or post-discount subtotal
• Review the default stacking behavior and adjust to match your business policies

Step 4: Promotions

Where: Marketing > Promotions > New

With locations and stacking rules in place, you can now create promotions. Start with one or two simple promotions (such as an invoice discount) to familiarize yourself with the Promotion Editor before building out your full promotion strategy.

Prerequisites: Locations (for scope), Stacking Rules (for combination behavior), Inventory Items (for item-level promotions like BOGO, Bundle, Category/Item Discount).

What to configure:

• Create your first promotion using the Promotion Editor
• Set the status to Draft while you are still configuring
• Test in the Promotion Sandbox before activating
• Change status to Active when you are ready to go live

Step 5: Coupons

Where: Marketing > Coupons > New

Coupons are linked to existing promotions. A coupon code activates its linked promotion when entered at the POS. You must have at least one promotion created before you can create a coupon.

Prerequisites: At least one promotion to link the coupon to.

What to configure:

• Create a coupon code (alphanumeric, case-insensitive)
• Link it to an existing promotion
• Set coupon-specific usage limits and expiration dates
• Optionally restrict to specific customers or customer segments

Step 6: Gift Cards

Where: Marketing > Gift Cards

Set up gift card types with preset denominations. Gift cards operate as a payment method at the POS and can be sold, activated, reloaded, and redeemed. Gift card setup is independent of promotions but should be done before going live so your staff can sell and accept gift cards from day one.

Prerequisites: Locations (gift cards are sold and redeemed at POS locations).

What to configure:

• Create gift card types (e.g., $25, $50, $100 denominations)
• Decide whether to support physical cards, digital cards, or both
• Configure any gift card activation or reload policies

Step 7: Loyalty Program

Where: Marketing > Loyalty > Settings

The loyalty program awards points to customers on every purchase and lets them redeem those points for discounts. You need customer records in the system before enabling loyalty, since points are tracked per customer.

Prerequisites: Customer database (points are tied to customer records), Locations.

What to configure:

• Enable the loyalty program
• Set the earning rate (points per dollar spent)
• Set the redemption value (dollar value per point)
• Set the minimum points required for redemption
• Configure point expiration policy (if applicable)

Step 8: Customer Segments

Where: Marketing > Segments

Customer segments group customers for targeted marketing. Segments can be used to restrict promotions and coupons to specific customer groups. You need customer records with enough data (purchase history, tags, types) to create meaningful segments.

Prerequisites: Customer database with populated records.

What to configure:

• Define segments based on customer attributes (spend level, frequency, location, type, tags)
• Name each segment descriptively (e.g., "High-Value Customers", "New This Month")
• Link segments to promotions or coupons that should only apply to those groups

Step 9: Campaigns

Where: Marketing > Campaigns

Campaigns are optional organizational containers. They group related promotions together for consolidated reporting. You can create campaigns at any time, but they are most useful after you have several promotions running.

Prerequisites: At least one promotion (campaigns group promotions).

What to configure:

• Create a campaign with a name and date range (e.g., "Spring Sale 2026")
• Assign existing promotions to the campaign
• Use campaign reports to track aggregate performance

Pre-Launch Checklist

Before enabling promotions on your live POS, review this checklist:

• All locations are created and users have correct location access
• Customer records are imported or created for loyalty and segment features
• Stacking rules are configured with an appropriate global discount cap
• Each promotion has been tested in the Promotion Sandbox
• Promotion statuses are set to Draft until testing is complete
• Coupon codes have been verified to activate their linked promotions correctly
• Gift card types are created and activation workflow has been tested
• Loyalty earning and redemption rates have been reviewed for profitability
• Customer segments are defined and linked to the correct promotions
• Staff have been trained on how promotions appear at the POS and how to handle coupon entries
• All promotion date ranges are set correctly — no promotions are accidentally active before launch

Once every item is checked, change your promotion statuses from Draft to Active and your marketing program is live.

Related Articles

• Getting Started with Marketing & Promotions (Article 96) — Full overview of the marketing module
• Understanding Promotion Types (Article 97) — Detailed breakdown of all eight promotion types
• Invoice Discount Promotions (Article 99) — Step-by-step guide to your first promotion type