> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.dollarlabs.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.dollarlabs.io/dollarback-store-credit/earning-cashback-programs/exclude-customers-from-earning.md).

# Exclude customers from earning

{% embed url="<https://dollarlabs.neetorecord.com/watch/ecf3482efb11a0396297>" %}

Not every order should earn cashback: wholesale buyers, staff accounts, marketplace channels, or a program that's out of season. This page covers the four exclusion mechanisms and when to use each.

## 1. Tag exclusions (global)

The broadest tool: **DollarBack admin → Settings → Advanced → Exclude customers by tag**.

1. Enter one or more Shopify customer tags, separated by commas, e.g. `wholesale, staff`.
2. Save. Customers carrying **any** of these tags never earn cashback, from any program, on any channel. The exclusion is checked before any calculation runs, so nothing is issued and nothing needs clawing back.

Tags are managed on the customer in Shopify admin. You can apply them manually, via customer segments and Flow, or at import time.

{% hint style="info" %}
Excluding a tag stops **future** earning only. Credit the customer already holds is untouched and stays spendable.
{% endhint %}

## 2. B2B considerations

Wholesale/B2B buyers usually shouldn't earn consumer cashback:

* The common pattern is to tag B2B contacts (e.g. `wholesale`) and exclude that tag as above.
* If you *do* want B2B orders to earn, the **Give store credit to B2B buyers on company locations** setting (plan-gated, **Settings → Advanced**) credits the **company location's** shared balance rather than the individual buyer; see [B2B store credit](/dollarback-store-credit/analytics-data-and-account/b2b-store-credit.md).
* Don't rely on exclusion alone for B2B pricing logic: draft orders are also a common B2B path, which the next section can gate per program.

## 3. Sales-channel eligibility (per program)

Each cashback program can be limited to specific sales channels. In the program editor (**DollarBack admin → Cashback**, open the program), find **Restrict to sales channels**:

* Check the channels that should earn: your installed channels are listed, plus **Draft orders** as its own checkbox.
* Leave **all boxes unchecked** to allow every channel (the default).

Use this to keep POS orders, marketplace channels, or admin-created draft orders out of a specific program without affecting the others.

## 4. Program date windows (per program)

A program only pays between its **Start date** and **End date**. Orders outside the window are not matched by that program. That's handy for seasonal boosts and for retiring a program without deleting its history.

## How the gates stack up

All four checks run before any cashback math: excluded tag → no earning at all; otherwise each program checks its own channel restriction, date window, and frequency limit. An order can therefore earn from one program while being excluded from another.

## Verify it works

1. Tag a test customer `wholesale` (or your excluded tag).
2. Place an order for them. A draft order is fine if the program allows draft orders.
3. Check **DollarBack admin → Analytics → Activity** (the **Credits earned** view): no credit row should appear for that order.
4. Remove the tag, order again, and confirm credit is issued this time.

## Common issues

* Excluded customer still earned: the tag must match exactly (check spelling/case against the customer's tags in Shopify admin) and be present *before* the order's trigger event fires.
* Nobody is earning on POS/drafts: check each program's **Restrict to sales channels** boxes; all unchecked means all channels allowed.
* A customer stopped earning unexpectedly: check their tags, then walk [A customer didn't receive cashback](/dollarback-store-credit/troubleshooting-and-faq/customer-didnt-receive-cashback.md).

## Related articles

* [Advanced settings](/dollarback-store-credit/settings/advanced-settings.md)
* [How cashback is calculated](/dollarback-store-credit/earning-cashback-programs/how-cashback-is-calculated.md)
* [B2B store credit](/dollarback-store-credit/analytics-data-and-account/b2b-store-credit.md)
* [Set up purchase cashback](/dollarback-store-credit/earning-cashback-programs/set-up-purchase-cashback.md)