Overview
This article will overview the offline capabilities of the cloud retailer POS.
Procedure
If there is no internet or network connectivity at a point-of-sale station, you can continue to use the register as normal with some limitations. When a connection to the Cloud Retailer servers is not available you cannot:
- Redeem, purchase, or check the balance of a gift card
- Redeem a coupon
- Use the "On account" payment method IF you need the system to enforce a credit limit. If you do not need the system to check a credit limit then you can use a simple "On account" type with no credit limits enforced.
- Check quantities at other store locations
- Recall global orders (work orders, layaways, quotes, etc.)
- Punch in and out of the employee time clock
- If you're using the ticketing module, you will have to sell tickets using the offline ticketing functionality.
- Potentially be able to use any networked printers depending on the source of the issue.
- Redeem loyalty rewards
- Scan past sales receipt barcodes to fetch a transaction for returns or voids. You can look up recent transactions for the specific POS station you're working on (not using a receipt barcode).
You can:
- Process normal sales transactions
- Create new orders
- Modify some types of orders that were created at that specific POS station while offline
- Create and modify customer records
- Do everything else that you're able to do from the POS
- Accumulating additional loyalty points through the POS will not be aware of the point balance. While offline you will experience some messaging about the fact that the POS cannot connect to the server AND may experience some delays when the POS attempts to connect.
Additionally,
- When the network connection fails, there is no interruption in the cashier's ability to use the POS. The "Last sync" time in the upper left-hand corner will not update until a connection is established and if no connection has been made in 5 minutes the time stamp will turn red as a subtle notice to the user. When the internet connection comes back online, the POS will automatically start syncing again and the time stamp will update, again, typically no intervention required by the user.
- Any changes made in the back office or at the POS will not sync until the connection comes back online. For example, if you change the price of a product, the change will not sync with the POS while it's offline and sales transactions will not upload to the back office.
- As the back office application is web-based, if you lose connectivity you will not be able to run reports, create products, etc.