Exchanges

Role: Box Office Staff, Administrators

Exchanges allow patrons to move their tickets from one performance to another, or change their seats within the same performance. This page covers the complete exchange workflow.

Navigation: Stagemgr > Orders > Ticket Orders > [Select Order] > Exchange Order

Overview

An exchange replaces an existing ticket order with a new one. The original order is marked as Exchanged (a terminal state), and a new order is created as Processed. Seats from the original order are released, and new seats or tickets are assigned on the new order.

When to Use an Exchange

Common exchange scenarios:

• Patron wants to attend a different performance date or time
• Patron wants to change seats for the same performance (reserved seating)
• Patron needs to switch ticket classes (e.g., upgrading from Student to Adult)
• Group needs to move to a performance with more availability

Exchange Workflow

Step 1: Initiate the Exchange

1. Navigate to the existing ticket order
2. Click Exchange Order
3. The original order status changes to Exchanging

Point of No Return

Once you click Exchange Order, the original order enters the Exchanging state. Complete the exchange or the order will remain in this transitional state.

Step 2: Create the New Order

A new order form appears, pre-populated with the patron's information:

1. Performance -- Select the new performance using the autocomplete field
2. Tickets/Seats -- For general admission, select ticket class and quantity. For reserved seating, select new seats on the seat map.
3. Special Offer Code -- A new special offer code can be applied to the exchange order if applicable
4. Notes -- Add any exchange-related notes

Step 3: Review Price Differential

The system calculates the difference between the original and new order:

Scenario	What Happens
New order costs more	Patron pays the difference
New order costs less	Credit may be applied or the difference noted
Same price	No additional payment required

Step 4: Exchange Service Fees

Exchange service fees may be applied depending on theater policy:

• The fee amount is configured at the theater or production level
• The fee is added to the new order total
• The patron is responsible for the service fee in addition to any price differential

Step 5: Payment

The allowed payment types for the exchange depend on the original order's payment method:

Original Payment	Allowed Exchange Payment Types
Credit Card	Credit card (same or different card)
Cash	Cash, credit card
Check	Check, cash, credit card
External	External, credit card
Comp	Comp

Payment Flexibility

When the new order costs more, the patron can pay the difference using any allowed payment type. When the original was a comp, the exchange must also be a comp.

Step 6: Submit the Exchange

1. Review all details on the new order
2. Process payment for any amount due
3. Submit the exchange

On successful submission:

• The original order status changes to Exchanged (terminal)
• The new order is created with status Processed
• Seats from the original order are released back to inventory
• New seats are assigned to the new order
• Confirmation email is sent to the patron

Exchanging General Admission Orders

For GA performances, the exchange process involves:

1. Selecting the new performance
2. Choosing ticket classes and quantities for the new order
3. The original ticket allocations are released
4. New allocations are made against the new performance's inventory

No seat map interaction is required.

Exchanging Reserved Seating Orders

For reserved seating performances, the exchange process additionally involves:

1. The original seats are released from the seat map
2. The new performance's seat map is displayed
3. Staff selects new seats for the patron
4. New seat assignments are created on the new order

Preferred Seats

When exchanging to a new performance, check if the patron's original seat locations are available in the new performance. Patrons often prefer comparable seats.

Important Rules

1. Only one exchange at a time -- You cannot exchange an order that is already in the Exchanging state
2. Terminal status -- The original order becomes Exchanged and cannot be modified further
3. New order is independent -- The new order can be subsequently exchanged, refunded, or split like any other Processed order
4. Audit trail -- Both orders retain references to each other for tracking purposes
5. Inventory updates -- Seat releases and new assignments happen atomically during the exchange

Troubleshooting

Issue	Resolution
Exchange button not available	Verify the order is in Processed or Fulfilled status
Price differential seems wrong	Check ticket class pricing for both the original and new performances
Cannot select seats on new performance	Verify the new performance has available seats and a valid seat map
Order stuck in Exchanging status	Contact an administrator to resolve the transitional state
Patron wants to undo the exchange	The Exchanged status is terminal; create a new exchange from the new order if needed

No Undo

Exchanges cannot be reversed. If the patron changes their mind after an exchange, you must perform another exchange on the new order or process a refund.