Hello, I have read through 25 pages of thread and not too sure if I can use my miles to upgrade someone else without travelling with them? I want to buy my father PE and get him upgraded to Business.

Or do I have to spend the money to transfer miles to his account, etc.?
He is on my redemption group, so I can redeem an award ticket for him, but the website would not allow me to redeem the upgrade for him because it would say they cannot find a reservation under my account.