# Issuing Complimentary Tickets (Comps)

Sometimes you want to give a patron a ticket at no charge — whether it's a complimentary seat for a performer or staff member, a free ticket for a donor or VIP, a courtesy pass for a guest, or a comp for someone whose experience didn't go as planned. In the theater industry these are commonly called **comps**, but the process is the same regardless of why you're giving them out.

The same applies to class registrations — a comp for a workshop, an audit spot for a longer class, or a free pass to an open mic or improv jam listed as a class in your system all work exactly the same way.

CrowdWork gives you four ways to assign free or complimentary tickets, depending on your situation.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Four ways to give out free tickets — jump to the one that fits:**

* [**POS App**](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-1-via-the-pos-app) — Quickest for walk-ins and same-day door comps
* [**Customer Profile in Dashboard**](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-2-via-a-customer-profile-in-the-dashboard) — Best when the patron already exists in your system
* [**Discount Code**](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-3-via-a-100-discount-code) — Best for advance comps, or letting patrons claim their own free tickets online
* [**Free Membership**](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-4-via-a-free-membership) — Best for recurring comps to performers, staff, friends, and family who attend regularly
  {% endhint %}

***

## Method 1: Via the POS App

**Best for:** Walk-ins at the door, same-day complimentary tickets, quick in-person issuance.

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Note on event availability:** The POS app loads a limited number of upcoming events. For shows further in the future, use the Dashboard method or a discount code instead.
{% endhint %}

When recording a transaction in the POS app, simply select **Free** as the payment type. The ticket is issued at no charge and is automatically marked as checked in.

**Steps:**

1. Open the CrowdWork POS app and select the event
2. Add the ticket(s) to the transaction
3. When prompted for payment, select **Free**
4. Optionally enter the patron's name and/or email
5. Complete the transaction — the ticket is issued and checked in automatically

{% hint style="success" %}
**No fees on free tickets.** Free tickets issued through the POS app are never charged a service fee. [See POS fee details.](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/setting-up-point-of-sale-pos)
{% endhint %}

***

## Method 2: Via a Patron Profile in the Dashboard

**Best for:** Patrons already in your system, assigning a complimentary ticket to a specific account, or when you want the ticket tied to an order on their profile. Works for both shows and classes.

**Navigation:** [Dashboard → Customers](https://crowdwork.com/dashboard/customers) –or– [Dashboard → Students](https://crowdwork.com/dashboard/students)

{% hint style="warning" %}
**The patron must exist in your system first.** If they're not already listed in your Customers or Students, create their profile via **Dashboard → Customers/Students → Add New** before continuing.
{% endhint %}

**Steps:**

1. Go to [**Customers**](https://crowdwork.com/dashboard/customers) (for tickets) or [**Students**](https://crowdwork.com/dashboard/students) (for class registrations).\
   If the patron isn't there yet, use [**+ Add New Customer**](https://crowdwork.com/dashboard/customers/new) first.
2. Click the patron's name (or the **View** link) to open their profile
3. Click the blue **Edit Customer** button
4. Click the **+ Add Tickets** button
5. In the modal, select the **Event**, **Date**, and set the **tier quantity**
6. Leave **Collect Payment** unchecked
7. Optionally check **Send confirmation email**
8. Click **Add Tickets** — the ticket is issued at $0 with no charge to the patron

{% hint style="success" %}
**Leaving "Collect Payment" unchecked issues the ticket as a complimentary at $0.** No charge is applied to the patron.
{% endhint %}

For the full step-by-step walkthrough of the Add Tickets modal — including order assignment, status options, and all available fields — see [Adding Tickets for a Patron](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/adding-tickets-for-a-patron).

***

## Method 3: Via a 100% Discount Code

**Best for:** Advance complimentary tickets, recurring free tickets for staff, performers, or friends and family, or when you want patrons to claim and manage their own seats online without you adding each one manually.

**Navigation:** [Dashboard → Discount Codes → + Create New Discount](https://crowdwork.com/dashboard/discounts/new)

This method lets you create a 100% off discount code that patrons enter at checkout like any other promo code. It's especially useful when you want to hand off the process — patrons check out normally online and apply the code themselves, selecting their own seats and receiving all the usual confirmations.

**Steps:**

1. Go to [**Discount Codes**](https://crowdwork.com/dashboard/discounts) in your Dashboard
2. Click **+ Create New Discount**
3. Configure the code:
   * **Apply Discount** — select which events, pricing tiers, tags, or membership tiers the code applies to. You can also use the **Exclude Specific Events or Tiers** field to carve out exceptions from a broader selection.
   * **Discount Code** — create a memorable code (e.g., `STAFF2025` or `PERFORMER`)
   * **Discount Amount** — enter `100`
   * **Discount Type** — select **Percent**
4. Optionally restrict usage to keep things controlled:
   * **Max Number of Uses** — limits total redemptions across all patrons
   * **Max Number of Uses per Customer** — useful for limiting to, say, 2 free tickets per person
   * **Date Start / Date End** — restrict to a specific run or season
5. Click **Save**
6. Share the code with whoever you'd like to give free tickets to — they check out online and enter the code at checkout to bring their total to $0

{% hint style="success" %}
**Patrons check out normally.** The discount code brings their total to $0 and they receive all the usual confirmation emails and ticket management options — no extra work on your end for each individual.
{% endhint %}

For full details on configuring discount codes, see [Setting Up Discount Codes](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/setting-up-discount-codes).

***

## Method 4: Via a Free Membership

**Best for:** Performers, cast, crew, staff, friends and family, or any group of patrons who need ongoing complimentary access across your season — and you want them to manage their own reservations without any admin effort on your end.

**Navigation:** [Dashboard → Memberships → Manage Tiers → + Create New Membership Tier](https://crowdwork.com/dashboard/memberships/tiers/new)

This is the most powerful option for recurring comps. A free membership ($0 price) lets enrolled patrons reserve their own complimentary seats directly through the normal checkout flow — they log in, browse your shows, and check out at $0 for eligible events. You control which shows are included, how many times per billing period they can use it, and who can even enroll. They handle everything themselves.

{% hint style="success" %}
**This is the lowest-effort option for recurring comps.** Once the membership tier is set up, patrons self-serve completely. No individual tickets to add, no codes to distribute for each show — they book themselves and you stay out of it.
{% endhint %}

**Steps:**

1. Go to [**Memberships → Manage Tiers**](https://crowdwork.com/dashboard/memberships/tiers) in your Dashboard
2. Click **+ Create New Membership Tier**
3. Configure the tier:
   * **Name** — something clear, like `Performer Comp Pass` or `Staff Access`
   * **Price** — set to `$0.00` for a fully complimentary membership
   * **Cadence** — choose how often the membership renews (Monthly is common; Yearly works well for a full season)
   * **Event Access** — select which shows, classes, or tags are included. Members can get one free ticket per event date for each tagged event
   * **Max Uses per Renewal** *(optional)* — set a number if you want to limit how many shows they can comp per billing period; leave blank for unlimited
   * **Password** *(optional but recommended)* — set a password so only people you share it with can enroll, keeping the membership invite-only
4. Click **Save**
5. Share your membership page URL (and the password, if set) with whoever should have access — they sign up themselves and are immediately able to reserve free tickets for included shows

**How it works for the patron:**

* They sign up for the membership on your public membership page
* When logged into their CrowdWork account, eligible shows show a $0 price at checkout
* They reserve their own seat like any other ticket purchase — no special process
* They get all the normal confirmation emails and can manage their tickets from their account

{% hint style="info" %}
**One free ticket per event date.** By default, memberships allow one complimentary ticket per date per event. If your show runs multiple performances on the same day, the membership covers entry to one of those performances. Members can purchase additional tickets at regular price in the same transaction if needed.
{% endhint %}

For full details on setting up memberships, see [Setting Up Memberships](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/setting-up-memberships).

***

## Choosing the Right Method

| Situation                                                                | Recommended Method                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| <p>Box office walk-in, day of show,<br>or event within the next week</p> | [POS App](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-1-via-the-pos-app)                                                                                                                                             |
| Adding a free ticket to a patron's account                               | [Customer Profile](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-2-via-a-customer-profile-in-the-dashboard)                                                                                                            |
| One-time or short-run advance comps                                      | [Customer Profile](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-2-via-a-customer-profile-in-the-dashboard) or [Discount Code](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-3-via-a-100-discount-code) |
| Free tickets for friends, family, or donors                              | [Discount Code](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-3-via-a-100-discount-code) or [Free Membership](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-4-via-a-free-membership)                    |
| Recurring comps for performers, cast, or crew                            | [Free Membership](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-4-via-a-free-membership)                                                                                                                               |
| Staff with ongoing complimentary access                                  | [Free Membership](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-4-via-a-free-membership)                                                                                                                               |
| Patron wants to self-serve and pick their own seats                      | [Discount Code](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-3-via-a-100-discount-code) or [Free Membership](https://docs.crowdwork.com/for-theatres/issuing-comps#method-4-via-a-free-membership)                    |

***

## Need Help?

Have questions about issuing complimentary tickets or a specific situation you're not sure how to handle? [Our support team is always ready to help.](https://docs.crowdwork.com/contacting-support)