You ring up a daily admission ticket in Altru and there’s an Options button for adjusting the line. Then you ring up a ticket to a preregistered program, like a scheduled tour, a camp session or a timed workshop, and the button you were counting on isn’t there, or it doesn’t offer what you need. Usually that isn’t a broken install. Preregistered programs and daily admission programs follow different sales rules in Altru, and editing a line item is one of the places where they tend to differ. (Permissions can play a part too, so it’s worth ruling those out, as covered below.)
Here’s what’s going on, how to get the same result another way, and what to confirm before you retrain anyone.
Why preregistered lines behave differently
A daily admission ticket is good for a day. A preregistered program ticket is tied to a specific event, with a date, start time and capacity. Because the ticket counts against that event’s capacity, changes that would be simple for a general admission ticket, like a different price type or quantity, affect capacity on a preregistered event. That’s a likely reason those changes are typically handled by removing the line and adding it again rather than editing it in place.
Exactly which line-level options appear can depend on your Altru version, how the program is set up, and whether you’re in daily sales or advance sales. We won’t list menu labels here because they change. To see what your system does today, ring up one ticket of each program type in your sandbox (or on a test order you’ll cancel) and compare the screens side by side.
Getting the same result without the button
Start by asking what the cashier was trying to do. Each common reason has its own workaround.
Wrong price type (adult instead of member, child instead of senior)
Remove the line and add the ticket again with the right price type. It takes a few seconds longer, but it keeps the order clean. Make sure staff know they need to remove the old line. Leaving it in the cart risks counting the guest twice against the event. Test this once in your sandbox so you can confirm capacity updates the way you expect.
Applying a discount
If the discount is set up in Altru and allowed for that program, it can usually be applied to the order without editing the line itself. If it won’t apply to preregistered items, check the discount’s setup first. Discounts can be limited to certain programs or price types, and a discount built for daily admission often doesn’t include your preregistered programs.
Moving the guest to a different time or session
For a sale that’s still in progress, remove the line and add the ticket to the correct event. If the order is already finished, use your normal exchange or refund-and-resell process, depending on how your organization handles changes after a sale. Write down which method you use, since exchanges and refunds can show up differently in your revenue reporting. Check with your finance contact on which they prefer.
Adding a note or registrant detail
Preregistered programs often collect registrant information (names, ages, accommodation needs) separately from the line item. If your team relies on that, find out where registrant details live in your setup and train staff to enter them there, not to look for a line-level option.
Check these before deciding it’s a limitation
- Security role. Make sure the staff member’s role has the same sales rights as someone who can see the option. A supervisor trying it at the same station is the quickest test.
- Sales channel. Try the same ticket in advance sales as well as daily sales. Some teams move preregistered sales to advance sales because that workflow fits scheduled events better.
- Program setup. Confirm the program really is preregistered. Programs that were copied or converted sometimes have settings that differ from what staff expect.
- Your version’s documentation. If you need line editing for preregistered programs, check Blackbaud’s help for your version or open a support case. They can tell you whether what you’re seeing is expected behavior.
Make the workaround routine
When something takes a few extra clicks, the bigger risk is that every cashier finds their own fix. Pick one method for each situation above and put it on a one-page reference at the register: “Wrong price type: remove and re-add. Discount: apply at the order level. Time change after payment: exchange.” New and seasonal staff will thank you.
It’s also worth running a query after busy stretches for preregistered events where tickets sold go over capacity, or where one order has two lines for the same event. Both can mean a line was added again and the old one was never removed. Catching that the same week is much easier than sorting it out at the door.
Quick answers
Is the missing Options button a permissions problem?
It can be, so rule it out first. Have a user with full sales rights try the same ticket. If they don’t see it either, it’s most likely how the program type behaves rather than a role setting, and Blackbaud support can confirm.
Can I convert a preregistered program to daily admission to get the button back?
You’d lose event-level capacity and scheduling, which is usually the reason the program is preregistered in the first place. Change the workflow, not the program type.
