(continued from Daily Operation Tips)

Technical Notes

Special Printing Configurations

There may be some instances where the restaurant may want to print checks or kitchen slips outside the normal cycle.  Example, a restaurant wants a guest checks to print out immediately upon receiving the order to a selected printer. Another example may be the restaurant wants an alert to print out when receiving an on line order.  Both these example are easily handled within the printing parameters of Restaurant Manager. It is important to remember that all online order printing jobs are subject to normal on site printing rules. Specifically, once an order has been received by the onsite POS system, the printing parameters apply to the order as if it was placed by a POS station.

Note: All OO printing functions are handled in the onsite Restaurant Manager Module (RMWin).

This document section assumes the Master Station Configuration is used to process On Line Orders. If your system has been configured differently, replace the station number used for the Master Station Configuration.

Printing a Guest Check upon Receiving an Order

This process is similar to printing a guest check whenever a menu item is sent to a prep area. In fact, we will use the exact same station configuration setting to achieve the desired results:

  1. For our first step we will start in the RM BackOffice Module and go to Setup > Station Configuration > Master Station > POS Configuration > Print/Send Options > Print Check Options. Locate and enable the “Print on Send” option listed on the menu tree. Alternatively, use the “Search Settings” function at the bottom of the Station Configuration Setup form and type “Print on Send” to locate and enable the print option.

  1. The second step is dependent on how the Revenue Center has been configured. If the “Delivery Orders” option has been enabled in the Revenue Center Setup form you will need to configure the “Delivery/Check” option under Devices > POS Printers> POS Printer Port and Model Selections found in Station Configuration. If this option has have not been enabled (typical), then the Receipt/Check option will be configured under the same section of the Station Configuration.

Receipt/Check- We will need to assign a station primary receipt/check printer to where the guest check will print. This is accomplished within the Station Configuration setup form.  Within the form, use the “Search Setting” function and type “Receipt/Check”. Open the menu tree branch and then double click on the “Primary Device” option. Select the desired station’s printer from the drop down list. A printers name will reflect the POS station it is associated with if configurable correctly in RM Spool setup. In addition, printers’ setup in RMSpool will have a # symbol in front of the name. As example, names  like #receipt7, #poschk7, or #check7 would likely be used for denoting a guest check printer used at POS station 7.  The next step is to assign the printer type. You can verify the printer type being used at the station by clicking on the station found on the Stations List section (left) on the Station Configuration Setup form.

Delivery/Check- If the “Delivery Orders” option has been enabled in the Revenue Center Setup form, we will need to assign a station primary Delivery/Check printer to where the guest check will print. Like the “Receipt/Check” instructions, this is also done within the Station Configuration setup form.  Within the form, use the “Search Setting” function and type “Delivery/Check”. Open the menu tree branch and then double click on the “Primary Device” option. Select the desired station’s printer from the drop down list. The next step is to assign the printer type. You can verify the printer type being used at the station by clicking on the station found on the Stations List section (left) on the Station Configuration Setup form.

Note: A printer should never backup to its self and doing so could cause printing error if the primary device becomes inoperable.  It is better to choose another station printer or leave the option blank.

Printing of Guest Check Automatically w/ Different Revenue Centers

An account may wish to have a guest checks printed at the time the OO is sent to a printer. What may complicate the issue is if they using two different revenue centers for OO (i.e. pick and delivery) where one revenue center charges for delivery. This can be achieved be creating two revenue centers (i.e. OO Delivery and OO ToGo). In the OO Delivery Revenue Center the following settlement options should be: disable require confirm, send after settle should be “yes”, and condense receipt should be set as “No”. In addition, “Delivery Orders” should be enabled under the Misc Options of the OO delivery Revenue Center.

If the establishment wants a guest check to print for the OO ToGo orders: in settlement options in the OO ToGo Revenue Center disable require confirm, send after settle should be “yes”, and condense receipt should be set as “No”.  Do not enable the “Delivery Order” option in the Misc Option of the revenue center if they charge for delivery but not OO Take Outs.

We are assuming that OO is set up using the master station in Station Configuration. It is also recommended that there be a separate station configuration for each pos station avoiding parameter conflicts and subsequent behavior between the OO and fixed pos stations. To affect the desired behavior of having guest check printing at the time of send the order the following setting should be adhered to:

  1. Under Station Configuration- Print/Send Options

Under Print Check Options

Under Prep Area Send Options

Under Devices – POSPrinters > POSPrinterPort and Model Selections

The following settings are dependent on the revenue center option (Delivery Orders) in the Misc section

  1. Primary Device: Kitchen printer (i.e. #Kitchen)
  2. Secondary Device:  Receipt1 (i.e. #Receipt1)
  3. Printer Type: choose the printer model of the primary printer.
  1. Primary Device: Receipt1 (i.e. #Receipt1
  2. Secondary Device:  Receipt1 Kitchen printer (i.e. #Kitchen)
  3. Printer Type: choose the printer model of the primary printer.
  1. Primary Device: Kitchen printer (i.e. #Kitchen)
  2. Secondary Device:  Receipt1 (i.e. #Receipt1)
  3. Printer Type: choose the printer model of the primary printer.
  1. Primary Device: Receipt1 (i.e. #Receipt1
  2. Secondary Device:  Receipt1 Kitchen printer (i.e. #Kitchen)
  3. Printer Type: choose the printer model of the primary printer.

In the circumstance where you want a OO Delivery Order guest check to print to the kitchen printer but a OO ToGo order to go to a receipt (pos) printer, use the following settings:

  1. Primary Device: Kitchen printer (i.e. #Kitchen)
  1. Secondary Device:  Receipt1 (i.e. #Receipt1)
  2. Printer Type: choose the printer model of the primary printer.
  1. Primary Device: Receipt1 (i.e. #Receipt1
  2. Secondary Device:  Receipt1 Kitchen printer (i.e. #Kitchen)
  3. Printer Type: choose the printer model of the primary printer.

Printing Multiple Receipts

It is common for an establishment processing On Line Orders to require the printing of duplicate guest checks: one copy for the customer, the other for the restaurant. In some circumstance the restaurant may want an abbreviated copy with a signature line. Again, all printing parameters are handled within the onsite RM BackOffice Module and are subject to the same configuration rules established for onsite station fixed POS stations and printers. Thus, all guest check configuration will be designed in the Configurable Guest Check Editor accessed in the RM BackOffice under Setup > Guest Checks.

Note: A more detailed description of the functionality of the Configurable Guest check editor can be found in the RM Users Guide.

Using the Configurable Guest Check Editor, you will need to create a “Revenue Center Template” before editing or creating a guest check. Using templates based on a specific revenue center will assure guest check changes and attributes will only occur for orders processed using the specific revenue center (i.e. OO Delivery). Example, you might want a signature line only to print for ON line Orders but not for onsite Table service. Adding a new template is done by selecting the “New File” option on the top of the Guest Check Layout form. Selecting this function will affect a new window “Add New Template File”. To add a new template you can do the following:

  1. New File- Select the” New File “button for a Revenue Center-by clicking on the drop down menu connected with this option and then select the revenue center you want the new template to be associated with. In most cases, the revenue center has already been created and will be named accordingly with OO In mind (i.e. OO Delivery).
  2. Based On- this option will copy an existing template and copy all the settings to the new template. Click on the drop down menu associated with the Based On field and choose a template. As example, your system may have two templates: Master and Delivery. You may want to choose the Delivery Template if the settings are closer to what you need. Note: some systems may utilize only the master template thus reducing your option to one.

Duplicate Guest Checks (Exact)

This process is relatively easy. We will accomplish this by doing the following steps:

  1. Select the Revenue Center template you wish to affect (i.e. OO Delivery) by clicking on the Revenue Center Template option field.

  1. Within the Keyword Editor copy all keywords. You can do this by using the shift with the down arrow keys on your keyboard to select the contents and then copy using the Ctrl + C keyboard command. Alternatively, you can click and drag over the content and then right click and copy.

  1. Paste the copied content below the last keyword line (should be <Cut Paper Text>).

Now every time an order is printer associated with the Revenue Center (i.e. OO Delivery) two guest checks will print out.

Two Guest Checks/ One Abbreviated

There may be some circumstances where you need two guest checks but the second is abbreviated. In our next example will an abbreviated second copy of the check guest minus the menu items but with a signature line for verification. We will follow we follow the steps outlined in the section above and then do the following:

  1. Scroll down to the section containing the keywords and attributes of the second guest check on “Keyword Editor” section of the Guest Check Layout form.
  2. Select any keywords not need and delete them. Example: if you do not want the logo to print on the second copy, select and highlight the line containing <Logo Text> and delete. Another example if you do want menu items to print, then select the keyword line <Print Item Lines> and delete.

  1. Adding a signature line to second guest check- most signature lines are added at the bottom of guest checks. In Our example we will scroll down to the bottom of the second guest check section. Restaurant Manager does not have a keyword for a signature line. You will have to manually type the line in the desired location. In the illustration below, we have typed in “Sign Here” and used the “underline” key function (shift+ dash) on the keyboard to draw the signature line. Additional we have placed the signature line below the <Amount Line Off> keyword and the <Cut Paper Text> keyword. Placing the signature line here will result in having the signature line show below settlement check total information and before the check is physical cut by the printer.

You may want to add additional space separation between the signature line and cut paper keyword by going to the line directly below the signature line and use the “Enter” key on the keyboard.

The end result should look something like this:

Note: A more detailed description of the functionality of the Configurable Guest check editor can be found in the RM Users Guide.

Printed Notification of On Line Orders Received

Restaurant ManagerTM makes it possible to send an alert to a remote printer. An alert to a prep or guest check printer may be a preferred method for an employee to realize a new online order has been received. Some of the other methods may be to receive a text message on your cell phone or an e-mail on a computer. However, these methods may add to the cost (text message on cell phone) or have physical restrictions (e-mails only being received on the office computer). Sending a message to a POS system printer proves to be the most cost effective way to implement on-line order alerts. In our process to set up at printer alert, it is assumed that a printer has already been setup for the station that we want to send the alert to. More information on setting up printer can be found in the Restaurant ManagerTM User Guide.

Sending a printed alert to a remote printer is a three step process:

Using the following steps to setup a printed alert to a station printer:

  1. Setup Printer- In station configuration, choose the station to modify then go to Devices> Prep Area devices> Select a prep printer not in current use(i.e. prep printer 8) and then:
  1. Enter in Printer description in the “Printer Description Field”
  2. Enter a Primary device in the “Primary Device Field” (i.e. Cashier check printer).
  3. Define printer type
  4. Enable “ Enable Prep Printer Filtering”
  5. In the Remote Printer Filter form- Select the Filter Type option and choose a the Revenue Center option from the drop down menu.
  6. In the “From” option- choose the revenue center associated with online ordering (i.e. On Line Orders)
  7. In the “To” field setting - choose the revenue center associated with online ordering (i.e. On Line Orders)

This will limit tickets to just Online Orders.  Use whatever revenue center name used to define OO.

Station Configuration Setup example:

Printer Filter Setup Example:

  1. Setup Printer Template- the second step is to configure a remote printer template where we will define a custom message and limit the message to the appropriate printer. In RM BackOffice go to Setup> Prep Printing > Printer Template Editor
  1. Add a printer template – Click on “New File” > choose the printer number setup in Station configuration.
  2. Text – erase all information in template editor and insert the new text parameters as listed below
  1. Employee: <Expand On><Employee Name><Expand Off>
  2. <Expand On>On Line Order Just Received<Expand Off>
  3. <Transaction Description>
  4. Send Time: <Send Time>
  5. <Order Info>
  6. <Reference Info>
  7. <Cut Paper>

Note: Employee, On Line Order Just Received, and Send Time must be typed. The typed text can be replaced to better suite your needs. You may also copy and paste the above text into the check editor

Template Editor Example:

Ticket and printer should look like this:

  1. Menu Setup- We are going to add the printer we setup in station configuration to all items available for on line ordering. This will serve as our trigger to send the custom message we setup in the remote template editor. This is done in RM BackOffice > Menu Setup. The same procedure of adding printers to menu items is incorporated. However, you will be adding a second printer under the “Other Printers” located in the menu item set-up form. All On-line orders menu items must be setup with the new printer to guarantee the special text alert will be sent.

Note the alert will only be sent once to the specified printer despite having it attached to all online order menu items.

Using “Modify Items belonging to group” Option

To make large scale changes at once in menu setup: click on the “Modify Items belonging to the Group” button.   Go to the “Preparation Area” heading. Under “Other Printer” heading, place a check mark next to the printer field to activate the field where you are going to add a printer. It is important that this in the only check mark that you place. Any other check marks will change the data for those fields as well and may produce undesired results. Add the printer you set up in the station configuration by using the drop down menu in the printer box that you just checked. By default, the plu items in this group will fill in the fields “From Item- To Item”.  You can always to mass changes to the menu by increasing the plu range. However, make sure that you do not exceed menu item “3600”. Anything above this number is a modifier. To save changes click “Next”. In the next screen click on “OK” to save changes. Please not that a check mark will appear in the “include” column corresponding with menu. Anything marked with a check will be changed.

To expedite this process, you can use “Modify Items belong to group” in the “Description” heading of the group set-up field.

Modify Menu Items screen

 

WOHH: Notes for Sites w/ WOHH Installed and In Use

RM Back Office allows you to manually give each menu item a custom abbreviation, for use with the WriteOn Hand Held.
Some or all of your menu items may have special abbreviations or numbers (for WOHH use) in FRONT of the menu item description, to make it easier and faster for users of the WOHH to find items.

This works fine at the POS, and on the Hand Held.  Where it gets "a little ugly" is when these menu items are displayed on the web. (see below)

You accomplish this from the RM Back Office: (see below)

Or you can do by INDIVIDUAL menu item (see below)

To LOCK an individual item, as opposed to locking all items in a group. (see below)

 

Upgrading from Version 16 to Version 17

The following are the upgrade procedures for upgrading a site on v.16 to v.17 using OO.

  1. Disable all routing modes In ADMIN UI so any online order is disallowed. (Dealer or Owner can do)
  2. Upgrade the RMServer to v17 (use latest patches, and READ the new info about the WOHH upgrade (Dealer) If you want to verify that you have the WOHH s/w installed correctly, copy-n-paste this url into an internet browser address bar, and it should return a page like you see below:  http://localhost:9644/
  3. Open port  in site's router for On Line Ordering (i.e. 9644). Make similar change or allow an exception if the server uses the Windows Firewall. (Dealer)
  4. Access ASI Admin UI, select Chain and change to v17 (ASI)
  5. still on ASI Admin, select Restaurant and change to v17 (ASI)
  6. Find the OOLINK.exe, and rename it accordingly. It is no longer used with v.17. (Dealer)
  7. Go into RM BackOffice and perform a menu upload, pick any menu item, click the On Line Ordering TAB, and click GENERATE WEB MENU. (upload all).  Before you can do the upload, you will need to enter correct data in the [Web Service] Tab under [Web Upload Setup]. The URL to use for v.17 is: http://webordering.rmwservices.com/v17.0.DbGate/FileOp.asmx  The "Chain Connection ID", "Restaurant Connection ID", "Admin UserName", and "Admin Password" are all identical to what was in the OOLink.exe
  8. Enable the Email (or Fax) Routing Mode only then test. (Dealer or Owner can do)
  9. If result is OK, enable RM Routing Mode; test again.  If site has pizzas, order pizzas(Dealer or Owner can do)
  10. Check the order in the POS and verify the following
  1. Is discount correct?
  2. Is tax correct?
  3. Delivery charge correct?
  4. Tip correct?  (Dealer or Owner can do)
  1. If the site is going to use the OO coupons for v.17 (remember, these are NOT the same coupons that are in the POS) please follow the instructions below.

COUPONS: An alternative method to using discounts to drive business is the use of Coupons (fixed dollar discounts). The setup of the actual coupon is first performed in the RM BackOffice Module in the Menu Setup form, by creating a negative priced menu item. A more detailed coupon setup description can be found under the section: Dollar Discounts For Online Ordering.

 

 

(continued in Appendix: Additional Sources)