How to Create and Manage a Claim Program
Step-by-step guide for admins to create, publish, and manage a claim-based incentive program — including reviewing claims, managing budgets, and closing programs.
Who can use this feature
Requires the Super Admin admin permission.
Who this is for
Admins and program managers who want to let employees request points for completing specific activities — like attending a training, referring a candidate, or submitting a project milestone — and review those requests before points are awarded.
What you'll achieve
By the end of this guide you'll have created a claim program, published it to eligible users, and know how to review incoming claims, manage the program budget, and bring the program to completion.
Before you begin
You have the Global permission, the Create Programs permission, or Manager membership on the program
You know which users should be eligible (everyone, hand-picked, or a segment)
You have a point value in mind for each approved claim
You've decided whether claims require proof (for example, a screenshot or description of the activity)
Creating a new program requires a workspace-level permission (Global or Create Programs). Once the program exists, anyone added as a Manager member can configure, publish, and manage it.
Claim programs have their own budget pool — they do not draw from anyone's monthly recognition allowance. You set the budget when you publish the program.
Steps
1. Create the program
Open Admin settings → Programs → Incentives in the sidebar and click Create Program. Enter a descriptive name (for example, "Q2 learning workshop completion") and choose Claim as the program type. PraisePal creates a draft and opens the program detail page.
2. Configure settings
On the Settings tab, click Edit and fill in the following:
Click Save when you're done.
Points per claim and Max claims per user are locked once the first claim is submitted. Set these carefully before publishing.
3. Choose the audience
Switch to the Recipients tab and select who should be eligible:
Click Refresh to preview matching members and verify the eligible count, then click Save.
4. Add program members (optional)
If you want other people to help manage claims or track the budget, switch to the Members tab and click Add member. Choose a workspace user and assign them a role:
Program members access the program through their My Programs view on the Incentives page. You can add or remove members at any time during the program's lifecycle.
Finance members cannot access programs while they are still in draft. They gain access once the program is published.
5. Publish the program
Back on the program header, click Publish. A dialog appears asking you to set the budget amount — the total point pool available for approved claims. The budget must be at least enough to cover one claim (equal to or greater than the points-per-claim value).
The dialog also shows the eligible user count and points per claim for review. Click Confirm publish to go live.
Once published, eligible users can see the program and start submitting claims. The program status changes to Active.
Before you can publish, the program needs a points per claim value, a description, and an end date. If any of these are missing, the Publish button stays disabled with a tooltip explaining what's needed.
6. Review claims
As claims come in, open the Claims tab to review them. Each claim shows the claimant's name, submission date, and any proof they provided. You can filter by status (pending, approved, or rejected) and search by name.
For each pending claim, you have two choices:
Approve — Points are deducted from the budget pool and added to the claimant's balance. The claimant receives a notification.
Reject — You'll need to provide a reason. The claimant is notified with your explanation.
For larger volumes, use bulk actions to approve or reject multiple pending claims at once.
You cannot review a claim you submitted yourself. Another admin or program manager must approve or reject it.
7. Manage the budget
The Budget tab shows the current balance and a ledger of all transactions — initial allocation, claim approvals, and any top-ups. If the budget runs low, click Top up to add more points. Top-ups are available while the program is active or closed.
What to expect after
Once the program is running, here's how the lifecycle flows:
Active — Eligible users submit claims; you review them as they arrive. The program auto-closes when the end date passes.
Closed — No new claims can be submitted. You can still approve or reject any remaining pending claims. From here you can either Reopen the program (which requires setting a new end date) or move to Complete.
Completed — All settings and claims are permanently locked. If visibility is on, a final weekly summary posts to the Home feed.
You can only complete a program after all pending claims have been resolved — either approved or rejected. The Complete button stays disabled until the pending count reaches zero.
Pro tips
You'll get a weekday digest. PraisePal sends a weekday email to admins and program managers summarizing pending claims across their active programs. Use it as a reminder to keep reviews moving — claimants are notified as soon as you act.
End date is flexible after publishing. You can extend or shorten the claim window from the Settings tab while the program is active. If you're seeing higher participation than expected, extend the window instead of closing early.
Top up early. If approval failures start appearing, the budget is likely exhausted. You can top up from the Budget tab without interrupting the program.
Common mistakes
The Publish button is disabled
Three things must be in place before you can publish: points per claim greater than zero, a non-empty description, and a future end date. If any of these are missing, a tooltip on the button explains what's needed. Also check that you've saved in-progress edits on the Settings tab — the button is disabled while editing.
An approved claim didn't award points
Check the Budget tab. If the budget pool is exhausted, approvals may fail because there aren't enough points to cover the claim. Top up the budget and try the approval again.
I can't change points per claim or max claims per user
These fields lock after the first claim is submitted to keep the program fair for all participants. If you need different values, close the current program and create a new one with the updated settings.
The program closed automatically before I expected
Claim programs auto-close when their end date passes. Check the configured end date on the Settings tab. If you need more time, use Reopen from the program header and set a new end date.
I can't complete the program
The Complete action is only available on closed programs with no remaining pending claims. Review any outstanding claims first (approve or reject them), then try again.