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Revoking Issued Rewards

Remove rewards after they've been issued and refund budget

Tahera Barok McArthur avatar
Written by Tahera Barok McArthur
Updated this week

Revoke rewards that have been issued to colleagues when necessary. The reward value is removed from the recipient's account and refunded to your organisation's float.

Purpose: Correct errors, address policy violations, or reverse rewards issued inappropriately.

Note: You need Rewards Admin permissions to revoke issued rewards.

Understanding Reward Revocation

What Is Revoking a Reward?

Revoking means cancelling a reward that has already been issued to a colleague:

  • Removes the reward value from recipient's balance

  • Refunds amount to organisation's reward float

  • Notifies recipient with explanation

  • Reward marked as revoked in system

When to Revoke Rewards

Common reasons for revocation:

  • Reward issued in error

  • Duplicate reward sent

  • Recipient not eligible for reward

  • Policy violation discovered

  • Budget error or miscalculation

  • Fraud or misuse identified

  • Sender requested reversal

Important: Only revoke rewards when absolutely necessary, as this impacts the recipient and can affect programme trust.

What Happens When You Revoke

Immediate effects:

  • Reward value removed from recipient's account

  • Amount refunded to Mo rewards float

  • Recipient notified via email with your reason

  • Status changed to "Revoked" in system

  • Moment remains visible (if posted)

Note: The Moment itself is not deleted when you revoke the reward - only the monetary value is removed and refunded.

How to Revoke an Issued Reward

Step 1: Access the Approval Queue

  1. Go to Manage Organisation

  2. Click Rewards

  3. Select Approval Queue

Step 2: Filter for Issued Rewards

  1. Click the Status filter (or filter dropdown)

  2. Select "Issued" to see issued rewards

  3. Optionally also select "Redeemed" to include those already spent

  4. Apply the filter

Result: Queue now shows all issued rewards (and redeemed ones if selected)

Step 3: Find the Specific Reward

Search options:

  • Search by recipient name

  • Search by sender name

  • Browse through the filtered list

  • Use date filters if available

Locate the reward you need to revoke from the results.

Step 4: Revoke the Reward

  1. Find the context menu for that reward (usually three dots or similar icon)

  2. Click the menu to open options

  3. Select "Revoke Reward" from the menu

  4. Confirmation dialogue appears

Step 5: Provide Reason for Revocation

  1. Enter a clear explanation for why the reward is being revoked

  2. Be specific and professional in your reason

  3. Remember: Recipient will see this reason in their notification email

Example reasons:

  • "Reward issued in error - wrong recipient selected"

  • "Duplicate reward - original reward already processed"

  • "Budget reallocation required - please contact HR for details"

  • "Reward issued outside policy guidelines"

Step 6: Confirm Revocation

  1. Review your reason for clarity and professionalism

  2. Click "Revoke Reward" button

  3. Revocation processes immediately

  4. Recipient receives email with your reason

After Revoking a Reward

What the Recipient Sees

Email notification sent to recipient:

  • States their reward has been revoked

  • Includes the reason you provided

  • Explains value has been removed from their account

In their Mo account:

  • Reward value deducted from balance

  • If already redeemed, their balance may go negative

  • Transaction history shows revocation

Budget and Float Impact

Financial effects:

  • Amount refunded to organisation's Mo rewards float

  • Available for future rewards

  • Budget calculations updated

  • Spending pot allocation adjusted if applicable

Viewing Revoked Rewards

To see revoked rewards:

  1. Go to Approval Queue

  2. Apply Status filter

  3. Select "Revoked"

  4. View all revoked rewards

Useful for:

  • Tracking revocations

  • Audit purposes

  • Pattern identification

  • Documentation


Best Practices for Revoking Rewards

When Revocation Is Appropriate

Do revoke when:

  • Genuine error occurred

  • Policy clearly violated

  • Fraud or misuse confirmed

  • Duplicate reward verified

  • Budget emergency requires it

Consider alternatives before revoking:

  • Can the error be corrected another way?

  • Is communication better than revocation?

  • Will revocation cause more issues than it solves?

  • Is there a learning opportunity instead?


Communication Best Practices

Reason field guidelines:

  • Be clear and specific about why

  • Stay professional and factual

  • Avoid blame or emotional language

  • Provide context if helpful

  • Offer next steps if appropriate

Good reason examples:

  • "Issued to incorrect recipient due to system error. Correct recipient will receive reward separately."

  • "Reward type used incorrectly per programme guidelines. Manager will discuss appropriate recognition options."

  • "Duplicate reward identified - original reward of same amount already processed on [date]."

Poor reason examples:

  • "Mistake" (too vague)

  • "You shouldn't have received this" (unclear)

  • "Budget problems" (unprofessional)

Additional Communication

Beyond the system notification:

Contact recipient directly when:

  • Revocation is significant amount

  • Situation is sensitive

  • Explanation needed beyond reason field

  • Relationship management important

Contact sender when:

  • They need to know reward was revoked

  • Training or guidance needed

  • Policy clarification required

  • Alternative action needed


Handling Redeemed Rewards

What If Reward Already Spent?

When revoking redeemed rewards:

  • Value still removed from recipient's account

  • Balance may go negative

  • Recipient needs to earn/receive more rewards to return to positive

  • Consider implications before revoking spent rewards

Special considerations:

  • More disruptive than revoking unspent rewards

  • Requires extra care in communication

  • May need additional follow-up

  • Consider if truly necessary

Negative Balance Resolution

If recipient ends up with negative balance:

  • Explain situation clearly

  • Provide path to restore positive balance

  • Consider whether adjustment appropriate

  • Monitor resolution


Preventing Need for Revocations

Training and Guidelines

Reduce errors through:

  • Clear reward programme guidelines

  • Pot spender training

  • Regular policy reviews

  • Examples of appropriate use

  • FAQ for common questions

System Checks

Preventive measures:

  • Approval requirements for high-value rewards

  • Budget warnings and limits

  • Duplicate detection if possible

  • Clear reward type descriptions

Regular Monitoring

Proactive oversight:

  • Review issued rewards regularly

  • Identify patterns or issues early

  • Address problems before escalation

  • Provide feedback and coaching

Related Guides:

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