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Steps for Manually Creating Gift Cards

1. Go to Inventory > Gift Cards.
2. Click the + Add New Gift Card button in the upper left.
3. You can either use the automatically generated Gift Card Code, OR you can scan in a code from a pre-printed card, OR you can manually enter your own code.
4. It is recommended to enter a unique Title for every Gift Card you create, as an alternative way to look it up.
5. Enter the Amount.
6. Click the Add Gift Card button. The Gift Card will be usable in the Point of Sale or through the website shopping cart.

Website Product Faceted Search

This feature is an available Beta Feature. You will be able to opt-in and activate it yourself if you are an Administrator-level User in the system and if you go to your Admin Button with your username in the upper right and you can access Beta Features. If you do not prefer to continue using it after trying it out, you can go back to that area to deactivate it again.

Please Note: We are proud to announce our newest and most powerful product search tool ever! This search will include both Product and Class Categories you use in the system, manufacturers, and product options and styles, as pictured here. You can also search a Price Range from this top level. You can set a Minimum and/or a Maximum Price Range you might be looking for.

Faceted Search will utilize the different types of product Options you have established in the inventory you carry, for example, you may have set Colors and Sizes for your various products. Those families of Options will be visible in a left-hand column like the one pictured below, and your web shoppers can narrow their searching based on options that they prefer.

The system will only use Options within the Category being displayed.

One thing to be mindful of: to make the best use of this system, it is advised that you use the same names for option families so the system won't see them as different things. For example, if in one product you called an Option family 'Size' and in another, you called it 'Sizes', those would both show up in the sidebar, even if they are referring to the same sizes.

Please Note: We have improved the way Faceted Search works when being used and viewed on mobile devices.

You can collapse the filters down to a single button and open them again as needed, as pictured below:

The system has a Time Clock feature that requires your employees to have PIN codes saved in their User accounts so they can punch in and out. You also have a Time Clock report under the Reports menu that allows you to view total time worked for whatever time frame you wish for your employees, as well as allowing you to correct punches that were not entered properly and add missed punches. Click her to learn more about working with your Time Clock: Employee Time Clock

After logging into the system, you will click on the Admin button with your username in the upper right and go to Users > Restricted Pages. If that feature is not yet active for you, you will need to call us at 385-404-6200 and use option 2 for Support so we can activate that for you. That function will allow for password-protected pages and pricing where needed. For more information on how to work with Member logins, please click here: Website Administration - Members.

The Customer Login feature can be turned on if you're website is live and if you have your SSL enabled. Prior to your site going live, if you click your Admin button with your username in the upper right and then go to Settings > Website Settings > Shopping Cart, you will see the Customer Login Options section at the bottom of the page. If your site is not live, you will see a message like the one above. If it is live, you will see toggle controls like the ones pictured below that enable you to Allow Customer Login (customers will be able to see purchases, cards on file, reward points, and other info) and you can Allow Customers to Create and Share Gift Registries. For more information on Gift Registries, click here: Gift Registry

If the Customer Login feature is not yet active for you, you will need to talk to your Customer Success Manager about the time frame in which your website will be going live. That function is for your website customers and is different from the website Member logins, which are intended for use by wholesale customers or club members so they can have password-protected pages and pricing where needed. The Customer Login gives the customer access to their purchase history and to their Rewards. For more information on how to work with Customer logins, please click here: Customer Website Account Login.

If your website is live and has SSL enabled (the lock icon showing the connection is secure, something we activate for all of our clients when they go live), you can enable this in your system settings. If your site is not live yet, you will need to wait until it is taken live.

To enable this function, click the Admin Button in the upper right and go to Settings > Website Settings > Shopping Cart. The section for Customer Login is near the bottom of the page and you can enable the login and also enable the creation and sharing of Gift Registries, if you like. Click here for more details on your customer login options: Customer Website Account Login

Make Secure Passwords for Rain POS

We highly recommend everyone take steps to improve their own safety online and in our system. Here are some easy and common password protection practices to keep your online account safe.

Create Unique Passwords

The safest thing you can do when creating an account is to always use unique passwords and never give them out. Tools like 1Password can help you manage your passwords across multiple services and assist in make your accounts safer.

Suggested Password Attributes

• Keep your passwords long. We recommend making your password at least 8 characters long—the longer it is, the safer it is.
• At least 1 non-alpha character (a numeric character).
• Preferably at least 1 non-alphanumeric character (a character, or symbol, that appears on a keyboard that is not a number or a letter).

Create Strong Passwords and Check Their Security

A strong password is one that is easy for you to remember but hard for someone else to guess. Uncommon words or phrases work well, but try to keep them unique. Non-standard uPPercasing, creative spelllling, personal slang, and non-obvious numbers and symbols (using $ for s or 0 for o is too obvious!) may be helpful in helping you choose a password.

You can use online tools like How Secure Is My Password? to check your password strength.

It's kind of misleading, but the system is not asking you for the password you have forgotten or lost; the Old Password is for the temporary password you were given to log in with, so it will be whatever password you just used to get to the screen that is asking for the Old Password.

If you have never logged into the Rain POS billing system, you can do so from upper right Rain POS under the Admin Button with your username, just click Billing. Click here for a walk through of how to access the system: Accessing Your Billing Account Information. If your login information isn't working, you can click the Forgot Password link and a password reset will be sent to your email. The email address is the same one at which you receive your Rain POS billing emails monthly.

If your Point of Sale system is set to require PIN code entry before each transaction (this setting is under Settings > POS Settings, on the left) it will prompt the sales clerk to enter a PIN following each completed transaction. You can enter individual PIN codes for your employees by clicking on the Admin Button with your username in the upper right and clicking on Users > Users. There is a field to enter the PIN, and be sure to click Save at the bottom of the screen once you're finished.

There is not a way to prevent an employee from logging into the system remotely unless you log in for them. You need to be careful with your system security: if you have employees you don't want to be able to access the system remotely, make sure they do not have an Administrator Login. They can use a PIN code just fine for access to the Register and normal work tools, but someone with an Administrator login will have to log into the system to get them started. You also will need to be careful that they don't learn the username and password for any of the Administrator users on your account, since they would be able to use that to sign in from anywhere.

After logging into the system, in the upper right click on the Admin Button with your username and go to Users > Users. If you don't already have individual User accounts for all of your employees, you will need one for each person in order for them to use the Register PIN. Click here for more information on how to work with your Users: Set Up User Logins and Groups.

If you do wholesale pricing or other special pricing for your Members and you do not yet see a place in your products to add Wholesale Price, please call us at 385-404-6200 and use option 2 for Support and we can activate that for you if you have our Website Plus or greater service package. For more information on how to set up for Wholesale Pricing and membership, please click here: Website Administration - Members.

The Member login link can be in your Navigation menu, or just somewhere on your Home page, but it is recommended to make it highly visible. That link will need to go to a password-protected page, and you can set those in the Users area of your settings. After logging into the system, in the upper right click on the Admin Button with your username and go to Users > Restricted Pages. If that feature is not yet active for you, you will need to call us at 385-404-6200 and use option 2 for Support so we can activate that for you. That function will allow for password-protected pages and pricing where needed. After you've set the restricted page(s) you want, you can create the link to the page in the normal way. For more information please click here for how to do Wholesale Setup: Website Setup for Member Login.

You will need to set up a new Member Account in the system for each of your website Members (e.g. wholesale, club, anyone that needs password-protected content and pricing that is not available to the public). After you create their accounts, it's best for you to send them an email with a link to log into the site (just link to a password-protected page) and their login information. We recommend that under the Admin Button with your username Users > Members, you set up each of your Members with a username that is the email address you have for them, and set the password initially to 'changeme'.

You can create a standard email to send to a new member after you have this set up for them, and in the email just tell them to use their email address as their username and that their temporary password is 'changeme', and that they'll be prompted to create their own password. If any of your members forget their password, just reset it to changeme and tell them to log in with that, and once again they'll be prompted to set it to what they want. For more details on this process, click here: Website Administration - Members.

You will need someone with a system login to sign into the system for the first time each morning. Once they have logged into the system, they can open the Register and have the sales clerk enter their PIN (if you use PIN codes to track the employee assigned to each transaction). You will need to do this for each computer that will be using the system throughout the day.

The system also has an End of Day report if you just need your numbers for the different types of payments you received throughout the day. Click here for more information: Reports: Sales

If you need more robust drawer-counting tools, we also have our Shift Management feature, and more information is available on that here: Shift Management

If a feature you want is not active for you, please call us at 385-404-6200 and use option 2 for Support and we can look into your eligibility and see about getting the feature activated for you.

Here are some great things to do to improve your use of the Point of Sale system:

• Utilize User PIN Codes - While it may be a slight annoyance to have to enter your PIN code for each new transaction, the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience. With this feature on, clerk names are logged on all transactions, and that puts accountability in place for you. Train your team to practice security: if you step away, click the Clerk name locking the screen. If you use this feature, make sure to create good PIN codes: nobody, including you or your managers, should use codes such as 0000 or 1234, or similar, intuitive numbers. Make codes for your employees, and make them random. To activate this feature, go to Settings > POS Settings, and in the left column, you will see where you can activate User PINs. Save at the bottom when done.
• Use Rewards - Are you using the Rewards program? If so, do you feel like you're getting the most out of it? All by itself, the Rewards program is pretty good, but if you put effort into it and train your team to do so as well, you can start building serious loyalty. Train your clerks to talk about it, have them focus on customer experience and always be asking themselves, "If I was shopping here, what would make my experience better?" You can also offer bonus rewards as a marketing strategy, for example, if you have some items you need to sell, offer double reward points, and manually give customers extra rewards after purchasing. You can activate and configure your Rewards by going to Settings > POS Settings > Customer. After you're finished with the settings, scroll to the bottom and click Save.
• Use Customer Notes / Transaction Notes - Are you noting everything properly? Sometimes taking a few seconds to note something can save hours of frustration later if you forget the details. Train your team to note everything: Use Customer notes to details special situations or circumstances, family members, etc. Use Transaction notes to record circumstances your accountant will need to understand at the end of the month. Adopting this as your regular process will help with special situations so everyone will know what is needed. Customer notes can be added by clicking to view the customer details and scrolling down to the Other section and entering notes in the Till Alert area. You can add notes to a transaction by clicking the Notes link to the right of the main item search field.
• Make the Best Use of Coupons- If you are not already using coupons for promotions, you should take advantage. They are flexible and can add tremendous value to sale events you run. For more information on how to set up your Coupons, click here: Coupons. Maximize the effectiveness of your coupons by sending out email blasts with the coupon code, feature the code in Facebook and other social media posts, and instruct your team to offer the code to everyone so they won't miss out! To create a Coupon, go to Products > Coupons and once you're finished, click Save at the bottom.
• Work in Multiple Browser Tabs - Ever feel like you're having to do way too many clicks just to get information when you're in the middle of something? You should be working in multiple browser tabs! It's much easier to click an open tab that's already got your Customers or your Products or whatever it is you find yourself looking up throughout your day. Keep several tabs open at once; one for your Register, and others for the parts of the system you need most, and that way you don't have to leave your transaction and possibly have to recreate it after you look up that critical piece of information. To open a system link in at new tab, hold down Ctrl and click on the link, or right-click and choose Open in New Tab from the popup menu.

System Updates 
July 6 - 12

New
Nothing New This Week

Improved

Some Work Orders Not Marked as Completed
We fixed an Issue where some Work Orders were not being marked as Completed after the pickup transaction.

Some Work Order Not Calculating Tax Correctly
We have fixed an issue where some Work Orders were not calculating the Material tax properly.

Cash Rounding Not Working in Register
We fixed an issue where cash rounding was not applying to cash transactions in the Register for those who have rounding enabled (Canada, Australia).

Alternate Lookup Search Not Working in Batch Inventory
We have fixed an issue where Alternate Lookups would not scan properly during the Batch Inventory scan process.

Payment Plan Due Date Adjustments Not Saving
We fixed an issue where payment Due Dates for Payment Plans could not be changed from the Register.

That's all for this week. Thank you for being part of the Rain POS family. Take care, we love you!!

System Updates 
July 13 - 19

New
Nothing New This Week

Improved

Work Order User Interface Improvements
We have increased the size of the Work Order panel to occupy more of the screen.

Show or Hide Work Order Form Style Footer
We received feedback that the footer disclaimer section would print on all pages if the Work Order Form Style had multiple pages. We have created a new option for you to choose if you want the disclaimer to appear on all pages with the Print on All Pages checkbox. 

Add Work Orders of Any Status to Register
We now allow you to add any status of Work Order to the Register (except for those already picked up and paid for). This will allow you to easily create batch Quotes for customers that have multiple Work Orders outstanding.

On Hand Column in Sales Detail Report
Your Sales Details report now displays the current On Hand inventory quantities when viewing the Item grouping.

Dismiss Domain Expiration Notification
We added the ability to dismiss the notification that appears when your domain will be expiring soon. That way once you confirm that your domain is set to auto-renew, you can dismiss the notification and it won't bother you anymore (until the next expiration date comes up)


Fixed

Web Store Items Set to Not Display Add to Cart Button Able to Be Purchased Online
We've fixed an issue where items that are set to not show the Add to Cart button or Price were still somehow able to be purchased online. Now items set to view-only function as intended.

Website Editor Menu Not Visible
The new Content Editor was causing the website editor menu to disappear in some cases. We have fixed this issue.

No Area Filter in the Communications Module
We have resolved an issue where the Area filter was missing from the top of the Communications module page.

Partial Refunds in Shopify Showing as Full Refunds
We fixed an issue where partially refunded Shopify transactions would be reported as full refunds.

ShipStation Error Showing on Non-ShipStation Orders
There was an issue where a ShipStation error was displaying in the shipping details of orders even when they didn't have ShipStation enabled. We have fixed this.

That's all for this week. Thank you for being part of the Rain POS family. Take care, we love you!!

Go to where you normally log in and click the 'Forgot Your Password?' link, and if you have an email address saved in your User account, the system will send a password reset email to you.

If you do not have the link you need to login, or if you have trouble with the Forgot Password function, please call us at 385-404-6200 and we'll be happy to help you log in.

While we have tried to cover all of the major areas of the system that would need user group permission, we realize there always something more that might be needed. For any areas not covered in our current group permissions list, you will need to send us a System Enhancement request. In our blue system bar, click on the House icon on the far left side to go to the system Home page. On the left side of the page, click the Suggest button, and a panel will open that will allow you to search for suggestions already in the system similar to what you're looking for, or if there isn't one in there yet, you can submit a new enhancement suggestion.

We recommend that under Users > Members, you set up each of your Members with a username that is the email address you have for them, and set the password initially to 'changeme'. You can create a standard email to send to a new member after you have this set up for them, and in the email just tell them to use their email address as their username and that their temporary password is 'changeme', and that they'll be prompted to create their own password. If any of your members forget their password, just reset it to changeme and tell them to log in with that, and once again they'll be prompted to set it to what they want. For more details on this process, click here: Website Administration - Members.

If the Customer Login feature is not yet active for you, you will need to call us at 385-404-6200 and use option 2 for Support so we can activate that for you. That function is for your website customers and is different from the website Member logins, which are intended for use by wholesale customers or club members so they can have password-protected pages and pricing where needed. The Customer Login gives the customer access to their purchase history and to their Rewards. For more information on how to work with user logins, please click here: Set Up User Logins and Groups. And for more on Members, click here: Website Administration - Members

Our clients are almost always set up with a login URL following this formula: mybusinessname.rainadmin.com/admin If you need help with your login URL, please call us at 385-404-6200 and use option 2 for Support and we'll be happy to assist you.

You can go to the Admin button with your username in the upper right and click on Users. If it has been enabled for you, you'll see a section called Restricted Member Access below User Accounts. You can set up Member Accounts and Restricted Pages that will be password protected for members only.

If the Member feature is not yet active for you, you will need to call us at 385-404-6200 and use option 2 for Support so we can activate that for you. That function will allow for password-protected pages and pricing where needed. For more information on how to work with Member logins, please click here.

We try to include activation information for all of our new features, but if you don't have that information, here is what you can do:

• First, check to see if it's a Beta feature you can turn on: Click the Admin Button with your username in the upper right then go to Beta Features and if you find it in the list, enable it and be sure to click Save at the bottom.
• Next, from the same Admin Button menu, go to Settings and look for the area of the system for which the new feature was developed. If the feature is activated by a setting, you will likely find it in a subtab of the major area.
• If a feature you want is not in Beta and you cannot find it in Settings, please call us at 385-404-6200 and use option 2 for Support and one of our team members can work with you to see about getting the feature activated for you.