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Restaurant Point of Sale App Offline Mode

June 11, 2024

Description

How to switch to offline mode to process if the connection is lost in the Restaurant Point of Sale app

What's in this article?

When the device becomes disconnected from the server, an employee with the appropriate access level must put the device in the offline mode in order to resume using the POS.

While in offline mode, when the device can connect to the server, the connection status changes to 'Offline Mode, Server Reachable.' An employee must initiate the action to return the device to online mode since the device does not automatically return to online mode.

Switch to offline mode

When you put a device into offline mode, employees who have already clocked in do not need to do so again. If an employee arrives to start a new labor shift, a manager, or an employee with the appropriate access level, must authorize the start of a labor shift. 

Once you open an offline mode shift, you are not able to reconnect to a shift within the local server environment automatically to synch sales data. Best practice would be to close the offline shift before reconnecting in store.

NOTE:
Offline mode can also be used to place orders and accept payments outside of the establishment, such as delivery orders or outdoor carts. You cannot place an order while connected to the server environment (online), and then accept a payment disconnected from the server environment (offline). The order and payment must be performed in the same environment (online or offline).

To switch to offline mode
  1. On any POS screen, tap the Cloud icon.

    selections available after tapping the cloud icon
  2. Tap Go Offline.
  3.  Enter your four-digit PIN and tap Override or obtain manager assistance.
     
    dialog box for entering four-digit PIN
  4. Enter your four-digit PIN and tap Login. 
  5. Tap Point of Sale and start a new financial shift to begin taking payments. You must have appropriate access to start a financial shift. 

    screen with Point of Sale option selected

    NOTE: The only instance in which a user does not need to begin a new financial shift is when they have already started a local, financial shift on the device.

Enter new orders in offline mode

When you put a device in offline mode, use the Tabs screen and enter orders as a new tab. While the device remains in offline mode, you can only edit these orders on the device on which you created the order.

To enter a new order in offline mode
  1. On the POS, tap Add Tab.
  2. Enter the order information.
  3. Finalize the order. 
  4. Enter an identifying name for the tab, one to help identify the table for which it belongs, such as the customer name or "from table 62."

NOTE: 
Orders entered on a device operating in Offline Mode, Server Reachable appear as read-only to other devices.

Enter existing open orders in offline mode

When you put a device in offline mode, orders created in online mode become locked to the offline device and appear as read-only to a device in offline mode. A device in offline mode cannot create orders at the table level. You can only create orders at the tab level on a device in offline mode. On the floor plan, the system places a locked icon above the table or tab for those online orders which are now locked to a device in offline mode.

When you attempt to access a locked, online mode order with a device in offline mode, a prompt appears informing you that the order is read-only and editing is disabled.

To re-create open online mode orders on an offline device
  1. Tap the order you want to view. The ‘Read-Only Order’ prompt appears.
  2. Tap OK.
  3. Print a copy of the order by tapping Pay > Print or write down the order information. 
  4. Tap back-arrow icon to access the floor plan screen to access the floor plan screen and select Tabs.
  5.  Tap Add Tab.
  6. Enter the order information.
  7. Finalize the order. 
  8. Enter an identifying name for the tab, one to help identify the table for which it belongs, such as the customer name or "from table 62.

NOTE:
After you return the device to online mode, if you replicated online mode orders as new Tab orders on an offline mode device, you may need to void the tickets of those read-only online mode orders that you replicated. 

Return to online mode

While in offline mode, when the device can connect to the server, the connection status changes to Offline Mode, Server Reachable. The device does not automatically return to online mode. An employee must initiate the action to return the device to online mode. 

To return to online mode
  1. Tap the cloud icon. 
  2. Tap Go Online. 
    • The Point of Sale app verifies it can connect to the server. 
    • When the offline device successfully connects to the server, the Point of Sale app logs out the current user and the cloud icon color changes to green. 
    • The login screen appears for the employee to log back in to the POS.

When you successfully return a device to online mode, the following occurs:

  • Each employee on the device is logged out of the device.
  • Server replicates and synchronizes the data, including orders and shifts, from the offline device.
  • Server converts the offline mode orders to online mode orders, making them accessible to all connected, online mode devices.
  • If you replicated locked online mode orders as new tabs, you may need to void the ticket of the formerly locked orders; otherwise, you will have an open order at the end of the shift.
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