--- title: How Do I Set Up VIP Levels description: "## What are Levels? **Levels** are membership bands that customers progress through by earning points. Each level includes a name, badge, point threshold, and, with Pointics Pro, benefits such as a points multiplier. A customer's level is determined by their…" url: "https://themewinter.com/docs/plugin-docs/levels/how-do-i-set-up-vip-levels/" updated: "2026-08-23" category: Pointics / Levels --- # How Do I Set Up VIP Levels ## What are Levels? **Levels** are membership bands that customers progress through by earning points. Each level includes a name, badge, point threshold, and, with Pointics Pro, benefits such as a points multiplier. A customer's level is determined by their **qualifying points**: all points earned within a rolling period, which is 12 months by default. This is intentionally separate from the customer's current point balance, so spending points on rewards does not reduce their VIP status. ## Why Do You Need It? - **Turns transactions into status:** Levels give your most valuable customers something to maintain and give other customers something to work toward. - **Concentrates generosity:** Benefits allow you to reward the customers who already engage and spend the most. - **Spending never causes demotion:** Levels are based on qualifying points earned, not the customer's current balance, so redeeming a reward does not reduce their status. ## Prerequisites - An Administrator account to manage levels. - The Levels feature must be enabled. - **Pointics Pro** to create additional levels and configure benefits. - WordPress scheduled tasks must be running because level demotions are processed during a daily check. Any logged-in customer can view their own level. ### Where to Find It Go to **Pointics → Levels**. ``` /wp-admin/admin.php?page=pointics#/levels ``` ### Free vs Pro The free version of Pointics supports exactly one level. A disabled **Starter** level is created automatically, and the Setup Wizard can configure and activate it. | Capability | Free | Pro | | --- | --- | --- | | Edit the existing level | Yes | Yes | | Create additional levels | No | Yes | | Delete a level | Only when it is not the final remaining level | Yes | | Configure benefits | Visible but locked | Yes | ## Step-by-Step Instructions ### Step 1: Open the Levels Screen Go to **Pointics → Levels**. On a new installation, you will see the Starter level or the empty-state message *"You haven't created any levels yet."* ### Step 2: Open or Create a Level Click **Create Level** if Pointics Pro is active, or open the existing level to edit it. ### Step 3: Configure the Level The level editor contains two sections in the left rail. Complete the fields under **Configure - Levels & Badges**. | Field | Description | Default | | --- | --- | --- | | **Name** | The customer-facing level name. | Not set | | **Badge** | The address of the badge image. | Gold | | **Icon** | The icon displayed with the badge. | Matches the selected badge | | **Internal Label** | A private label used to identify the level internally. | Not set | | **Description** | Optional supporting text for the level. | Empty | | **Milestone From** | The number of qualifying points required to enter the level. | 3000 | | **Milestone To** | An optional upper qualifying-point limit. | 3999 | | **Sort Order** | Controls where the level appears in the membership ladder. | 0 | ### Step 4: Add Benefits Benefits require **Pointics Pro**. In the **Rewards & Benefits** section, click **Add Benefit**. | Group | Button | | --- | --- | | **Points Benefits** | Add Points Benefits | | **Rewards Benefits** | Add Rewards Benefits | If no benefits have been configured, the section displays *"No Rewards & Benefits added."* ### Step 5: Save the Level Choose **Save as Draft** to keep the level inactive, or choose **Published** to activate it. Only active levels are assigned to customers. A draft level does not contain any members. ### Step 6: Set the Qualification Window The qualification window is a program-wide setting measured in months. The default value is **12**, and the minimum allowed value is **1**. Reducing the window can lower every customer's qualifying-point total and may cause members to be demoted. ### Step 7: Delete a Level, If Needed You cannot delete the only remaining level. > *"This is your only level -- edit it instead of deleting it."* ## Key Functionality ### Promotion Versus Demotion | Event | When | Direction | | --- | --- | --- | | Earning points | Immediately | **Promotion only** | | Daily automatic check | Once a day | Promotion and demotion | Earning points can only move a customer upward. If an older earning event falls outside the rolling qualification window, the customer is not demoted at the moment they earn again. ### Why a Badge Can Briefly Lag The level a customer currently holds controls their multiplier, benefits, and badge. The level they qualify for is recalculated as they earn points. These values can differ briefly between the moment a threshold is crossed and the next level recalculation. ### How a Level Changes A customer's level changes through the following process: 1. A customer earns points. 2. Pointics recalculates the customer's qualifying level. 3. If the customer qualifies for a higher level, they are promoted immediately. 4. If the customer does not qualify for a higher level, no change is made. Earning points never causes a demotion. 5. When a promotion happens, Pointics records the level history. 6. A level-change email is sent. 7. Once a day, Pointics reviews every member in batches. 8. If a customer's qualifying points have fallen below their current threshold, they are demoted. 9. If the customer still meets the threshold, their level remains unchanged. ## Settings | Setting | Description | Default | Bounds | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Qualification Window | The number of months of earning history that count toward a customer's level. | 12 | Minimum 1 month | ## Validation Rules - **Name** is required when creating a level. - If you do not enter a slug, Pointics generates one from the level name. - A level with neither a name nor a slug is refused. - A slug already used by another level is refused. - **Milestone From**, **Milestone To**, and **Sort Order** must be whole numbers. - Negative values are converted to zero. - Each benefit is validated according to its own rules. - If any benefit value is invalid, the entire level save fails. - A benefit provided by a plugin that has since been deactivated remains unchanged rather than being removed. - The final remaining level cannot be deleted. - **Save as Draft** requires a level name. > *"A tier requires a non-empty slug or name."* > *"A tier with the slug 'X' already exists."* ## Limitations - **The free version supports only one level.** Creating additional levels requires Pointics Pro. - **Benefits require Pointics Pro.** The benefits section remains visible but locked in the free version. - **Demotion occurs only during the daily automatic check.** If WordPress scheduled tasks are not running, customers are not demoted. - The daily check processes members in batches and has a time limit. A large customer base may take several days to settle after a major configuration change. - **Member Since** is based on the customer's first points activity, not their WordPress registration date. - A customer who has never earned points does not show a Member Since date. - Restricting a reward to a specific level is not currently supported. - The **Rewards Benefits** section is not repopulated when a saved level is reopened. Only Points Benefits are restored. - The Starter level is disabled by default, so customers receive no level until onboarding is completed or the level is activated manually. ## Troubleshooting | Problem | Solution | | --- | --- | | *"Tier not found."* | The level was deleted, or the link is no longer valid. | | *"This is your only level -- edit it instead of deleting it."* | Edit the existing level instead of deleting it. | | *"A tier with the slug 'X' already exists."* | Choose a different slug. | | *"A tier requires a non-empty slug or name."* | Enter a level name or a valid slug. | | A benefit save is rejected without an obvious reason. | Check each benefit value and confirm that it is within the allowed range. | | Nobody is ever demoted. | Confirm that WordPress scheduled tasks are running. The daily check may also still be processing customers in batches. | | Everyone was demoted at once. | The qualification window may be too short, which reduces every customer's qualifying-point total. | | A customer's badge does not match their points. | The held level may temporarily differ from the qualifying level. Earning again or waiting for the daily check should trigger recalculation. | | **Create Level** does nothing. | The free version supports only one level. Additional levels require Pointics Pro. | | A level exists, but no customers are assigned to it. | The level is inactive. Only published levels are assigned. | | The Levels menu is missing. | The Levels feature is disabled. | ## Notes - The Levels screen displays a live member count for each level. - The Levels dashboard shows the number of customers currently in levels, the number who reached a level during the current calendar month, and the change compared with the previous month. - Deleting a level does not remove points that customers earned while they held that level. --- ### Was This Article Helpful? ### Related Articles - [How Do I Create Point Earning Rules?](https://themewinter.com/docs/pointics/how-do-i-create-point-earning-rules/) - [How Do I Manage Customers and Adjust Their Points?](https://themewinter.com/docs/pointics/how-do-i-manage-customers-and-adjust-their-points/) - [How Do I Send Automated Loyalty Emails?](https://themewinter.com/docs/pointics/how-do-i-send-automated-loyalty-emails/) - [How Do I Activate Pointics Pro?](https://themewinter.com/docs/pointics/how-do-i-activate-pointics-pro/)