How to configure Point preferences

Point preferences in Kudos allow you to control how points are allocated, expired, and redeemed across your organization. These settings determine the allocation schedule, set expiry timelines for redeemable points, and decide whether users without a points allocation can still receive points with recognition. By setting clear preferences, you keep your recognition program running smoothly while aligning with budget goals and engagement plans.

Admins can manage these settings from the Preferences tab under Points in the Points & rewards section of the Admin panel. Changes to point allocation and expiry settings apply organization-wide, while redeemable point exclusions are updated automatically as team membership changes.

• Switching to a quarterly allocation schedule to simplify tracking and reduce admin work
• Setting yearly expiry to encourage redemption and limit liability
• Excluding specific employee groups (e.g. contractors, execs, etc.) from earning redeemable points
• Testing allocation rules before a full rollout
• Reallocating points before a campaign

Setting up Points preferences

1. Go to Admin panel > Points & rewards > Points.
2. Select the Preferences tab.

Setting peer-to-peer point allocation period

1. Choose Monthly or Quarterly to determine when users’ points-to-give balances reset.
2. New points are allocated based on each user’s assigned rule.
3. To apply changes immediately, click Reallocate points now.

Defining redeemable points expiry

1. Choose Never, Quarterly, or Yearly.
2. If Quarterly or Yearly, users get an email reminder before expiry.
3. To expire all redeemable points immediately, click Expire points now.

Excluding users from receiving redeemable points

This setting allows you to prevent selected groups of employees from earning redeemable points while still allowing them to participate in recognition and engagement activities.

1. Search for and select one or more teams.
2. Save your changes.

All users who belong to the selected teams instantly become ineligible to receive redeemable points from any source, including:

• Recognition
• Awards
• Endorsements
• Incentives
• Celebrations
• Administrator point adjustments

Excluded users can still:

• Participate in recognition and engagement activities
• Give points if they have a point allocation
• Redeem any redeemable points they earned before becoming ineligible

Once an excluded user's redeemable point balance reaches zero:

• Their redeemable point balance is no longer displayed
• Reward stores are no longer available to them

If a user is removed from an excluded team, their eligibility is restored automatically. They can immediately begin earning redeemable points again and regain access to reward stores they are eligible for.

Note: Eligibility updates happen automatically whenever team membership changes or when you update the excluded teams list.

• Use quarterly or yearly expiry to prompt timely redemption and manage liability.
• Reallocate points after updating allocation rules or restructuring teams.
• Give advance notice before manually expiring points, this action can’t be undone.
• Create dedicated teams for employee groups that should not receive redeemable points, such as contractors or executives.
• Remember that excluded users keep any redeemable points they've already earned until those points are redeemed, expired or removed.

Q: What happens when I reallocate points?
A: All unused points-to-give reset to the assigned allocation rule amount.

Q: Will users be notified before their points expire?
A: No, the system does not send automatic reminders before points expire. We recommend communicating expiry dates to your employees in advance so they have time to redeem their points.

Q: Can users excluded from receiving redeemable points still receive recognition?
A: Yes. Excluded users can continue participating in recognition and engagement activities. They simply won't receive redeemable points from any source.

Q: What happens to redeemable points users had already earned before they were excluded?
A: Previously earned redeemable points remain available and can still be redeemed until the user's balance reaches zero, the points expire, or they are removed via a point adjustment.

Q: Do expired redeemable points disappear from user history?
A: No. While expired points can no longer be redeemed, the transaction history remains available in the Transactions tab.

Problem: Users didn’t receive new points after an allocation cycle

• Check the next allocation date shown in the Preferences tab—points are only refreshed on this schedule.
• Confirm the user is included in at least one active allocation rule.
• Click Reallocate points now to manually refresh balances if needed.

Problem: Users lost their redeemable points unexpectedly

• Verify which expiration period was selected, this controls when points expire.
• Check the user’s transaction report to confirm the date and cadence of the last redeemable points expiry.

Problem: Users are still receiving redeemable points after being excluded

• Confirm the user belongs to one of the excluded teams.
• Verify the correct team was selected in Exclude users from receiving redeemable points.
• Check whether the points were earned before the exclusion was applied.
• Confirm the user's team membership has synchronized successfully if managed through provisioning.

Problem: Allocated points don’t reflect recent changes to rules

• Point allocations update on the next scheduled cycle—changes made mid-cycle won’t apply immediately.
• Use Reallocate points now to apply changes sooner if needed.
• Double-check that rule updates were saved and linked to the correct teams.