Gift Cards – Multi-Purpose Vouchers and VAT

Vendion treats gift cards as multi-purpose vouchers: a sale creates a gift card liability. When the guest later pays with the card, revenue and VAT are recorded for the goods or services purchased.

Check what the gift card can buy

Classification depends on the terms. The name “gift card” does not automatically make it a multi-purpose voucher.

Definitions are in Chapter 2, sections 26–27 of the Swedish VAT Act (2023:200). Single-purpose rules are in Chapter 5, sections 40–42; the multi-purpose rule is in Chapter 5, section 43. Read the Act at the Swedish Parliament.

A value card usable for both food served in the restaurant and wine can result in different VAT amounts. It fits the multi-purpose model. A card restricted to a particular takeaway lunch may instead need single-purpose treatment. Check restricted lunch cards, prepaid menus and other special terms with your accountant before selling them through the same flow.

From sale to redemption

This example is a 500 SEK multi-purpose gift card using Vendion’s default accounts:

There is no output VAT at issuance in this example. Redemption gives total VAT of 72.14 SEK. The gift card pays for the visit; it does not make the food and wine VAT-exempt.

Partial redemption reduces the liability by the amount used. The remaining balance stays available for the next visit. At expiry, unused value is handled separately according to the card’s terms and the expired gift card settings.

Check settings in Vendion

1. Open Admin → Bokföring → Verifikat & export → Kontoplan.
2. Check gift card liability and expired gift card accounts with your accountant.
3. Check the Presentkort payment method’s account too. Redemption should reduce gift card liability.
4. Select Spara inställningar.
5. Compare a completed purchase and its Z voucher with the gift card balance.

These examples use Vendion’s defaults. Match them to your company’s chart of accounts. Choosing an account does not determine whether an offer legally qualifies as a single- or multi-purpose voucher.

Reconcile without duplicate entries

Gift card sales in the POS Z data go to liability in the accounting records. Redemption reduces liability while the purchased items generate revenue and VAT. Do not also enter the same gift card sale manually as ordinary goods revenue.

Compare the same date and restaurant or chain scope at month-end. Administratively issued cards, returns, expired cards and redemption in another chain company may need separate review.