GiftStubThe routine in five steps
- Number every certificate. Print certificates with a unique number on both the certificate and its stub, for example GC-0001 to GC-0100.
- Record each sale. When you sell one, write the buyer or recipient, the date and the amount paid on the stub, and add the same details to your log.
- Check the number at redemption. When a certificate comes back, look the number up. If it's listed as issued and not yet redeemed, accept it.
- Mark it redeemed. Write the date on the stub and mark the number redeemed in the log, with a note if part of the value is left.
- Reconcile and back up monthly. Once a month, count issued and redeemed certificates, list the outstanding ones and save a copy of the log.
What to record
The log needs only a few columns. The issue log CSV from the tool uses these, so you can import it straight back later:
| Column | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Number | The certificate number exactly as printed, such as GC-0007 |
| Status | Issued or redeemed |
| Issued to | Buyer, recipient or both |
| Amount | What was paid, or the service it covers |
| Issued on / Redeemed on | Dates as YYYY-MM-DD, which sort correctly in any spreadsheet |
| Notes | Remaining balance, who served the client, or a donation to an event |
Paper stubs plus a log
The stub and the log back each other up. The stub is created when the certificate is printed and is physically in your hand at the moment of sale, so it's hard to forget. The log is searchable and easy to total. When the two disagree, for example a torn-off stub with no log entry, you know exactly which sale to look into.
File stubs in number order. When a certificate is redeemed, write the date on the stub and initial it. At the end of the year, the stubs for that batch go in an envelope with your other records.
Using the log in this tool
The issue and redeem log above is a convenience: a simple list stored only in this browser on this device. Click Add … to the log after printing a batch, log a sale with a name and amount, and click Mark redeemed when a certificate comes back. Search by number or name to find one quickly. Undo reverses a redemption made by mistake.
Because the list lives in one browser, back it up. Export log CSV saves everything as a file that opens in Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets or Apple Numbers (GiftStub isn't affiliated with Microsoft, Google or Apple). Import CSV loads a file back in, matching rows by certificate number.
Monthly reconciliation
Once a month, take ten minutes to:
- Count certificates issued and redeemed that month, and the total still outstanding.
- Check that every torn-off stub has a log entry, and every log entry has a stub.
- Look for numbers redeemed twice or redeemed without being issued.
- Export the CSV and save it with the date in the file name.
Outstanding certificates are services or goods you still owe. Ask your accountant how to record certificate sales and unredeemed balances in your books, since the treatment depends on where you are and how you keep accounts.
Common problems and simple fixes
- Two certificates with the same number. Always start a new batch where the last one ended, or use a new prefix.
- Certificates sold but never logged. Make tearing off the stub part of the sale, and log from the stubs at the end of each day.
- Partial redemptions. Note the balance, or replace the certificate with a new number for the balance.
- A lost log. Export the CSV regularly; the stubs let you rebuild it if needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the GiftStub log stored?
Only in the browser you're using, in its local storage on this device. It isn't synced or backed up anywhere, and clearing your browser data erases it. Export the CSV regularly and keep the file somewhere safe.
Can two people share the log?
Not directly, because it lives in one browser. Export the CSV from one device and import it on the other, or keep the CSV in a shared spreadsheet that everyone updates.
How do I handle a certificate that's only partly used?
Mark it redeemed and note the remaining balance in the log or on the stub. Or issue a new numbered certificate for the balance and write both numbers in the notes so the trail is clear.
What if someone brings a number that isn't in the log?
Check the paper stubs first, since a sale may not have been entered. If you still can't find it, ask when and where it was bought. A missing record usually means a gap in your routine, so it's worth tightening up.
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Last updated · Written by the Rooh Sites team. General information, not legal or tax advice.