# Voucher statuses

### Initial Voucher Status

When a customer redeems a reward in Perkville, the system generates a [**voucher**](/features/vouchers.md) associated with that reward. The **initial voucher status** setting allows businesses to control the default state of the voucher at the time of redemption. This setting is important for determining how the voucher can be used and tracked by both the customer and the business.

Below are the available options for the initial voucher status:

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#### **Unused**

* **Meaning**: The voucher has been redeemed but has not yet been used by the customer.
* **Behavior**:
  * The voucher will display a **“MARK AS USED”** button.
  * Customers or business staff can click this button on their phone to indicate that the voucher has been used.
  * Alternatively, the voucher barcode can be scanned using the **“Mark Perks as Used”** page to change its status to "Used."
* **Use Case**: Ideal for in-person redemptions where a staff member needs to confirm usage at the time of service or product delivery.

***

#### **Used**

* **Meaning**: The voucher is already marked as used, either because:
  * It was manually marked as such (via the “MARK AS USED” action), or
  * It was issued with an initial status of "Used."
* **Behavior**:
  * The customer cannot change the status of a used voucher.
  * Only business staff can update the voucher’s status from the [**Customer Details Page**](broken://pages/lbkFpUWedwL4VjsAIwfe) in the Perkville dashboard.
* **Use Case**: Useful for automatically redeeming a perk that doesn’t require confirmation of use, such as digital-only perks or those fulfilled outside the Perkville system.

***

#### **Issued**

* **Meaning**: The voucher is considered “issued” to the customer but does not require a change in status.
* **Behavior**:
  * The voucher status remains static and is not intended to be updated.
  * Typically used for perks that involve a **multi-use or single-use coupon code** embedded directly in the voucher.
* **Use Case**: Best for online redemptions or scenarios where the perk is fulfilled by showing or entering a code, and no interaction with Perkville is needed to mark the voucher as used.

***

#### Pending further processing

* **Meaning:** The voucher does not require action on the part of the customer, but must be processed by some other asynchronous process, such as a workflow
* **Behavior**:
  * The voucher cannot be updated except through the API.
* **Use case:** Best for for asynchronous workflows that aim to fulfil the voucher automatically.

***

#### Choosing the Right Status

Selecting the correct initial voucher status depends on your business’s fulfillment method and tracking preferences. Here's a quick guide:

| Use Case                                   | Recommended Status |
| ------------------------------------------ | ------------------ |
| In-person redemptions                      | Unused             |
| Asynchronous workflows that fulfill reward | Pending            |
| Digital coupon codes                       | Issued             |

### Additional Statuses

The following statuses may also be applied to vouchers, though cannot be set as the initial voucher status.

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#### Expired

* **Meaning**: The voucher expired prior to being used.
* **Behavior**: 
  * The voucher will not be able to be used by the customer.

***

#### Voided

* **Meaning**: Access to the voucher was removed.
* **Behavior**:
  * The voucher will not be able to be accessed or used by the customer. 
  * Any points spent on the voucher will be added back to the customer's account.

***

**Emailed Reward**

* **Meaning**: Rewards that were emailed to a customer by an [external reward](/features/redeeming-rules/external-rewards.md) provider.
* **Behavior**:
  * The external reward provider is responsible for processing and distributing the reward.

***

#### Processing (Deprecated)

* **Meaning**: The reward has not yet been distributed, and is being processed internally.
* **Behavior**:
  * No longer in use.
  * When it was in use, the perk was subject to an internal review process before distributing the reward.


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