How to Display a Coupon Expiration Date on WooCommerce Gift Cards (Step-by-Step Guide)

Displaying a coupon expiration date on a WooCommerce gift card gives recipients clear redemption information and helps prevent confusion. With Flexible PDF Coupons PRO, you can place the [coupon_expiry_date] shortcode directly in a PDF template and automatically show the relevant expiry date on each generated voucher.

Table of contents

• Why display a coupon expiration date on gift cards?
• What you need before adding the expiry date
• How to add the [coupon_expiry_date] shortcode
• Where to place the coupon expiry date
• How automatic expiry dates simplify voucher management
• Key takeaways
• Frequently asked questions
• Summary

Why display a coupon expiration date on WooCommerce gift cards?

A gift card may be purchased by one customer and redeemed weeks or months later by someone else. If the PDF does not state its validity period, the recipient may be unsure whether the coupon can still be used.

Showing the coupon expiration date on a gift card makes the redemption rules easier to understand. It can also encourage recipients to use time-limited vouchers before they expire, without relying on separate reminders or manual explanations.

A visible date is useful for many types of WooCommerce products, including:

• digital and printable gift cards;
• salon, spa, gym, and wellness vouchers;
• service credits and experience vouchers;
• seasonal retail coupons;
• PDF event tickets with a limited validity period.

What you need before adding the expiry date

The workflow described in this guide uses Flexible PDF Coupons PRO for WooCommerce. It allows you to create branded PDF voucher templates and insert dynamic information through supported shortcodes.

Before editing the template, make sure that:

• WooCommerce is installed and active;
• Flexible PDF Coupons PRO is installed and configured;
• your voucher product is connected to a PDF coupon template;
• an expiration period or expiry date is configured for the coupon workflow.

The shortcode can only display information that is available for the generated coupon. If no expiration date is assigned, there may be no date to print on the PDF.

How to add the [coupon_expiry_date] shortcode in WooCommerce

Once the voucher product and template are ready, you can add the expiration date through the graphic editor. You do not need to enter a separate date manually on every PDF.

1. Open your PDF coupon template.
   Go to the Flexible Coupons template area in your WordPress dashboard and edit the design used by your gift card or voucher product.

2. Add a text element.
   Use the graphic editor to create a text area in the location where customers should see the validity information.

3. Insert the expiry date shortcode.
   Add [coupon_expiry_date] to the text element. You can also include a clear label, such as “Valid until:” or “Expiry date:”.

4. Adjust the design.
   Match the text color, size, alignment, and placement to the rest of your PDF gift card.

5. Save and test the template.
   Generate a test voucher with an expiration date and check whether the date is readable and correctly positioned in the PDF.

When a coupon is generated, the shortcode is replaced with the appropriate date. This creates a repeatable process for gift cards issued at different times, without editing each PDF individually.

Using other coupon shortcodes in the template

The expiration date can appear alongside other supported dynamic content. Depending on the template and configuration, shortcodes can help you present the coupon code, value, recipient details, or personalized message in a consistent layout.

Where to place the coupon expiry date on a gift card

The date should be easy to find without competing with the coupon value or code. Suitable locations include:

• directly below the coupon code;
• next to the gift card value;
• in a clearly marked “Voucher details” section;
• near the redemption instructions;
• in the footer, provided the text remains readable.

Use a descriptive label rather than displaying an isolated date. For example:

• Valid until: [coupon_expiry_date]
• Voucher expiry date: [coupon_expiry_date]
• Please redeem by: [coupon_expiry_date]

A clear label is particularly important for international stores, where date formats may otherwise be interpreted differently. Test the completed PDF and make sure recipients can understand the displayed date in the context of your store.

How automatic expiry dates simplify voucher management

Manually entering dates into individual gift cards creates unnecessary work and increases the risk of displaying outdated information. A dynamic WooCommerce coupon expiry date is especially useful when vouchers are generated throughout the year and do not all share the same deadline.

For example, a salon may sell service vouchers with a validity period based on the purchase date. A retail store may issue seasonal gift cards, while an event organizer may need PDFs that remain valid only until a particular event. In each case, the template can stay consistent while the generated coupon supplies the relevant expiration information.

With our plugin, the PDF can also be adapted to your brand using text, colors, images, and layout elements. This lets you combine practical redemption details with a design suitable for your store, venue, or service business.

Automatic expiration dates can help you:

• avoid editing every gift card manually;
• keep the PDF aligned with the generated coupon data;
• give both buyers and recipients clearer redemption information;
• reduce questions about whether a voucher is still valid;
• reuse one branded template for multiple coupon orders.

Key takeaways

• Use [coupon_expiry_date] to display the coupon expiration date in a PDF template.
• Set the relevant expiry information before generating and testing the voucher.
• Add a label such as “Valid until” so the date is easy to understand.
• Place the date close to the coupon code, value, or redemption instructions.
• Generate a test PDF to verify the date, formatting, and readability.
• The workflow in this guide uses Flexible PDF Coupons PRO for WooCommerce.
• The Custom Shortcodes add-on is intended for additional supported WooCommerce data, not for the built-in expiry date shortcode.

Frequently asked questions

Summary

Displaying a coupon expiration date on WooCommerce gift cards gives recipients an important piece of information directly on the document they will use. With Flexible PDF Coupons PRO, you can add [coupon_expiry_date] to a branded template and reuse that design while the relevant date is inserted into generated vouchers.

For the best customer experience, place the date in a visible area, add an unambiguous label, and test both the PDF and coupon redemption process. You can learn more about configuring templates and coupon workflows in our Flexible Coupons documentation.