Gift certificates are not a sale until product changes hands. Tax forms ask you for the amount of product sold. Since no product has been sold yet, nothing needs to be recorded.
Preferred method:
- Nothing is done at the time of sale with the purchaser.
- At the time of redemption, record the Gift Certificate as a payment made on the recipient’s invoice.
We recommend handling gift certificates in this manner to avoid duplicating your sales data. If you were to create a sale for the Gift Certificate at the time it was paid and then entered a sale for the product when the recipient redeems it, you will be claiming the sales value twice. This increases your tax liability. By handling it as recommended, you will have all the tools in place to help you when the time comes to redeem the certificate, and your tax record will be accurate.
Alternate method:
- Right-click on the recipient from the appropriate list in Boulevard and select Account Balance.
- Select Payment.
- Complete the fields as indicated.
- When the recipient redeems the certificate (in part or full), just enter a new invoice. Do not enter a payment. The sale will deduct from the balance on the account.
If the buyer requests a receipt, follow these steps:
Create a New Invoice for the buyer.
- Click on the Note button then type a note indicating the invoice is for a gift certificate purchase. Include the recipient name, if known.
- Do not enter any items as being sold.
- Enter the amount of the gift certificate as a payment, selecting cash/check or credit card accordingly.
- If the buyer is also purchasing other products, make a separate invoice so that is isn’t confused with the Gift Certificate transaction. Print the receipt(s).
Once the payment is complete, to help you remember the transaction, we recommend adding a Call Note. You can do so by clicking on the Calls tab of the recipient’s profile and selecting New.
If the recipient is not yet a customer, don’t worry. Just find out his or her name and add to the Customer List. Find out more about tracking sales in Boulevard software by visiting our website.
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June has come and gone and with it the hustle and bustle of launching Boulevard software 2010. For Main Street Software’s development team, that means it’s time to start working on Boulevard 2011. It may seem early to begin on this project, but in order to design, develop, and test the quality product you’re used to, this is the time to get started. We already have some great things in the works; however, after 16 years one thing we find is that we frequently receive a lot of feedback for new ideas too late to implement them.
So, how can you get involved? Tell us now what features you would love to see. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:
- Main Street Software, Inc. are originators. We are the leader for this industry and are always on the cutting edge of new features and development for the Mary Kay business management community.
- Will your idea positively impact the business lives of the majority of our users?
- Explain what you want and why you want it.
While you can send in enhancement ideas at any time of the year, we’re asking you to spend a few minutes and send in your ideas now so we can take them into consideration for 2011. Keep in mind, your emails will be read and considered but we cannot guarantee a feature will be used. Plus, we cannot implement every feature in one version so it is possible your idea may be used in a future version.
Please send all software enhancement ideas to suggestions@mainstsoftware.com.
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Your Boulevard software Help menu has a fantastic article on this topic. To locate the article, go to Help, click on Contents, then Business Tips. Select Using Section 1 Items as Demos.
- To begin, enter all Section 1 items on an invoice that are being used for demos (E.g. Day Solution).
- Invoice your Business Supplies customer, which is primarily used for write-off purposes.
- Mark the invoice with a 50% discount and paid in full (Cash/Check).
No money actually changes hands as your business already purchased the product.
- Print the invoice and you’re ready to expense these items.
Create a New Expense and enter the amount of the invoice under a category called Supplies (COG).- File your receipt with your tax records and your done!
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If you keep the product for yourself or use it for demonstration purposes, you do not have to do anything with these items. However, if you decide to shelve the products for sale, you will need to add the items to inventory in your Boulevard software.
To add the items into your inventory, follow these steps:
- Click on Product then Order.
- Click on New. Name the order (e.g., Seminar 2010 Free Product).
- Add the item(s) to the order using the part number from the packaging.
- When all items have been added to the order, un-check Default at the bottom of the order.
- Type 100 in the discount percentage.
- Change the sales tax percentage to 0.
- Click OK and place and receive the order.
Learn more about Inventory features in Boulevard software.
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Here’s what one of our customers had to say about Main Street Software’s Virtual Assistant service:
As a Virtual Assistant customer, this service has been a huge blessing to my business. Dealing with numbers has never been my forte and for years, I struggled trying to keep up with my books. Nothing would put me to sleep faster. In my head, I knew how my business was performing and what my monthly expenses were, I just didn’t have anything on paper. I use my virtual assistant mostly as a way for me to keep my business accounting in order. On top of that, my virtual assistant inputs all the information I would overlook to put into my Boulevard program, such as wish list items, complete profile information, uploading product orders, and even doing my product replacements for me. This service has made me feel more in control of my financial business so I can focus on what I do best: selling our incredible product.
Heather F.
Epping, ND
Learn more about Main Street’s Virtual Assistant services…
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If you have a really long Customer, Unit, or Address List, is it taking extra time to scroll all the way down for someone whose last name begins later in the alphabet?
No problem! Just quickly type the first few letters of a name and your Boulevard software will bring you closer. Save time finding people with this valuable feature. You can use this feature in the Product List, too!
Learn more about all Boulevard software features.
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We have coined this the ‘Mother-Daughter’ feature. Why? This is the most common use for this feature, but certainly not the only one!
The next time you sell product to a customer who is giving one or more of the items to another customer of yours, try it. Enter the item on the invoice then scroll to the far right. Double-click the For column and choose the recipient. Your customer who is paying will be able to do so from one invoice, but the product will not appear in his/her product history. Enjoy this wonderful feature! Find out more about invoicing with Boulevard.
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That’s right! There’s no additional software needed when you promote yourself. The features are there and waiting for you, from Consultant to National.
Have you recently become a Director and are not sure what you’re missing? No problem. Just contact our Customer Service Department and we’ll be happy to help you make the most of Boulevard at your new level.
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