What if my Gift Card codes have less than 8 digits?

Shopify restricts Gift Cards that are under 8 characters from its platform. They've done this as a security measure to keep code unique and secure. However, our teams created a work around that we've used many times with our clients. We've found that the best and simplest way to solve for this is to add digits to the beginning of the code as to get them above the required 8 digits: 

Here's what we mean, we're going to lay it out step-by-step: 

• On the far left are the codes as they are now. Add a column of SP's next to your gift cards that can be whatever you want for your store. For us our app is called Selling Point so we chose SP as it's our initials (numbers work too). 
• Create two new columns in your sheet (these are temporary) they will house our formula and our new appended values: 

• Then write a simple function that adds the two columns together I used =B2&""&A2 what that does is it appends the two rows together so you get SP123456. After you've validating the formula works on the first cell fill that down to your last Gift Card code. 
• It looks like this:

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• We will then highlight all of the new codes we created and copy them. 
• Here's the special part (pun intended) we'll then use the paste special function and only paste the values of the formula. 

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• This will allow us to only get the values (formula results) here. We are going to paste these over the old codes as these are going to be the new codes that we migrate into Shopify. 
• So the first code would be SP123456 and so on and so forth.
• Once you've got your new 8+ digit codes inserted you can go ahead and delete the temporary columns we made to accomplish this: 

• You'll be left with the new 8+ digit codes and the original Selling Point template: 

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• Congratulations you are now you're ready to import this straight into Selling Point. 
• Once you're migration is finished, when a customer comes in to your store and says they want to use code 123456 you know to enter code SP123456 instead and it will validate for the appropriate amount.
• Feel free to print up the CSV and put it underneath your cash counter so as people bring in Gift Cards you've got a quick guide to check. Then when someone uses one you can cross it off the list.
• Obviously, the gift cards will all be stored digitally on Shopify too but this is just a quick little guide for whomever is at the register at the time.
• If you're just getting started you can get our Gift Card CSV template here.

For even more explanation we've included a step-by-step video guide: