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Cross Outlet Policies and Rules

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The following are basic "rules" regarding Outlets in Theatre Manager:
  • There should only be one Master User account. The Master User is a "know all/sell all" account - that account can see all data, regardless of Outlet or "allow to sell at other Outlets" flag settings for performances. The Master User password should only be known by the Primary Outlet, and within the primary Outlet provided only to employees who are authorized to see potentially sensitive data for every Outlet (in other words - not many people should have this password).
  • Only the Master User can add a new Outlet up to the license count.
  • The Master User will be used to setup an Outlet Administrator to complete the main setup options for each respective Outlet. It is expected that Outlet sites will rarely need to use the Master User account after the initial setup of the following options, except to edit or change the Outlet Administrator accounts when necessary.
  • Each Outlet requires an Outlet Administrator account.
  • It is recommended that the Master User account is never used for selling tickets/donations/memberships or altering data (other than Outlet setup and new Outlet Administrator employees). If a high access level is required to alter/setup data, use the Outlet Administrator employee for that Outlet.
  • Outlet Administrator accounts should be used to create employee accounts for his/her respective Outlet and to edit choices and setup preferences via Outlet Preferences for each outlet.

    'Outlet Preferences' is the same as 'Company Preferences' in a single-outlet environment. Outlet Preferences are accessed through the Setup Menu

  • If an employee works for multiple Outlets, then that employee should have an employee record (still only one patron account) created for each Outlet.
  • That employee will be required to log into the proper Outlet's employee record to have their activity and transactions recorded correctly.
  • Only certain data is visible across Outlets (patron name and address, but not marketing data) to Outlet Administrator or Normal employee accounts. Click here for a specific list of which data is shared.
  • A commission structure must be assigned to the sales promotions (even if the commission is set to $0.00) that are to be used for other Outlets selling the owning Outlet's tickets.
  • Selling tickets for another Outlet requires the use of 'allow to sell at other outlet' on the Performance setup on an Event.
  • Selling cross Outlets requires setup of some A/R accounts in the Default Posting Accounts in the Code Tables for 'Payments due from other Outlets', and various income accounts for other Outlets.
  • Selling cross Outlets requires periodic reconciliation of sales from other Outlets.
  • We recommend that a Refund or Exchange be done from the outlet where the ticket was originally purchased. Meaning that if a ticket for an event at Outlet A is sold by Outlet B, Only Outlet B should Exchange or Refund that ticket to avoid discrepancies across outlets (EOD Imbalance).
  • An Outlet is able to Exchange or Refund the tickets that it sold for another Outlet - it is unable to Exchange or Refund a ticket that another Outlet sold.
  • If a ticket sold by a Outlet A for an event owned by Outlet B is returned by Outlet B, any commission payable is cleared from the transaction and is no longer owed by Outlet B to Outlet A.
  • Outlet A can refund any ticket it sold (for other outlets) and outlet B can refund any tickets that it owns
  • Outlet A can sell an Outlet B ticket and take a payment. Outlet B can return the ticket but MUST USE THEIR OWN MONEY to do so. Only the Outlet's own money is in the their own till. That means you should use cash, check or credit card for payments to items that are for another Outlet. Using your own gift in kinds (contra, swag, pass or other non-physical cash), to pay for tickets for another Outlet isn't a suggested business practice.

    For example, 'Sure, we'll give you a ticket to the Outlet B -- and yes, we will let you use your Outlet A credit from your gift certificate.' This really means, however, that Outlet A will be 'out' the contra amount because, in the end, they will owe Outlet B real money for tickets they just gave away.

  • Outlets cannot sell tickets and put them On Account for another Outlet. Either outlet must make sure outlet sales are completely paid for each time tickets are added or refunded.
  • Theatre Maps are shared. They CAN be used among the various Outlets. But only the "owning" Outlet is allowed to change the setup (price codes, seat names, zone pricing, etc.). However, the Master User can duplicate a Theatre Map and re-assign the duplicated map to another Outlet. This will save the other Outlet from having to re-create an existing map that another Outlet has already created. This will then allow the other Outlet to alter the map for their own purposes.
  • Tickets Faces are not shared, but the Master User account can be used to duplicate the ticket face and assign the duplicate to the other Outlet (just like with Theatre Maps, above). Then the other Outlet can alter the duplicated ticket face if they wish.