Promotions

What are Promotions?
Promotions allow you to offer discounts or apply surcharges to customer invoices automatically. Once configured, promotions are applied when invoices are created, helping you run marketing campaigns, seasonal pricing, or loyalty programs without manual calculations.
Types of Discounts and Surcharges
Discount Strategies
Promotions can reduce invoice amounts in three different ways:
1. Flat Amount
Takes a fixed dollar amount off the invoice
Example: $10 off every delivery
Set as a negative value (e.g., -10.00)
2. Percentage of Fuel Cost
Discounts based on a percentage of the fuel subtotal
Example: 5% off propane deliveries
3. Per-Unit Adjustment
Adjusts the price per gallon or liter
Example: $0.10 off per gallon
Set as a negative value per unit (e.g., -0.10)
Surcharges
You can also add charges to invoices by using positive values instead of negative ones. This is useful for:
Late payment fees
Peak season pricing
Delivery surcharges
Minimum delivery penalties
Check handling
Convenience fees
When Promotions Apply
Application Methods
Promotions can be configured to apply in different ways:
Universal
Applies to every qualifying invoice automatically
Great for ongoing discounts or standard pricing adjustments
Example: All residential customers get 3% off heating oil
Countdown
Counts down a specific number of invoices
When the counter reaches zero, the promotion applies once and then deactivates
Example: "Your next 10 deliveries are free, then get $20 off the 11th"
Limited Uses
Applies to a set number of invoices, then deactivates
Example: "First 5 customers get 10% off"
Volume-Based
Applies when the delivery meets certain volume requirements
Example: "100 gallons or more gets $15 off"
Requires volume tiers to be configured
Negative Volume
Applies when the delivery is below a certain volume
Example: "Small deliveries under 50 gallons have a $10 surcharge"
Requires volume tiers to be configured
Time-Based
Discount appears on the invoice but only applies if the customer pays within a certain number of days
Example: "Pay within 15 days and get 5% off"
Great for encouraging prompt payment
Filtering Which Invoices Get Promotions
By Fuel Type
You can limit promotions to specific types of fuel:
All fuel types
Propane only
Heating oil only
Other specific fuel types
By Date Range
Set when the promotion is active:
Start Date - When the promotion begins
End Date - When the promotion expires
Leave blank for ongoing promotions
Example: Create a summer promotion active from May 1 to September 30 that automatically repeats each year (you'll need to update the year manually).
Applying Promotions
Promotions must be assigned to specific delivery locations to be used. This allows you to:
Run different promotions at different delivery locations
Have granular control of which customers get the promotions
Easily add or remove promotions
Setting Up a Promotion
Basic Setup
Navigate to the promotions management section
Click "Create New Promotion"
Fill in the required information:
Name - What you'll see in lists and on invoices
Description - Optional notes about the promotion
Active - Toggle to enable/disable the promotion
Choose Your Discount Type
Select a Strategy:
Flat Amount - Fixed dollar discount
Percentage - Percent off the fuel cost
Per-Unit - Discount per gallon/liter
Enter the Value:
For discounts, use negative numbers (e.g., -10 or -0.05)
For surcharges, use positive numbers (e.g., 10 or 0.05)
For percentages, use decimals (5% = 0.05, not 5)
Choose How It Applies
Select an Application Method:
Universal - Every qualifying invoice
Countdown - Count down to one final discount
Limited Uses - Fixed number of applications
Volume-Based - Based on delivery size
Negative Volume - For small deliveries
Time-Based - Only if paid quickly
Configure method-specific settings:
Countdown: Set how many invoices until the discount
Limited Uses: Set total number of uses available
Time-Based: Set the payment window in days
Set Filters (Optional)
Choose which invoices qualify:
Fuel Type - Leave blank for all, or select specific type
Fuel Subtype - Further narrow by propane, oil, etc.
Start Date - When the promotion begins (optional)
End Date - When the promotion ends (optional)
Assign to Locations
After creating the promotion, assign it to the locations where it should be active
Without location assignments, the promotion won't be used
Managing Active Promotions
Viewing Promotions
You can view:
All promotions across the company
Promotions assigned to a specific delivery location
Active vs. inactive promotions
Usage statistics (for limited use and countdown promotions)
Editing Promotions
You can update most promotion settings at any time:
Change the discount amount
Adjust date ranges
Toggle active/inactive status
Modify application settings
Note: Changes apply immediately to new invoices but don't affect invoices already created.
Deactivating Promotions
When a promotion ends:
Toggle the "Active" switch to off, or
Delete the promotion (it will be archived, not permanently removed)
Inactive promotions won't apply to new invoices but remain in the system for reporting purposes.
Assigning to Additional Locations
To use a promotion at more locations:
Find the promotion in the list
Select "Assign to Location"
Choose the location(s)
Save
Removing from Locations
To stop using a promotion at a location:
Find the promotion
Select "Unassign from Location"
Choose the location(s) to remove
Confirm
Common Promotion Examples
Example 1: Spring Propane Sale
Goal: 5% off all propane deliveries in April, payment required within 15 days
Setup:
Name: "Spring Propane Sale"
Strategy: Percentage
Value: -0.05 (5% discount)
Method: Time-Based
Payment Window: 15 days
Fuel Type: Fuel
Fuel Subtype: Propane
Start Date: April 1
End Date: April 30
Assign to all locations
Example 2: New Customer Welcome
Goal: $25 off each of the first 3 deliveries for new customers
Setup:
Name: "New Customer Welcome"
Strategy: Flat Amount
Value: -25.00
Method: Limited Uses
Uses Remaining: 3 (per promotion instance)
Assign to customer's location when they sign up
Note: You'd create a separate promotion instance for each new customer or use a different tracking method.
Example 3: Volume Discount
Goal: $20 off deliveries of 150 gallons or more
Setup:
Name: "Large Delivery Discount"
Strategy: Flat Amount
Value: -20.00
Method: Volume-Based
Volume Tiers: 150 gallons minimum
Fuel Type: Fuel
Assign to applicable locations
Example 4: Small Delivery Surcharge
Goal: $15 surcharge for heating oil deliveries under 100 gallons
Setup:
Name: "Small Delivery Fee"
Strategy: Flat Amount
Value: 15.00 (positive for surcharge)
Method: Negative Volume
Volume Threshold: 100 gallons
Fuel Subtype: Heating Oil
Assign to all locations
Example 5: Summer Service Discount
Goal: 10% off all summer deliveries (June-August), applies to every invoice
Setup:
Name: "Summer Service Special"
Strategy: Percentage
Value: -0.10 (10% discount)
Method: Universal
Start Date: June 1
End Date: August 31
Assign to desired locations
Example 6: Loyalty Countdown
Goal: After 12 full-price deliveries, customers get their 13th delivery free
Setup:
Name: "Baker's Dozen Loyalty"
Strategy: Percentage
Value: -1.00 (100% discount)
Method: Countdown
Countdown Invoices: 12
Assign when customer enrolls in program
How Time-Based Promotions Work
Time-based promotions are unique because they appear on the invoice but only actually apply when the customer pays:
At Invoice Creation
The promotion is noted on the invoice
Customer sees the potential discount
Invoice shows the discounted amount
At Payment Time
System checks if payment is within the allowed window
If yes, the discount is applied to the ledger
If no, the discount is removed and full amount is charged
For Automatic Payments
Autopay system automatically applies time-based promotions if within the window
If payment fails, the discount is automatically rolled back
Customer can retry payment if still within the window
Example: Invoice created on January 1 with a 15-day early payment discount:
Customer pays January 10: ✓ Discount applies
Customer pays January 20: ✗ No discount (too late)
Tips for Success
Setting Up Percentages
Always use decimal values: 5% = 0.05, not 5
For discounts, make them negative: -0.05
Double-check the math before activating
Date Ranges
Use specific start/end dates for seasonal promotions
Leave dates blank for ongoing promotions
Remember to update yearly promotions when they expire
Testing Promotions
Start by assigning to just one location to test
Create a test invoice to verify the calculation
Expand to more locations once confirmed working
Volume Thresholds
Make sure volume tiers are configured before activating volume-based promotions
Be clear about whether the threshold is gallons or liters
Consider fuel expansion/contraction in your thresholds
Multiple Promotions
Customers can potentially qualify for multiple promotions on one invoice
The system applies all qualifying promotions
Be mindful of stacking discounts that might be too generous
Communication
Let customers know about promotions in advance
Include promotion details on invoices when applicable
Send reminders for time-based promotions (e.g., "Pay within 10 days to save 5%")
Troubleshooting
Promotion Not Appearing on Invoices
Check these common issues:
Is the promotion marked as Active?
Is it assigned to the correct location?
Does the invoice match the fuel type/subtype filters?
Is today's date within the start/end date range?
For volume-based: Does the delivery meet the volume requirement?
For limited uses: Are there uses remaining?
Wrong Discount Amount
Verify:
The strategy matches your intent (flat vs. percentage vs. per-unit)
For percentages, you're using decimal format (0.05, not 5)
The value has the correct sign (negative for discount, positive for surcharge)
For volume-based, the volume tiers are configured correctly
Time-Based Discount Not Applied
Confirm:
Payment was made within the allowed number of days
The invoice creation date + valid days hasn't passed
Automatic payment processing completed successfully
Customer's payment method was valid
Promotion Deactivated Unexpectedly
This can happen when:
Limited uses reached zero
Countdown completed its cycle
End date was reached
An administrator manually deactivated it
Check the promotion history or activity logs for details.
Getting Started
To start using promotions:
Plan your promotion - Decide on the discount type, amount, and rules
Create the promotion - Fill in all the details carefully
Assign to locations - Choose where it should be active
Test it - Create a test invoice to verify it works correctly
Monitor usage - Keep track of how often it's applied
Adjust as needed - Fine-tune the settings based on results
Promotions help you attract new customers, reward loyal ones, and manage pricing flexibility across your business. Set them up strategically to maximize their impact!