Troubleshooting

Something not behaving? Find the symptom below, read the likely cause, and follow the fix. Most problems are small — a loose cable, a missing permission, or a screen that just needs a refresh. Work through the steps in order and stop as soon as it's working again.

Printing & the cash drawer

The receipt printer isn't printing

Likely cause: the small helper program that talks to the printer — the print bridge — isn't running, or the printer is off or out of paper.

1. Check the obvious

   Is the printer switched on, has it got paper, and is the lid closed properly? A flashing light usually means paper or a jam.

2. Check the print bridge is running

   The print bridge is the little app that lets the browser reach your printer. Make sure it's open and connected. See Hardware & printing for how to start it.

3. Send a test print

   Use the test/diagnostics button on the Hardware page to print a sample receipt. If the test works, the printer is fine — try the sale again.

4. Let failed prints retry

   If a receipt failed while you were busy, it isn't lost — failed prints are queued and retried automatically. Watch the print icon at the top of the screen; it clears the queue once the printer is back.

The printer prints garbled text or strange symbols

Likely cause: the wrong printer type is selected, so the receipt is being sent in a format the printer doesn't understand.

1. Check the printer type

   On the Hardware & printing page, make sure the selected printer matches your actual device (most receipt printers use the common thermal/ESC POS standard).

2. Print a test receipt

   Send a test print after changing the setting. If it's clean, you're done.

3. Re-seat the cable

   A loose USB cable can scramble the data. Unplug it, plug it back in firmly, and test again.

The cash drawer won't open

Likely cause: most drawers open through the receipt printer, so if the printer can't be reached, the drawer won't kick either.

1. Check the printer first

   The drawer plugs into the printer, not the computer. If the printer isn't working, fix that first (see above) and the drawer usually follows.

2. Check the drawer cable

   Make sure the cable from the drawer into the back of the printer is pushed in fully.

3. Use the manual key

   Every drawer has a physical key. If you need it open right now, use the key — then sort the connection afterwards.

Barcode scanner

The scanner isn't adding items

Likely cause: the cursor isn't in the right place, or the scanner needs re-plugging. Most scanners simply "type" the barcode, so the app must be focused on the search box.

1. Click the search box first

   On the POS screen, click into the product search field, then scan. The code should appear and the item drop into the cart.

2. Re-plug the scanner

   Unplug it and plug it back into the same USB port. Wait a few seconds for it to be recognised.

3. Test it in any text box

   Open a plain text field anywhere and scan a barcode. If nothing types, the scanner itself isn't sending — check its own power light and manual.

Logging in & access

I can't log in / I forgot my password

Likely cause: a mistyped password, or caps lock is on.

1. Check the basics

   Make sure caps lock is off and you're using the correct email or username. Type the password slowly.

2. Ask an admin to reset it

   If you still can't get in, any administrator can reset your password from Users & roles.

I can't give a refund (the option is missing or greyed out)

Likely cause: your role doesn't include the refund permission. The app hides actions you're not allowed to use.

1. Ask an admin to grant it

   An administrator can add the refund permission to your role under Users & roles.

2. Log out and back in

   After your permissions change, log out and in again so the new access takes effect.

Sales & the checkout

A sale won't complete

Likely cause: a walk-in (no customer) sale isn't fully paid. The system won't finish it until the money is covered.

1. Cover the full total

   In the Pay window, make sure the amount taken matches or exceeds the total. For cash, type the exact amount handed over.

2. Or attach a customer for credit

   If the customer genuinely wants to pay later, add a saved customer to the sale first — only then can the remainder be left on credit. See Customers.

I made a mistake on a completed sale

Likely cause: finished sales can't simply be deleted — that's deliberate, to keep your money records trustworthy.

1. Void it (same day, shift open)

   If the shift is still open and you've taken no money back yet, you can void the sale from Sales history. This reverses the stock and any customer balance.

2. Otherwise, refund it

   If the shift is closed, give the money back as a refund instead.

Screen, speed & updates

A change I made isn't showing up

Likely cause: the screen is showing an older copy of the page.

1. Refresh the page

   Press F5 (or pull down to refresh on a tablet). New products, prices and settings usually appear right away after a refresh.

2. On the till, refresh the catalogue

   The POS screen keeps its own copy of products so it works offline. Use the connection menu at the top of the till to Refresh now and pull the latest catalogue. See Selling offline.

The app is running slowly

Likely cause: a browser that's been open a long time, a weak connection, or too many tabs.

1. Refresh and close spare tabs

   Refresh the page and close tabs you don't need. This frees up memory and usually helps immediately.

2. Check your connection

   A slow or dropping internet link makes pages crawl. The connection dot at the top of the till shows whether you're online — see Selling offline.

3. Restart the browser

   If it's still sluggish, fully close and reopen the browser.

Offline & syncing

Sales I made offline aren't syncing

Likely cause: the device hasn't fully reconnected yet, so the queued sales are still waiting to upload.

1. Get back online and wait

   Reconnect to the internet. Queued sales upload automatically within a minute. The pill at the top of the till shows how many are still waiting.

2. Open the queue to check

   Click the connection indicator at the top to see the queue and watch it drain. Full details are on Selling offline.

3. Review the sync log

   If a sale couldn't upload, an administrator can see why on the sync log and resolve it.

Related: Hardware & printing · Selling offline · Users & roles · Backup & restore · FAQ