This import allows CRM administrators to assign rewards such as vouchers, certificates, gift card values or reward entitlements in bulk to existing loyalty members. Reward imports are commonly used for:
Migrating rewards from a legacy loyalty system.
Issuing promotional rewards to large groups.
Compensating members following system changes.
Restoring rewards after data recovery events.
Understand and manage loyalty reward imports
A loyalty reward import creates reward entries for members based on their member ID.
Reward imports:
Add rewards to eligible members.
Do not overwrite existing rewards.
Do not modify loyalty points.
Do not modify tier status.
Do not create membership accounts.
Rewards appear in the CRM under a member’s rewards or entitlements area, depending on your program configuration and in reward-related reports.
Key characteristics of loyalty reward imports
Outlined below are the key characteristics of loyalty reward imports.
Loyalty reward imports:
Require existing Member IDs.
Add rewards as new reward entries.
Require an expiration date for each reward.
Support program-defined reward categories for example free night, food and beverage credit or voucher.
Support reward descriptions and metadata.
Cannot be reversed via bulk import.
Can be tracked using segment and tag assignments.
Rewards may represent:
Voucher-based rewards.
Night-based rewards.
Monetary credits.
Custom-defined reward types configured through reward formula setup.
Before a loyalty reward imports
Before performing a loyalty reward imports the below should be considered:
Ensure each guest already has an active loyalty membership.
Verify that Member IDs exist and are accurate.
Confirm rewards are properly configured in reward category or reward formula setup.
Remove placeholder or invalid records for example NULL or TEST.
Ensure you understand your program’s reward expiration rules.
Decide if imported rewards should be assigned to a segment for tracking.
Run a small five to ten record test import before processing a full file.
⚠️Important: Once imported, rewards cannot be removed via bulk import.
Incorrect rewards must be revoked or expired manually.
File format requirements for a loyalty reward import using a CSV file
The loyalty reward import requires a CSV file with required and optional fields.
Required columns:
Column | Description |
Loyalty Member ID | The Member ID of the loyalty member receiving or updating the reward. Must already exist in the CRM. |
Reward Code | The internal CRM Reward Code (not the reward name). Must match a reward configured in the CRM. |
📌Note: All other fields are optional from a system-validation perspective, but may be important for your program’s business rules for example, tracking when a reward was issued or when it expires.
Optional columns:
These fields control timing, status and linkage to external reservations or systems. They may be left blank when not needed.
Column | Description |
Issued Date | Date the reward was issued. Used for reporting and audit history. Must follow the date format selected during import if populated. |
Begin Date | Date the reward becomes valid/usable. |
Expiration Date | Date the reward expires. After this date the reward can no longer be used. |
Redeemed Date | If populated, marks the reward as redeemed on this date. |
Cancel Date | If populated, marks the reward as cancelled as of this date. A cancelled reward cannot be redeemed. |
PmsResvID | PMS reservation ID to associate the reward to a specific stay. Must match an existing reservation if used. |
PMS Hotel Code | PMS hotel identifier. Must match a hotel configured in the CRM if used. |
CrsResvID | CRS reservation ID to link the reward to a CRS booking. |
Max Usage | Maximum number of times the reward can be used. If blank, the default behavior for that reward code applies. |
Points Used | Number of points consumed when the reward is redeemed (for point-based rewards). |
Ext TransactionID | External transaction or reference ID. Appears in remarks and is useful for reconciliation with external systems or non-room redemptions. |
CSV rules:
File must be saved as .csv.
Header row required.
Dates must follow the selected import date format.
One reward per row.
Reward code value must exist in CRM.
No blank rows.
Ensure loyalty member ID field is populated on every row.
Date format behavior:
Date interpretation depends on the date format you select during the upload:
MM/DD/YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY, YYYY/MM/DD or YYYY/DD/MM
Invalid dates will be rejected.
How the CRM handles loyalty reward import data
Outlined below are some key points on how the CRM handles loyalty reward import data.
Matching logic
CRM assigns the reward based on Member ID.
If the Member ID does not exist, the row fails.
Email or profile fields are not used for matching.
Reward behavior
Rewards are added as new reward entries.
Reward balances are not overwritten.
Expiration rules determine when rewards become invalid.
Rewards appear in the guest profile’s Rewards section.
Reporting reflects imported rewards immediately.
Step by step guide for loyalty reward import data
Outlined below are the steps on how to import loyalty reward points.
From the left navigation menu, click Profile Management and click Bulk Import.
Click the tab labeled Reward Import tab and click Reward Import to begin a new import.
Click Upload File and select your CSV file.
Select a date format matching your CSV.
Map your source columns to CRM fields:
Required fields appear in red until mapped.
Auto-matched fields appear in blue.
Click Save and Close to begin processing.
You will see a confirmation banner if the upload is accepted.
View reward import results
Follow the steps below to view import results.
From the left navigation menu, click Profile Management and click Bulk Import.
Locate your reward import in the results list.
Review the status:
Processing.
Completed.
Failed.
Validate in guest profile.
Users will receive an email from the system sharing the success counts and a link for the rejections to review the rejected lines with reason for rejection.
Tips and best practices for bulk import of loyalty rewards
Outlined below are tips and best practices for bulk import of loyalty rewards.
Always start with a small test file.
Ensure reward code values match CRM exactly.
Use meaningful descriptions to support audit trails.
Keep expiration dates consistent with program policy.
Assign a segment to easily locate impacted members.
Double-check Member IDs to prevent row failures.
Avoid special characters in description fields.
Troubleshooting
Outlined below are some troubleshooting issues.
Rows failing due to invalid Reward Code
Ensure the reward code exists in CRM.
Check for extra spaces or case mismatches.
Rows failing due to invalid Member ID
Member ID must exist before import.
Check for leading/trailing spaces in CSV.
Rewards not appearing in guest profiles
Confirm the import completed successfully.
Check for expiration dates set accidentally in the past.
Date-related failures
Date Format selected may not match the CSV’s date formatting.
Ensure all rows use the same consistent date format.
Import fails entirely
CSV may contain blank lines.
Incorrect header formatting.
Unsupported characters in value or description fields.
Duplicate reward entries in the file.
Frequently asked questions
Outlined below are some frequently asked questions.
Do reward imports affect point balances?
No. Rewards and points are separate components of the loyalty program.
Do rewards expire automatically?
Yes. Expiration behavior follows the ExpirationDate provided in the import file.
Can I remove rewards created by mistake?
Not through bulk import. They must be manually revoked or expired.
Can reward imports trigger tier upgrades?
No. Rewards do not affect tier calculations.
Can I import rewards for non-members?
No. Member ID is required, and the row will fail if it does not exist.