---
title: "Use a Physical Gift Card"
slug: "use-a-physical-gift-card"
description: "Learn how to sell and configure physical gift cards in CivicRec's Recreation Management, including barcode requirements, updating codes at checkout, and viewing balances through staff reports."
updated: 2025-08-04T16:29:53Z
published: 2025-08-04T16:29:53Z
canonical: "www.civicplus.help/use-a-physical-gift-card"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.civicplus.help/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Use a Physical Gift Card

When selling Gift Cards in Recreation Management, a gift card code is generated on the receipt. A physical gift card cannot be printed; however, you may purchase pre-printed gift cards to load gift card funds onto.

## Instructions

1. Purchase physical pre-printed gift cards from your vendor of choice.
  - Recreation Management does not partner with any printer vendors. Make sure that barcodes are 2D. Additionally, the barcode must be 9 characters or more and only contain numbers, letters, and dashes. Special characters are not supported.
2. Set Up and Redeem Gift Cards with Payment Type/Code in Checkout. [See how with our Set up Redeem Gift Card article.](/recreation-management/docs/set-up-and-redeem-gift-cards-with-payment-type-code-in-checkout)
  - Your organization's gift card setup must be configured as **Apply Code in Checkout**. [Contact support](/recreation-management/docs/) if this change is needed.
3. When [Selling a gift card](/recreation-management/docs/purchase-a-gift-card), update the gift card code in the cart to match the barcode on the physical card.
  - Gift card codes cannot be changed after the initial sale. Codes can only be used once, so physical gift cards cannot be reloaded.
4. The physical gift card will now **store** the gift card funds. The barcode can be scanned or typed in to chip away at the card balance.
  - > [!WARNING]
> **Note**: Public cannot check a gift card balance online. Staff must check the gift card balance by pulling the [Gift Card Balance Report.](/recreation-management/docs/gift-card-balance-report)