What is the first step in activating a gift card?

The correct answer highlights the initial action required to activate a gift card, which is accessing the appropriate function in the system. By hitting "gift card" at the top of the screen, you are initiating the specific process intended for handling gift cards. This step is crucial as it sets the stage for subsequent actions, such as swiping the card, entering the amount, and taking payment.

Once this function is selected, the system is ready to guide you through the remaining steps to complete the transaction. Each of these subsequent actions—swiping the card, entering the amount, and processing the payment—follows the activation request triggered by selecting the gift card option. Therefore, starting with this specific selection ensures that all transactions related to gift cards are correctly processed according to the store’s operating procedures.