> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.flowretail.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.flowretail.com/docs/extensions-addons/flow-gift-card.md).
# Flow Gift Card
## Introduction
Flow Gift Card is seamlessly integrated into the Flow Retail POS platform, allowing retailers to easily sell and manage digital gift cards directly from the POS system.
Flow Gift Card can also easily be integrated with basically any e-commerce system.
The service is structured around three main components: **Issuer**, **Brand**, and **Merchant**.
### Understanding the key concepts
* **Issuer**: The entity responsible for generating, validating, and managing gift cards at a system-wide level. This can be seen as the ultimate owner of the gift card.
* Example: *Fjordsport AS*, a sports chain, issues its own gift cards.
* **Brand**: Represents the brand or type of gift cards. Each brand can have its own set of configuration. Typically a store has two brands (type of cards) in use; Gift Cards and Credit Voucher (Norwegian: "Tilgodelapp").
* Example: Fjordsport AS has two brands, *Fjordsport Gift Card* and *Fjordsport Store Credit*.
* **Merchant**: Individual store or location using Flow Retail POS together with the Flow Gift Card service. Merchants sell and redeem gift cards under specific brands configured for their store.
* Example: Fjordsport's stores in Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger and its webshop are four merchants. All four sell and redeem both brands.
{% hint style="info" %}
A merchant can accept brands from more than one issuer. If the Fjordsport store in Oslo is in a shopping centre, it can accept the centre's gift card, issued by *Storsenteret AS*, alongside its own.
{% endhint %}
## Detailed features
* Integrated in Flow Retail POS
* Integrated in Shopware, through the Flow Gift Card plugin
* An API for connecting any other webshop or system
* Physical and digital cards
* Print or pre-print the card number (and optionally the CVC) on the cards, or send the card by e-mail (typical for webshops)
* Flow Retail POS can print the card number and its barcode on a label printer, to stick onto any gift card paper
* Generate cards in advance, up to 500,000 in one batch
* Pay with a card as many times as you like, until the balance is used up
* Top up a card with more funds. Can be turned off per brand.
* 16-digit card number
* Optional 3-digit CVC, switched on per brand
* Expiry set per brand, 36 months by default
* Sell in any store, use in any store
* Use one brand across every store in a chain
## How it works
Below is the basic flow for when using a gift card using the Flow Gift Card service.
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
### Create the gift card
When a gift card product is created in the Flow Retail Backoffice with the type GIFTCARD, it must be linked to a Merchant and the associated Brand.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Sell the gift card
Upon sale of the gift card through Flow Retail POS, a gift card is automatically issued and activated towards the end-customer.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
### Pay with the gift card
Redemption / payment is performed in Flow Retail POS using a dedicated payment method called "Flow Gift Card payment."
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
***
## Connect a till or webshop
Flow Retail and Shopware both connect to Flow Gift Card with the same three values: **Merchant ID**, **Merchant Token** and **Brand ID**.
### The three values
| Value | What it is |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Merchant ID** | The store's id. |
| **Merchant Token** | An API key on the store. Give each system its own key. |
| **Brand ID** | The id of a card type the store has access to. |
All three are on the store's **API keys** page in the gift card admin, each with a copy button.
{% hint style="warning" %}
The issuer must give the store access to the card type before you connect a till or webshop. Until then, the Brand ID is rejected.
{% endhint %}
### Flow Retail
Flow Gift Card must be active under **Flow Admin → Settings → Extensions**. If it is not listed there, contact Flow Retail to have it added.
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
#### Add the extension to the store
Go to **Flow Admin → Stores → \[store] → Extensions** and choose Flow Gift Card under **Available Extensions**.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Fill in the three values
**Merchant ID**, **Merchant Token** and **Brand ID**. In Norwegian: **Forhandler-ID**, **Forhandlertoken** and **Merke-ID**.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Save and validate
Save, then choose **Validate credentials**. Validation fails if the store has no access to the card type.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Add the payment method
On the store's **Payment Methods** tab, choose **Add payment method** and add **Flow giftcard**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
The Brand ID is the card type the till sells. At payment, the till accepts gift cards of any card type the store has access to, but never store credit. Store credit has its own extension, **Store Credit**, with the same three fields.
Gift card products use the product type **Gift Card** and a VAT code with a 0% rate.
### Shopware
The Flow Gift Card plugin is configured once for the whole Shopware installation, not per sales channel.
{% stepper %}
{% step %}
#### Choose the environment
In the plugin's configuration, set **Integration Environment** to **Production**. Use **Development/testing** only with keys from the test platform.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Fill in the store
**Merchant ID** and **Merchant Token**. On **Development/testing**, use **Test Merchant ID** and **Test Merchant Token** instead.
{% endstep %}
{% step %}
#### Set the card type on each product
On each gift card product, in the custom field set **Flow Gift Card - Product**, switch on **Enable giftcard** and fill in **Gift Card Brand ID**.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}
{% hint style="info" %}
Set the values for all sales channels. The plugin ignores values set on a single sales channel.
{% endhint %}
*Last updated 26.09.2026*
---
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