2014-2Q (v004): SIMPLer: Voucher Payments via mySIMPLer

A new feature has been added to the SIMPLer system that permits Operators to generate Voucher Codes through their mySIMPLer page. The operator then distributes the generated Vouchers to their Subscribers and Subscribers have an option to load their voucher balance in the End User Portal and pay for their invoices using the virtual money.

Section One: Feature Configuration

There are the following steps that need to be taken by the Operator to enable the mySIMPLer feature:

1. The operator must have "mySIMPLer" user rights. Operator should distribute that user right to the system users as required.

Fig. 1-1. User Rights

2. The operator must visit the Settings - 'modify SPID' page of SIMPLer and scroll down to the End User Portal Settings and enable the desired options in Fig. 1-2.

Fig. 1-2. EUP Settings

Vouchers Section: Must be enabled in order to have the option to pay via mySIMPLer available on the End User Portal for customers.

Vouchers Section: Enable Captcha: An optional setting to enable captcha verification when a customer is entering their voucher code.

Vouchers Section: Payment Type Name: This is a mandatory setting. Choose the correct payment method to use when displaying payments made via mySIMPLer. This will appear on the totals reports and on customer statements. To set up a new payment type please visit the Settings tab and the Payment Types menu as shown in Fig. 1-3.  Once a payment method has been used (i.e a customer has paid off an invoice via this method the payment method cannot be changed.

Fig. 1-3: Payment Types

3. mySIMPLer must exist as a payment gateway in SIMPLer. Navigate to Settings - Payment Gateways.

Enter the settings exactly as defined in fig. 1-4. (Choose type "voucher". Choose availability "End User Portal". Enter label "Pay with mySIMPLer"."  Click update payment gateways.

Fig. 1-4: Payment Gateway

Section Two: Generating Vouchers

There are the following steps that need to be taken by the Operator to generate a set of new vouchers:

1. Under Invoices Tab ("General" section at the bottom) click on "mySIMPLer" link - or use the link in the Invoices sub-menu.

Fig. 2-1. mySIMPLer links

2. To generate vouchers click the "Generate Vouchers" button

Fig. 2-2. Generate Vouchers

3. Enter all the details required to generate vouchers and click the Generate button

    Number of vouchers - how many vouchers you require in this transaction.

    Amount - amount e.g 10.00. ($10 if your currency is set to USD)

    Expiration Date - note: the expiration date refers to the last date on which the customer can enter their voucher code into the End User Portal. The balance will only expire once used in full.

    Email Vouchers To - this will default to your own email. To send to another staff member, enter their email instead.

Fig. 2-3. Details of vouchers to be generated

4. The script to generate vouchers will execute and will run until all of the vouchers are generated. After the script finishes it sends the email with all of the vouchers generated to the address previously specified.

Fig.2-4. Confirmation Page

Fig. 2-5. Email with vouchers

5. All of the vouchers are listed below in the mySIMPLer table

Fig. 3-1: mySIMPLer Section in  EUP

2) When a customer enters the correct voucher code their balance will get topped up, as per fig. 3-2.

Fig. 3-2: Account top-up

3) If a customer enters an incorrect voucher code or an expired voucher code, the appropriate error message will show up as per fig. 3-3.

Fig. 3-3: Error Messages

Section Four: EUP - Optional Configurations

1) Voucher Code Composition:

Define how your voucher codes will be composed by:

a) Selecting whether or not dashes will display in the code.  By enabling the option in fig. 4-1 from the WISP Settings, a voucher code would display as 1234-5678-9123 rather than 123456789123.

Fig. 4-1: Voucher Code - Display Dashes

b) Define the voucher code length.  Enter 10 in the option from the WISP Settings (fig. 4-2) if you wish for the voucher code to be 10 characters long.

Fig. 4-2: Voucher Code Length

c) Define the characters used in the voucher code as per fig. 4-3.

-both - uppercase and lowercase will be used.

-uppercase - only uppercase will be used.

-lowercase - only lowercase will be used.

Fig. 4-3: Voucher Code Letter Case

d) Define a message to appear on the End User Portal to instruct your customers on how to use their voucher codes.  See fig. 4-4.

Section Five: Top up Account without EUP / creating new customer record

Recently, mySIMPLer  has been updated to simplify the registration process for customers, for operators who generate large amounts of vouchers, especially if they are only for a limited time.  

Before this update, a new customer record was created in SIMPLer for each voucher that was redeemed. This can be very resource heavy when there are thousands of vouchers being generated / redeemed.

It is now possible for customers to enter their voucher details directly on the Mikrotik Hotspot splash page and they  are only required to complete there name, surname, mobile number and voucher. These new fields have been added to to mySIMPLer section, as seen in 'Fig. 2-6. Vouchers list' .

A new custom login page will beed to be created, to facilitate this.

Fig. 4-4: Vouchers - Custom Message

Annex A: Additional Information

Fig. A-1. Example of buying new product

Fig. A-2. Payment Page

After payment is submitted successfully payment is process and customer balance gets decreased. If the customer does not have sufficient funds on their account the payment process will get declined

Fig. A-3. Remaining Balance

Fig. A-4. Insufficient funds example

Updated Date: 29 Jul 2024 

Engineer: PD