Discount Thresholds & Approval Rules

June 16, 2026 12:08

Overview

The Approval Matrix — Discount Type feature gives Merchant Admins centralized control over discount authorization at the Point of Sale (POS). By defining threshold-based approval levels, merchants can prevent unauthorized or excessive discounts while ensuring that legitimate transactions can proceed with the appropriate supervisor override.

Why This Matters

Prevents revenue leakage from unauthorized discounts
Replaces binary (can/cannot discount) controls with granular authority levels
Centralizes configuration in a single 'Matrix' view
Creates an auditable approval trail for every override
Empowers supervisors to approve exceptions without disrupting the transaction

Accessing the Approval Matrix

Follow these steps to open the Approval Matrix settings in the Merchant Console:

Log in to the retailcloud Merchant Console.
In the left navigation panel, click Settings (highlighted at the bottom of the sidebar).
On the Settings page, locate the General section.
Click the Approval Matrix tile (found in the second row of General settings, between Price Book and Reorder Level).

📝 Note: The Approval Matrix page opens at Settings / Approval Matrix. You will see two top-level fields: Type and Controlled By.

Configuring Discount Approval Rules

Select the Discount Type

The Type dropdown determines which business process the approval matrix governs. To set up discount controls:

In the Type dropdown, select Discount.
The matrix area below will expand to display configuration rows for discount rules.

Choose the Control Method

The Controlled By dropdown determines whether discount authority is assigned at the Role level or the User level.

Option	When to Use	Key Difference
Role	Apply the same discount cap to all users in a job role (e.g., all Store Managers).	Rule applies to everyone in the selected role.
User	Assign a unique discount cap to specific named employees — recommended for granular control.	Rule applies only to the named individual(s).

Matrix Fields Explained

Once a Controlled By option is selected, the matrix row columns appear. The fields differ slightly depending on whether Role or User mode is active.

When Controlled By = Role

Field	Required	Description
Role	Yes (multi-select)	One or more job roles this rule applies to (e.g., Store Manager, Supervisor, Cashier).
Discount	Yes (multi-select)	The specific discount type(s) this rule governs. Select 'All' to cover every discount type.
Threshold Amount	Yes	The maximum discount value this role is permitted to apply without requiring approval. Enter as a numeric dollar or percentage value.
Approver	Optional	The person or role that must approve discounts exceeding this threshold. If left blank, the system will escalate to the next configured level.

When Controlled By = User

The same columns appear, but the Role column is replaced by a User column. All other fields behave identically.

Field	Required	Description
User	Yes (multi-select)	One or more specific employees this rule applies to (e.g., Steve, Robin). Multiple users can share the same discount threshold.
Discount	Yes (multi-select)	The discount type(s) this rule governs. Select 'All' to apply to every discount type or pick specific ones.
Threshold Amount	Yes	Maximum discount value this user is allowed to apply. Any discount above this amount triggers an approval request.
Approver	Optional	The designated approver for discounts exceeding this user's threshold. Leave blank to follow the next matrix level's approver.

Step-by-Step Configuration

Setting Up a Role-Based Discount Rule

Use this workflow when you want to assign the same discount authority to everyone in a job role.

Navigate to Settings > Approval Matrix.
Set Type to Discount.
Set Controlled By to Role.
In the Role field, select one or more roles (e.g., Store Manager).
In the Discount field, select the discount type(s) the rule applies to, or choose All.
Enter the Threshold Amount (e.g., 1000.00 for a $1,000 cap).
Optionally, select an Approver who must authorize discounts above this threshold (e.g., Financial).
Click the + button to add additional rules for other roles.
Click Save (or the equivalent save action in your console) to apply the configuration.

Example — Role-Based Configuration

Row 1: Role: Store Manager | Discount: Member Discount | Threshold: $1,000 | Approver: Financial

Row 2: Role: Supervisor | Discount: All | Threshold: $500 | Approver: Max

In this setup, a Store Manager can apply a Member Discount of up to $1,000 without approval.

A Supervisor can apply any discount type up to $500 before needing Max's override.

Setting Up a User-Based Discount Rule

Use this workflow to assign discount caps to specific named employees — the recommended approach for the most granular control.

Navigate to Settings > Approval Matrix.
Set Type to Discount.
Set Controlled By to User.
In the User field, select one or more employees (e.g., Steve, Robin).
In the Discount field, choose the applicable discount type(s) or select All.
Enter the Threshold Amount for these users (e.g., 500.00).
The Approver field is optional — leave it as Select or choose a named approver.
Click + to add more rows for additional users or discount combinations.
Save the configuration.

Example — User-Based Configuration

Row 1: Users: Steve, Robin | Discount: All | Threshold: $500 | Approver: (none)

Row 2: User: Max | Discount: Member Discount | Threshold: $200 | Approver: (none)

Steve and Robin can apply any discount up to $500. Max can apply a Member Discount up to $200.

Any discount above these thresholds triggers an approval prompt at the POS.

Managing Existing Rules

After saving your initial configuration, you can update or remove rules at any time:

Add a new rule: Click the + (plus) button below the last row.
Remove a rule: Click the red X icon at the right end of the row you want to delete.
Edit a rule: Click directly into any field within an existing row and modify the value, then save.

📝 Note: Deleting a rule is immediate upon clicking the red X. Always review active rules before removing them to avoid unintentionally removing discount controls at the POS.

Threshold Logic & Escalation

How Thresholds Work

The Threshold Amount in each matrix row defines the maximum discount value a user or role can apply independently. The system uses the following logic at the POS:

Scenario	System Behavior
Discount amount is at or below the user's/role's threshold	Discount is applied automatically. No approval required.
Discount amount exceeds the user's/role's threshold	An 'Approval Required' modal appears at the POS. A supervisor must authenticate to proceed.
No matrix rule exists for the user/role and discount type	Default system behavior applies (discount may be blocked or allowed based on global settings).

Escalation Rules

When multiple matrix rows are configured, the system evaluates them in order to find the matching rule:

The system matches the logged-in user (or their role) against the User or Role field in each row.
It then checks whether the discount type matches the Discount field (specific type or 'All').
The Threshold Amount from the matching row is applied.
If the discount exceeds the threshold, the Approver named in that row is notified/required at the POS.
If no Approver is set, the system escalates to the next level or requires generic supervisor authentication.

📝 Note: The system enforces ascending threshold logic: higher-authority users/roles should have higher thresholds. Ensure your matrix rows are configured to reflect your organization's approval hierarchy.

Point of Sale Enforcement

Normal Flow (Discount Within Threshold)

Cashier applies a discount during a transaction.
System checks the Discount Approval Matrix for a matching rule.
Discount amount is at or below the threshold — discount is applied automatically.
Transaction continues without interruption.

Approval Flow (Discount Exceeds Threshold)

Cashier attempts to apply a discount above their authorized threshold.
System detects the threshold breach and pauses the transaction.
An Approval Required modal appears on the POS screen.
A supervisor (or the named Approver) authenticates using their PIN or password.
Upon successful authentication, the discount is applied.
Transaction resumes — the cart state is fully preserved throughout the process.

Cart State Preservation

All items in the cart remain intact when the approval modal appears.

The cashier does not need to re-enter any transaction data after supervisor override.

The supervisor's authentication is logged automatically.

Authentication Methods

The approval modal at the POS supports two authentication methods:

PIN — Supervisor enters their 4-digit (or configured) PIN.
Password — Supervisor enters their full account password.

Audit Trail & Reporting

Every discount approval event is automatically logged for compliance and reporting purposes. The audit log captures:

Log Field	Description
Initiator	The cashier or user who attempted to apply the discount.
Approver	The supervisor or user who authenticated the override.
Discount Amount	The dollar value (or percentage) of the discount that was applied.
Matrix Level Triggered	The specific threshold rule that was matched and triggered the approval flow.
Timestamp	Date and time the approval was granted.

To view discount approval logs, navigate to the Discount Report in the Reports section of the Merchant Console. The Approver column will be visible for all transactions where an override was required.

📝 Note: Discount Approval Matrix rules are independent of and do not interfere with Purchase Order Approval Matrix rules. Both can be configured and active simultaneously.

Roles & Permissions

Access to configure and interact with the Discount Approval Matrix is governed by user roles in the Merchant Console.

Role	Console Access	POS Capability
Merchant Admin	Can create, edit, and delete Discount Approval Matrix rules.	N/A (administrative role)
Supervisor / Approver	Read-only view of matrix configuration.	Can authenticate approval overrides at the POS.
Cashier	No access to matrix settings.	Initiates discount requests; blocked if above threshold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I configure both Role-based and User-based rules simultaneously?

No. The Controlled By dropdown applies globally to the Discount Type — you select either Role or User for the entire Discount matrix. To switch modes, change the Controlled By dropdown; note that this may clear existing rows.

What happens if a user is not covered by any matrix rule?

If no matching rule is found for a user/role and discount combination, the system will apply the default discount behavior configured in your POS settings (either block the discount or allow it without restriction). It is recommended to configure catch-all rules using the 'All' option in the Discount field.

Can multiple users share the same threshold row?

Yes. When Controlled By = User, you can add multiple employees to a single row's User field. They will all share the same threshold and discount type settings for that row.

Does the Discount Approval Matrix affect Purchase Order approvals?

No. The Discount Type matrix is fully independent from the Purchase Order Approval Matrix. Both can be configured and active at the same time without interference.

Is the cart lost if a discount is rejected at the POS?

No. The cart state is fully preserved throughout the approval process. If a supervisor declines to authenticate, the cashier can remove or reduce the discount and continue the transaction normally.

Quick Reference Summary

Task	Path / Action
Open Approval Matrix	Settings > Approval Matrix tile
Set Discount Type	Type dropdown > Discount
Choose control mode	Controlled By dropdown > Role or User
Add a new rule	Click the + button below the last row
Delete a rule	Click the red X icon on the row
View discount approvals	Reports > Discount Report (Approver column)
Supervisor override at POS	Approval Required modal > Enter PIN or Password

For support, contact your retailcloud account manager or visit the Help section in the Merchant Console.

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