Using A Promotional Code

A promotional code (also called discount code) is created by the Site Manager in times that he/she wants to give the Members a reduction from the full or standard price of the advertisement space that they avail (e.g., space for a listing). The code is a series of numbers, letters or a combination of both and is given to selected Members via newsletter or sales call.

When a Member receives a promotional code, he/she can use it on the next item that he/she will create. The only thing to do is to put it in the Promotional Code field of the form used when adding a new item in the directory. During a payment procedure, eDirectory application automatically reduces the price of those items with promotional code. The amount deducted from the original price depends on the reduction percentage or value specified in the promotional code.

A listing with a 100% Promotional Code expires when it reaches the Renewal Date set by the Manager during activation.

In eDirectory version 7.3.00, a listing with a 100% Promotional Code expires also when the code expires. This happens even if the listing has not reached its Renewal Date. For this listing to be activated and visible again in the directory front, its owner must pay for it by use of another Promotional Code or by the regular payment schemes.


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To create a promotional code, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on Payment > Promotional Code. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

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  2. Click Add on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

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  3. In the Code box, type the character combination that you want to use as promotional code. You may use a series of numbers, letters or a combination of both (e.g., 00638, abcde, rh134d).
  4. In the Expiration date box, type the date when the promotional code will expire.
  5. Select the Type of amount that you want the application to use to compute for the price reduction of the item that will use this promotional code.
  6. If the type that you chose in Step 4 is percentage, input a value in the range of 1-100 in the Amount box. If you chose fixed value, input a value equivalent to any amount in your currency.
  7. Select the item type/s where Members can use the promotional code (e.g., Listing).
  8. Select whether a Member can use the promotional code more than once.

Using A Custom Invoice

A custom invoice is different from the invoice generated in the Member accounts because unlike the latter, it is created manually and the information it contains is minimal. Usually, the Site Manager creates a custom invoice when there’s a Member that has an outstanding or remaining balance to pay.

After a custom invoice is created, it is sent to the Member’s Account to inform him/her of the amount to be paid. The amount can then be settled using the enabled payment methods.

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When a custom invoice is sent to a Member account, a notification is also sent to the Member’s e-mail address informing him/her that the invoice is ready for payment.

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To create a custom invoice, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on Payment > Create an Invoice. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

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  2. Click on the Add a new Invoice link.
  3. In the Custom Invoice Information area (image shown below), do the following:

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    1. Hit the Click here to select an account link to search for the Member for whom the invoice is created.
    2. In the Username box, type the login ID of the Member. Then, click on the Search button.
    3. Choose the Member by clicking on the Select button.
    4. In the Title box, provide a title for the invoice.
  4. In the Custom Invoice Items area (image shown below), type the item names and their equivalent prices that you will be collecting from the recipient of this invoice.

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  5. Click on the Continue To Send By Email button. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

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    At this point, the invoice is already added in the custom invoice records. You can choose to send it later, or you can continue doing the next steps to send it now.

  6. Hit the Click Here To Send This Custom Invoice button. After doing this a form will appear like the one shown below:

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  7. Click on the Send button.



When the Member (or the recipient of the invoice) pays the amount stated in the custom invoice, a transaction record will be added in the Site Manager account. At the same time, the custom invoice record’s status will change from Sent to Paid.

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Custom invoice records can be viewed by clicking on Payment > Create an Invoice in the left navigation panel.

Monitoring Your Transactions

A transaction (also called payment transaction) is a business agreement or a communication between the Site Manager and a Member for the exchange of an advertisement space for payment. The actual event occurs when a Member pays the bill carried out from the items created in his/her account. Items that require payment are the following:

  • Listings in Basic, Premium, and Showcase levels
  • Events in Premium, and Showcase levels
  • Classifieds in Basic, Premium, and Showcase levels
  • Articles
  • Banners in Top, Bottom, Featured, and Sponsored Links levels

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The names and prices of the levels may vary, depending on what the Site Manager set in Settings > Manage Levels.

Payment can be done by using any of the methods below:

  • By Credit card – a Member who selects this method is asked to fill out the electronic payment forms
  • By PayPal – a Member who selects this method is redirected to the PayPal website where the electronic payment forms to be filled out are located
  • Print Invoice and Mail a Check – a Member who selects this method must print off the invoice and mail the payment check to the address specified on the invoice.

Basically, there are two kinds of transaction in eDirectory: online payment transactions, and invoice transactions. The difference between the two is explained below:

  • Online Payment Transaction – This occurs when a Member selects Credit Card or Payment Gateway as his/her preferred payment method. Upon completion of the electronic payment forms, an online transaction record will be added in the Site Manager and Member accounts. A transaction record usually contains information such as Transaction ID, Status, Payment Type, Amount, Date, Member Account, IP Address, Notes, and the breakdown of what items are purchased. No credit card or payment gateway account information is saved in the Site Manager and Member accounts because this kind of information goes directly to the payment processor.
  • Invoice Transaction – This occurs when a Member prefers to have the payment check mailed to the Site Manager. The Member knows the total amount to pay through the invoice generated in his/her account. Upon completion of this transaction, an invoice record will be added in the Site Manager and Member accounts. An invoice record usually contains information such as Invoice ID, Status, Amount, Issuing Date, Expiry Date, Payment Date, Member Account, IP Address, and the breakdown of what items are purchased.

Important notes to consider when monitoring transactions

  • When the Site Manager receives a payment check from an invoice transaction, one important thing that he/she should do is to change the Status of the invoice record indicating that the payment has been received. After changing the Status, he/she also needs to activate the item/s covered in the transaction. For Online Payment Transactions, changing the status of online transaction record is not required since the only records added to the Site Manager account are those that have been successfully processed by the bank or payment gateway.
  • When the Site Manager receives a payment from credit card or payment gateway, one thing that he/she should do is to activate the item/s covered in the transaction.  The reason is because these items whose payment has been successfully processed by the bank or payment gateway do not get automatically activated.

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To learn how to activate an item, click here.

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To change the status of an invoice record, do the following:

  1. In the left navigation panel, click on Payment > Invoice History. After doing this, a page will appear like the one shown below:

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  2. Click on the Search sub-menu on the top of this page. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

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  3. In the Invoice id box, type the invoice id found in the memo section of the Check that you have received.

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    You need not fill out every field in this form. The search function will work even if you provide only the Invoice id.

In eDirectory version 7.4.00, a Promotional (or Discount) Code field is added in the search form of both Invoice and Transaction History (image shown here). To use this feature, simply supply the Promotional Code of the transactions you are looking for in the box provided.


  1. Click on the Search button. After doing this, the result will be displayed on the bottom area of the page.

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  2. Click on the Pending Status of the invoice record. After doing this, a form will appear like the one shown below:

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  3. In the Status dropdown list, select Received.
  4. Click on the Submit button.