Developing a Promotion Management Module for 1C-Bitrix

The standard sale module includes a discount mechanism via b_sale_discount — rules based on basket conditions. It's a powerful tool but is tailored for automatic order-level discounts. Marketing promotions with banners, periods, participant counters, usage limits, 'buy 2 get 3' mechanics — all of this either cannot be implemented with standard tools or requires cumbersome workarounds. Clients often come with a request: 'create a promotion buy 2 for the price of 1', but in Bitrix this is not a product discount but a full-fledged bundle. Standard capabilities lack flexibility for conditions at the basket level — for example, a discount only for registered users or when reaching a sum with a specific SKU. All of this requires a separate module. Over 5+ years of Bitrix module development, we have accumulated dozens of cases where standard discounts were insufficient. Our promotion management module enhances bitrix discounts, bitrix coupons, bitrix bundle, bitrix gifts, and bitrix cashback with custom conditions. It fills this gap — we offer a ready-made ORM model, a flexible promotion builder, and integration with any sales channels. Use the ready module and forget about the headache of custom events. Get a consultation — we'll help you select the optimal configuration.

Why Standard Discounts Are Not Enough

b_sale_discount is linear rules: discount on sum, on product, on group. Anything beyond that — promotions with coupons, bundles, gifts based on custom conditions — requires either workaround events or an external module. Our approach: a separate b_vendor_promo_action table with JSON conditions and rewards. This gives flexibility without overhead. Development time savings — up to 60% compared to custom solutions, costing 40% less on average.

Architecture and Features

Data Model

The vendor.promo module with the following tables:

• b_vendor_promo_action — promotions: id, code, name, type (discount/gift/bundle/coupon/cashback), date_from, date_to, is_active, priority, usage_limit, usage_count, conditions (JSON), reward (JSON), banner_image_id, description
• b_vendor_promo_coupon — coupons: id, action_id, code, discount_type (percent/fixed), discount_value, usage_limit, usage_count, user_id (null = shared), expires_at, is_active
• b_vendor_promo_usage — usage history: id, action_id, coupon_id, order_id, user_id, discount_amount, applied_at
• b_vendor_promo_gift — gift products of the promotion: id, action_id, product_id, quantity

Promotion Types

• Discount by condition: "conditions": {"min_sum": 3000, "iblock_section_id": 12} — 10% discount on orders from 3000 rubles in the 'Electronics' section.
• Bundle: "type": "bundle" — when product A is added to the cart, product B is automatically added with a discount. Implemented via the OnSaleBasketItemAdd event.
• Coupon: generation of unique codes in b_vendor_promo_coupon, verification during checkout.
• Gift: when basket conditions are met — product from b_vendor_promo_gift is automatically added with price 0.
• Cashback: accrual of loyalty program points instead of a discount.

How Condition Checking Works

class PromoChecker
{
    public function check(PromoAction $action, \Bitrix\Sale\Order $order): CheckResult
    {
        $conditions = $action->getConditions();
        $basket     = $order->getBasket();

        if (isset($conditions['min_sum']) && $basket->getPrice() < $conditions['min_sum']) {
            return CheckResult::fail('Minimum order amount not reached');
        }

        if ($action->getUsageLimit() && $action->getUsageCount() >= $action->getUsageLimit()) {
            return CheckResult::fail('Promotion usage limit exhausted');
        }

        return CheckResult::success();
    }
}

Promotion Priority and Compatibility

Multiple promotions can be active simultaneously. The priority parameter determines the order of application. The exclusive field in the promotion settings means other promotions are not combined with it.

Logic: active promotions are sorted by descending priority. For each, CheckResult is evaluated. If a promotion is exclusive and passes the check, it is applied and the loop breaks.

Administrative Tools

Coupon Generator

Bulk generation of unique codes for email campaigns:

$generator = new CouponGenerator($action);
$coupons   = $generator->generate(1000, [
    'length'  => 8,
    'prefix'  => 'SALE-',
    'charset' => 'ABCDEFGHJKLMNPQRSTUVWXYZ23456789',
]);
// batch insert into b_vendor_promo_coupon + CSV file for export

Characters similar to digits (O/0, I/1) are excluded from the charset to avoid errors during manual entry. Up to 10,000 codes can be generated in a single batch.

Promotion Statistics

The administrative interface shows for each promotion:

• Number of applications and percentage of limit
• Total discount over the period
• Conversion: how many users added a coupon to an incomplete order vs completed payment
• Top products covered by the promotion
• Daily usage dynamics (graph)

Administrative Interface

• List of promotions with filter by status, type, date
• Builder for conditions and rewards
• Coupon management: bulk generation, deactivation, export to CSV
• Report per promotion with breakdown by orders

Project Scope

What Is Included in Module Development

Development Timeline

Total: 11 business days turnkey. Integration with an email platform — additional 1–2 days.

How to Implement a 'Buy 2 Get 3' Promotion (Quick Steps)

1. Create a new promotion of type 'bundle'.
2. Set condition: basket must contain at least 2 items of product X.
3. Set reward: add 1 item of product X with 100% discount.
4. Set usage limit and priority.
5. Save and activate.

This takes 5 minutes, compared to days of custom event coding.

Comparison of Standard Approach vs Our Module

Our module reduces development time by 60% compared to custom events, and costs 40% less on average for typical projects.

Contact us — we will evaluate your project and offer the optimal solution. Drawing on 5+ years of experience with Bitrix, we guarantee the module's functionality and integrability into your existing architecture. Order the development of a promotion management module and get a flexible tool for marketing campaigns.

Reference to official documentation: ORM D7. 1C-Bitrix: D7 ORM

1C-Bitrix Module Development and Setup

The main trap of Bitrix is init.php. You add an OnBeforeIBlockElementUpdate handler there, then another one — a year later the file is 2000 lines, and on every hit all that code executes. We move business logic into full-fledged modules with D7 ORM, custom tables, and administrative interface. The module can be disabled, transferred to another project, covered with tests — none of that is possible with init.php. Our team has 10+ years of Bitrix experience, certified specialists, and a 6-month code guarantee. Request a consultation — we'll explain how to migrate legacy code to a modular architecture.

Why is init.php the worst place for business logic?

Init.php does not support class autoloading, lacks an isolated namespace, cannot be unit tested, and cannot be disabled without editing the file itself. Every handler written there runs on every request, even if not needed. In a module, you register handlers through EventManager, and they only execute when the event occurs. Performance difference: up to 3x with 10+ handlers.

Standard Modules: Typical Problems and Solutions

Information blocks. IBlock architecture is the first thing we review on any project. A classic mistake: one catalog infoblock with 80 properties, 30 of which are multiple. The b_iblock_element_property table swells to millions of rows, and CIBlockElement::GetList with filtering on three properties does a full scan. We move reference data to Highload-blocks, eliminate multiple properties where possible, and design the structure for 5x growth.

e-Store (sale). Cart business rules are a separate story. We set discount priorities to prevent two campaigns from giving 60% instead of 30%, connect payment handlers, and write custom validation via OnSaleOrderBeforeSaved.

Search. The built-in search module with morphology works up to 10–15 thousand elements. Beyond that — Elasticsearch. We configure it via the Bitrix search module API, indexing through CSearchFullText or custom indexers.

Highload-blocks for dictionaries, logs, user data — instead of bloated IBlocks. Direct queries via Bitrix\Highloadblock\HighloadBlockTable, custom tables instead of the EAV structure of standard infoblocks. A million records — no degradation.

Mail events. Configuration is not just templates in b_event_message. The key is SPF, DKIM, DMARC on the DNS, otherwise transactional emails go to spam. We check deliverability and set up bounce handling.

How to Design Infoblocks for Performance?

We use Highload-blocks for reference data (colors, sizes, manufacturers) that are not involved in complex queries. For SKUs — a separate infoblock with linking via IBLOCK_ELEMENT_PROPERTY. Enable INDEX_PROPERTY for frequently filtered properties. Tagged caching: when an element changes, only the related cache is cleared. Highload-blocks process up to 10x faster than infoblocks with multiple properties on volumes of 100,000 records.

Custom Module Development

Each module follows the structure /local/modules/vendor.modulename/:

• install/index.php — setup class, create tables via $DB->RunSQLBatch()
• lib/ — D7 ORM classes, extending Bitrix\Main\ORM\Data\DataManager
• admin/ — administrative pages using CAdminList, CAdminForm
• include.php — autoloading, event handler registration via EventManager::getInstance()->registerEventHandler()
• REST API endpoints via \Bitrix\Rest\RestManager

The module registers in the system, appears in the "Installed Solutions" list, and has its own settings at /bitrix/admin/settings.php?mid=vendor.modulename. It can be enabled, disabled, and updated through UpdateSystem or custom migration mechanics.

Examples of implemented tasks:

• Campaign management — visual condition builder via CAdminCalendar, timers via agents (CAgent::AddAgent), analytics linked to the sale module
• Cost calculator — React widget on the frontend, REST API in the module, formulas stored in a Highload-block
• Booking system — real-time calendar, locking via $DB->StartTransaction() / $DB->Commit() on concurrent requests, integration with channel manager via webhook

Components and Composite Cache

Component customization via result_modifier.php and component_epilog.php, not by editing template.php of the standard template. This way core updates are painless.

Composite cache ("Composite Site" technology) — the server sends ready HTML, bypassing PHP routing. Dynamic areas (cart, authorization) are loaded via CBitrixComponent::setFrameMode(true) and AJAX. TTFB drops to 30–50 ms. But there are caveats: not all components are compatible, $APPLICATION->ShowPanel() breaks composite, and careful markup of <div id="bx-composite-..."> is required.

What to Check Before Installing a Marketplace Module?

Before installing a module from the marketplace, an audit is mandatory. We check: SQL queries without prepared statements (hello SQL injection), direct use of $_REQUEST without filtering, use of outdated kernel API instead of D7, conflicts with the composite cache module. A module with no updates for over a year and a few dozen installations is likely a problem on the next PHP update. A typical case: a module calls CIBlockElement::GetList with no cache reset — the site crashes with 5000 elements.

Migration to D7

When upgrading PHP or switching to a new edition — refactor outdated calls:

• CIBlockElement::GetList() → Bitrix\Iblock\Elements\ElementTable::getList()
• CSaleOrder::GetList() → Bitrix\Sale\Order::getList()
• CModule::IncludeModule() → Bitrix\Main\Loader::includeModule() Testing on staging, rollback via git on issues.

According to official 1C-Bitrix documentation, D7 ORM is the recommended tool for working with data, providing type safety and automatic query generation.

Comparison: Init.php vs Module

Module Development Scope and Cost

What is included in module development?

• Technical specification and architectural plan
• Code following PSR-4 and Bitrix code style
• Unit tests (PHPUnit) for business logic
• Integration tests for events and REST API
• Installation, configuration, and API documentation
• Repository and documentation access
• Administrator training for module usage
• 6-month warranty support

Estimated timelines and complexity:

Cost is calculated individually — contact us for a project estimate.

Module Testing

Unit tests via PHPUnit cover business logic: discount calculation, validation, document generation. Mocks for Bitrix\Main\Application::getConnection() allow tests to be DB-independent. Integration tests verify event handlers on a real database — OnAfterIBlockElementAdd, OnSaleOrderSaved, etc. REST API endpoints are tested via curl or PHPUnit HTTP client. Critical for modules working with b_sale_order, b_catalog_price — where errors cost money.

Compatibility is checked on PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2 and editions: Standard, Small Business, Business. We check conflicts with popular marketplace modules — they often intercept the same events. Load testing: measurements on 10K, 100K, 1M records, profiling via Xdebug for memory leaks and N+1 queries.

Practical Examples

Campaign module for an electronics chain. The built-in sale module discounts did not cover scenarios like "2+1", a gift with purchase over a certain amount, or combined conditions. We built a visual builder: marketers create rules via drag-and-drop without development tickets. Campaign calendar, auto-deactivation via agents, analytics linked to b_sale_order — conversion, average check, usage count. Time to launch a new campaign dropped from two days to half an hour.

Calculator for builders. Parameters (area, materials, number of floors) → formula → preliminary estimate → lead to CRM via CRest::call('crm.lead.add'). Regional coefficients and seasonal markups from a Highload-block, material prices from 1C exchange. The number of target leads increased by a third: clients see a breakdown before calling a manager.

Booking for a hotel chain. Real-time availability via AJAX requests to a custom table vendor_booking_slots, seasonal tariff calculation, synchronization with Booking.com via channel manager API. Room locking on concurrent booking via SELECT ... FOR UPDATE in transactions. Timezones handled via \DateTimeZone — a guest from Vladivostok and a manager from Moscow see the same picture.

We will evaluate your project within one day. Write to us — we'll tell you what is included in turnkey development. Contact us for a consultation on your project. Order a custom module development — get a ready solution with documentation and support.