Maintaining a version history of programme terms

For any member event, the record must answer two linked questions: which approved rule governed it, and what wording was available to the member? Keep approved terms as distinct versioned records, with effective dates, change decisions and the customer-facing material released with each version. A replaced live page cannot establish what applied earlier.

Define each version

Use a standardised file-versioning system and assign each approved release a unique version ID. Record its approval, publication and effective dates, the effective time zone, the full approved terms, the changes made and who approved them. Keep the relevant sign-up page, offer wording and account messages released with that version; retain staff guidance as a reference copy.

Record separately when a change was announced and when it affects earning or use. State how it treats future activity, existing balances, issued rewards, bookings and tier assessments. If different groups or activities receive different treatment, record each decision rather than relying on one general effective date.

Make the change record usable

For each changed rule, link the old rule and new rule to the affected members, transition treatment and approved explanation. A prospective earning change differs from a change affecting points already held. State whether a new exclusion applies to future purchases without changing how an earlier transaction was recorded.

Keep the notice issued and the approved treatment of existing value with the change decision. Before release, compare the member-facing material and system configuration with the archived terms, and record any discrepancy for resolution.

Treatment of Existing Points vs. Future Earnings

Connect events to the governing rule

Store the governing version ID with each award, reversal, claim and tier decision, or keep a reliable lookup from the event record to that version. Where processing is delayed, retain source event time separately from processing time. The terms and transition decision should specify which date governs an order placed before a cut-off but processed afterwards.

For a delayed order around a cut-off, first identify the date the terms say governs; then retrieve the version effective for that date and compare its rule with the transaction record and system outcome. Do not infer the answer from processing time if the approved transition decision says another date controls. Record and resolve an unclear case against the approved decision before explaining the result.

Check the lookup with activity on either side of a change, including delayed processing. A support agent should be able to show the saved wording, relevant notice and transaction record. Treat an undocumented exception as a gap to resolve, not a reason to edit archived terms silently.

Key Compliance Requirements for Loyalty Programme Versioning

Release and archive deliberately

Before a change takes effect, align the terms page, account display, checkout, staff card and scheduled notices with the approved version. Record when each live page or other member-facing material changed, and preserve the earlier approved versions as separate records. Correct an error through a recorded amendment that states its effective treatment, rather than overwriting the archived copy without a trace.

Restrict approval and publication access, and link each archived version to its approval, effective dates, released material and event lookup. For a disputed result, retrieve the event record, identify the governing date and version, then compare the saved terms and member-facing material with the system outcome. The history should show what members could see and which rule the system applied at the relevant time.

Steps to Archive and Release Updated Terms