Before Maestra can generate promo codes for a pool, you need to create a format that defines the structure every code in the set will follow. The format controls which characters appear in your codes, how long they are, whether they share a fixed marker, and how many codes can be generated from it.
This guide walks you through creating a promo code format step by step.
You create a format whenever you want Maestra to generate promo codes automatically for a pool, instead of uploading codes manually. The format is reusable: once saved, you can pick it again for future pools.
A format is the template, not the codes themselves. After saving the format, you still need to generate the actual codes for your pool.
Open pool settings
Go to the promo code pool you want to populate.
Choose how codes are added
For the addition method, select Generate promo codes.
Start a new format
Next to the Format field, click Create.
Configure the format
Fill in the fields described below, then save.
Name
The name identifies the format in selection menus across Maestra. Pick something descriptive so you can recognize it later when choosing a format for another pool — for example, Summer 2026 — 10 chars or VIP welcome codes.
Alphabet
The alphabet determines which characters Maestra is allowed to use when generating codes. By default, all available characters are selected.
To exclude a character from the alphabet, click it. Excluded characters won’t appear in any generated code. This is useful when you want to:
- Remove visually ambiguous characters (for example,
0 and O, or 1 and I) to make codes easier to read aloud or type.
- Keep codes uppercase-only or limit them to digits.
- Avoid characters that could be misinterpreted in print or on receipts.
Marker
A marker is an optional set of identical characters placed in the same position across every code in the set. It acts as a visual signature for the batch — handy when you want to tell at a glance which campaign or pool a code belongs to.
For example, if your marker is SALE, every generated code in the set will contain SALE in the same fixed position.
The marker counts toward the total length of the code, so plan your code length accordingly.
Code length
The total number of characters in each code, including any marker characters. The maximum length is 20 characters.
Longer codes are harder to guess and support a much larger pool of unique combinations. Shorter codes are friendlier when customers have to type them in manually.
Maximum quantity
The cap on how many codes can ever be generated from this format. Once you hit this number, the format can no longer produce new codes — you’ll need a different format (for example, with a longer code length or a different marker) to generate more.
Set this with headroom: pick a number you’re unlikely to exceed across the life of the format.
Code length and alphabet size together determine how many unique codes are mathematically possible. If you pick a short length and a small alphabet, you can run out of unique combinations quickly — give yourself room by either lengthening the code or widening the alphabet.
After saving
Once you save the format, it becomes available in the Format dropdown for any pool that uses Generate promo codes as its addition method. You can now go back to the pool and generate the actual codes using the format you just created. 
