General questions

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What is Elementary POS?

Elementary POS is an application that serves as a cash register and runs on your mobile device. In order to run Elementary POS, you’ll need a phone or a tablet with Android OS.

Elementary POS is used to:

• create, print and share receipts
• monitor sales (by cash register, by seller)
• stock monitoring
• control the payment terminal

Included with the features of Elementary POS is the virtual Office, which is a web app you can find at the following address: https://app.elementarypos.com

What do I need to get Elementary POS up and running?

• a mobile phone or tablet with Android OS, version 4.4 or newer
• Internet connection (select functions can also be used offline)
• Receipt printer (if needed)

Elementary POS can also connect to terminals, such as MyPOS SMART N5, Carbon, F20, Sunmi, POS Tousei, etc.

How do I install Elementary POS?

If you have Google Play store on your phone, after opening it, search for Elementary POS and install it.

If you don’t have Google Play, you can download the app directly from our Elementary POS website.

Is Elementary POS just a mobile cash register?

Elementary POS is an entire ecosystem that you can use and customize according to your needs. It can be used by small shops as well as larger restaurants.

In addition to basic features such as printing or tracking receipts, Elementary POS offers you:

• Stock resources tracking.
• Profit tracking.
• sales and stock items management via Excel sheets.
• Management of customer bills (tables).
• Multiple cash registers at the same time.
• Order (kitchen) display: displaying customer orders.
• Customer display: allows the customer to see what items are on their bill.
• In-app Barcode scanner function via device camera or external scanner.
• Remote ordering: after scanning a QR code, the customer can create an order themselves, which is automatically displayed in the system.
• WordPress plugin for displaying a price list or menu on your website.
• API for integration with other systems.

Does Elementary POS run on an iPhone?

The app itself is currently only available for Android.

However, Elementary POS Office can be used on Apple devices.

What is Elementary POS Office?

This is your virtual office that allows you to:

• Set your basic company parameters for receipts (name, logo, header, footer, VAT)
• Manage sales items and categories
• Track sales, export sales to Excel (or Libre Office)
• Monitor online generation of receipts or print them on a large printer
• Track meal orders
• Manage your Stock, monitor its status, export data from Stock, including profit and loss
• Manage all your cash registers connected to the company
• Manage users
• Manage API access for third-party applications

For maximum convenience when using the Elementary POS Office, we recommend using a desktop. The application works on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android devices.

Does Elementary POS also work offline?

Yes. Elementary POS can display goods and create receipts without Internet connection.

Receipts are stored in the device (phone) storage. They are automatically synced to the Elementary POS Office as soon as you are connected to the Internet.

But if you would like to create open bills or track orders to the kitchen, an internet connection is necessary. Likewise for the customer display. If you want to be sure that an internet outage won’t put you at risk, we recommend using the Elementary POS Offline Server. This will ensure that the service will not be interrupted in the event of an internet outage.

What is the Elementary POS Offline Server?

If you use an order system and open bills (tables), we recommend integrating an Elementary POS Offline server to your system. It is a mobile app that runs within your Wi-Fi network. If there is a problem with the internet, the Elementary POS Offline server ensures uninterrupted operation. Installing the Elementary POS Offline server is very simple and can be done in a few minutes.

Is it possible to have multiple cash registers linked to my Elementary POS account?

Yes. All you have to do is install Elementary POS on the device you’d like to use and enter your login information (name and password). You can manage cash registers in the Elementary POS Office.

How does the synchronization work between the mobile cash register and the Elementary POS Office?

It happens automatically. Once you are within range of the Internet, Elementary POS downloads the current list of sold items and syncs it to the Elementary POS Office.

I have been testing Elementary POS until now. How do I delete test receipts?

You can delete them one by one via the mobile app. If you have too many, or if you no longer have the mobile app available, you can easily create a new account in Elementary POS and keep the original one for testing or employee training.

If you would like to move sales items from the old account to your new one, you can simply do an Export from the test account and then, an Import into the current account.

The device I ran my cash register on is broken, what should I do?

All your sales items and data are stored in the Elementary POS Office. After installing the app on your new device, enter your username and password and you can continue working where you left off.

Why can’t I see receipts created on a different cash register on my current device (cash register)?

All created receipts are automatically synced to the Elementary POS Office. There, you can see an overview of sales across all cash registers. Each cash register only displays its own receipts.

What is a “customer display”? Does Elementary POS support it?

A customer display is used to display the receipt directly to the customer. Elementary POS allows you to create a customer display using another phone or tablet. If you enter a sale at your cash register, the sales amount and all other information will also automatically appear on the customer display. In addition to the amount, the customer also sees the note on the receipt, the type of payment and, in the case of a cash payment, the amount they paid and how much will be returned to them.

How do I install and connect the customer display to the cash register?

Install the Elementary POS app on the device where you would like to run the customer display. Go to the Settings and select “Customer Display”. Choose which checkout the customer display should monitor and confirm with a click. In order to use the customer display feature, you will need an internet connection.

Is it possible to have multiple currencies within one company?

No, unfortunately that is not possible. You need to set up a new company and switch between them.

Bills and sales items

How can sales items be added to receipts?

There are several ways you can do this.

1) Select items from your list:

Elementary POS will display all items of a given category. With a single tap, you add one item. If you press and hold, you can proceed to select any quantity.

2) Through the calculator:

Using the calculator, you can enter a specific amount that will appear on the receipt. If you wish to add a particular item, you can use an “M code” to do that quickly. For example, 2M3+M4 translates to two lemonades and one coffee.

3) Barcode Scanner:

When you scan the barcode, the sales item will automatically appear in the app. If you press and hold, you can proceed to select any quantity.

I have too many sales items. Is there a way to sort them?

Yes, you can group sales items into categories. You can also assign different colors to the categories. By selecting a specific color, you can have the app display items only of this selected color.

Can the product selection be modified before the receipt is printed?

On the summary page, double tap the list of items before generating the receipt. You will see plus and minus buttons to add or remove items. It is possible to also undo to the product selection or add more items.

What is the M button on the calculator for?

The “M code” is an abbreviation for sales items on your list. The M button is used to simplify the entry of these codes on the calculator. For example, 2M3+M4 translates to two lemonades and one coffee. If you can’t remember what code you should use, you can double tap the M button and a list of all your shortcuts and sales items will pop up.

How to enter a discount on a receipt?

On the summary screen, double tap the receipt. A button to enter a discount will pop up. You can enter a percentage or absolute discount.

How to cancel a receipt?

On the receipt preview, tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select the option to cancel the receipt.

If the receipt has an assigned number, it is only possible to delete the last receipt created. It is to prevent gaps in receipt sequences.

If you need to cancel a receipt other than the last one (for example when issuing a refund), you have to invalidate it by issuing a new, negative receipt with the same value. This brings the sum of sales to zero.

How does receipt numbering work?

Elementary POS allows you to have multiple cash registers at the same time. The app can also issue receipts offline. That is why each of your cash registers has a different prefix in the receipt number. This ensures that there are no two receipts with an identical number. And to prevent gaps in numbering, it is not allowed to delete receipts except for the last one created.

If you need to cancel a receipt other than the last one (for example when issuing a refund), you have to invalidate it by issuing a new, negative receipt with the same value. This brings the sum of sales to zero.

The receipt numbering can be turned off in the settings. After that, the deletion of receipts is not limited.

How to add a customer?

On the displayed receipt, tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select the option to add a customer.

Can I view the receipt in PDF?

On the displayed receipt, tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select the option to view the invoice in PDF.

Can the receipt be shared?

Yes. On the receipt preview, you will find the option to share the receipt. A PDF receipt link is shared.

Is it possible to add a custom note visible to the customer on the receipt?

On the displayed receipt, tap on the three dots in the upper right corner and select the option to add a note.

Can cash and card payments be distinguished?

Yes. On the receipt, you will see the options to pay “Cash” and “By card”. Elementary POS will then display how much money should be recorded in the cash register. Information about the payment is also displayed in the sales overview.

Sales items and categories

How to create sales items?

You can create sales items directly in the mobile app. However, we recommend using Elementary POS Office on your desktop for maximum comfort. The easiest way to import sales items is through Excel. Sales items are then automatically synced into the Elementary POS app itself.

What is an M code?

An M code is an abbreviation for entering items via the Calculator. If, for example, you enter the code M3 for the item “Lemonade”, then two lemonades can be typed into the calculator as follows: 2xM3, or even simpler: 2M3.

What is a SKU code?

The SKU code is a unique product code consisting of letters and numbers. It can be any identifier, for example AX566564463.

In the Elementary POS application, the SKU code is used as:

• a unique identifier for the barcode scanner
• a unique identifier for Stock

You do not need to fill in the SKU code if you are not using a barcode scanner or the Stock.

Can I have a sales item with a variable price?

Yes. You can create a sales item without a fixed price. The cash register will ask you to enter the price when selecting the item for the receipt.

How to create sales categories?

You create sales categories in the Elementary POS Office. Determine which categories are relevant to the products or services you provide. You can categorize your items, for example, as “Beverages”, and then further divide those into “Alcoholic” and “Non-alcoholic”. Categories can also be nested within each other.

Can sales be tracked by category?

Yes, in the sales report, you can easily find out which product categories brought you the greatest revenue. You can download the sales report in Excel in the Elementary POS Office.

It is also possible to track your profit according to superior categories.

Can I track which category brings the most profit?

Yes, while going through your sales report, you can easily find out which category of goods brings the highest profit. You can download the report to Excel (or Libre Office) in the Elementary POS Office.

It is also possible to track profit according to superior categories.

Is it possible to nest categories?

Yes. You can categorize your items, for example, as “Beverages”, and then further divide those into “Alcoholic” and “Non-alcoholic”.

Printing receipts

What printers are supported?

Elementary POS works on most Bluetooth or USB printers that support the POS standard. See a list of all supported printers.

Should I go for a Bluetooth or a USB printer?

The Bluetooth printer is wireless, so it’s easier to carry with you. USB printers are suitable for fixed spots, where you just install them and not move around too much. Some USB printers also offer a cash drawer connection, which means that you can set up for it to open automatically upon completing a sale.

Is it possible to print the company logo on the receipt?

Yes. It is possible to set the logo in the Elementary POS office. However, not all printers allow logo printing.

Can receipts be printed on a large printer?

Yes. However, it is necessary to install a driver issued by the printer manufacturer into your phone. The printing itself takes place outside Elementary POS.

What are ESC POS codes?

These are some of the codes that control the printer. Thanks to ESC codes, it is possible to change fonts, do some basic formatting, set up language encoding (diacritics – if necessary), or crop the paper.

Is it possible to crop the paper after printing the receipt?

Yes, if the printer supports cropping. It can be set up directly in Elementary POS, in the print settings.

Is it possible to set the cash drawer to open automatically after printing the receipt?

Yes. Some printers offer a cash drawer connection. After printing the receipt, Elementary POS sends a signal to the printer, which forwards the instruction to the cash drawer.

The cash drawer opening settings can be found directly in the Elementary POS app, in the Printing settings.

What is ECO printing?

If you select ECO printing, then instead of a receipt, only a website link to view it will be printed. By visiting this link, the full receipt can be viewed and downloaded.

Is it possible to automatically print a receipt?

Yes. In the Print settings, select the Automatic Printing option. A receipt is printed as soon as a certain type of payment (card, cash) is made.

Stock

Can Elementary POS register items into the Stock feature?

Yes. If you wish to register a sales item in Stock, you must first assign it a SKU code. After that, the item will appear in Stock.

The free Elementary POS tariff only allows you to enter the SKU code for 4 items.

How do I add items to Stock?

You edit the Stock inventory in the Elementary POS Office. The Stock feature is connected to your Elementary POS app, and when online, the number of items in Stock is automatically updated. Therefore, if a sale is made through the mobile cash register, the amount of that item in Stock will also decrease.

Where can I view the number of items that are currently in Stock?

We will once again refer you to the Elementary POS Office. You can either view the current Stock status directly in the Office, or you can download a report to Excel (or Libre Office).

Can both profits and losses be tracked?

Yes. In the Stock report, you are able to view both the profits and losses for individual items and categories.

How to stock and sell items by units?

1. In the main menu of the office, choose “Sales items settings” and then “Stock item”.
2. Click on “New stock item” and enter your beer barrel’s name, SKU code, volume, purchase price and the preferred unit.
3. Go to “Stock status”, tap on your beer barrel and add a chosen volume of the product, for example, 50 litres of beer.
4. In the main menu of the office, choose “Sales item.” Set up separate sales items for all sizes of beers you’re selling. In the details of the sales item, select “Combination of sales items.” After this, you’ll be entering the “source” from which you’ll be selling, which is your beer barrel, the amount, and the unit.

Users

I have several employees. Can I have multiple users in Elementary POS?

Yes. Each user has their separate login data (name and password).

I don’t want my employees to have access to the Elementary POS Office.

Elementary POS allows you to set up a Role for each user (learn more about Roles in the question below). To limit your employees’ access to the Office, you can assign them the “salesperson” role. This will allow them to create receipts, but won’t have access to other features of the app.

What Roles can a user have?

There are 4 types of Roles in Elementary POS:

• Manager – An Admin role that has access to everything.
• Accountant – Has access to the Elementary POS Office. Can track sales, but not create receipts.
• Seller – Can create receipts in the mobile app, but does not have access to any other features.
• Part-time help – A user with this role can sell and issue receipts, but cannot access any sales data. Suitable if, for example, you have season workers.

Would you like to read about Roles more in detail? Then we wrote this article just for you.

Can the user (login) name be changed?

That is not possible. You can only change the e-mail and Roles.

How do Shifts work?

The opportunity to start a Shift is automatically offered to the seller immediately after they log into the app. At the beginning of the Shift, the seller logs in with their name and password. All sales made during the Shift are attributed to that seller. At the end of the Shift, the seller sees how much cash should be in the cash register. When logging out of a Shift, the seller can enter a custom note. The Shift must be ended manually.

In the Elementary POS Office, it is possible to track when the seller closed the Shift and what the number of cash and card sales was.

Bar codes, scanner

Is it possible to use my phone camera or an external scanner to scan barcodes?

Yes, both options are possible. Just turn on the barcode reader in Elementary POS app settings.

Where is the barcode value entered?

It is entered for each sales item as its unique SKU code. You can scan the code at the touch of a button – no need to enter the code manually.

How does product selection work using a barcode?

Aim the barcode scanner at the barcode. As soon as the app reads the barcode, the respective sales item will appear on the device’s display. By short tapping it, you can edit the quantity. If you’d like to add a large number of these items at the same time, press and hold the item to enter the amount manually.

I would like to use a mobile barcode scanner for restocking in the Elementary POS Office. Is that possible?

Yes. In the mobile app, select the remote barcode scanner in the settings. What you scan will also automatically appear in the Elementary POS Office.

Sales export

How does the sales report work?

In Elementary POS Office, you have the option to export sales data from a selected period.

You can open the sales report in Excel (or Libre Office). The data can be then easily handled by an accountant.

What can I find in the sales report?

Sales made by all users and their respective devices can be viewed in the report.

Data available for each sale:

•  date
•  ID number
• item name
• price
• VAT
• type of payment (cash, card)
• cash register number
• username
• link to the PDF document
• SKU code
• note (if entered)
• customer name (if entered)

The Report contains multiple tabs, each of which groups sales by the following categories:

• by date
• by sales item
• by category
• by cash register
• by payment (cash, card)
• by user
• by SKU
• by tax
• by customer
• by shifts

What can I find in the Stock report?

• SKU codes
• Name of the items
• Stock status at the beginning of the selected period
• Stock status at the end of the selected period
• Purchases made to Stock
• Sales from Stock
• Gross and net profit (these values are only indicative)

Both individual sales items and whole categories can be tracked and filtered in Stock reports..

How to send a sales report to the accountant?

Add your accountant to your Elementary POS tariff as a new user and assign them the respective Role. The Accountant can then log into the Elementary POS Office and access the required data.

Accounts and bills per table

Is it possible to create a bill for per table in the app?

Yes, you can create a “permanent” bill and even enter a custom name for it.

What is the difference between a permanent and a temporary bill?

The temporary bill will automatically disappear once it is paid. You want to use temporary bills for your individual customers, and permanent bills if for groups of customers that have come together, such as those sitting at the same table.

Is it possible to split a bill into multiple receipts?

Yes. Press the “Split bill” button on the bill preview screen.

If I have multiple cash registers, are the bills shared among them?

Yes, bills are automatically shared between cash registers. You can, for example, receive orders at one cash register, and issue receipts at another one at the same time.

Do I need Internet connection to use bills?

Yes, unfortunately, your bills are not fully functional without Internet. If you’re not connected, you can view your current bills, but you can’t make changes to them.

A possible solution is to add the Elementary POS Offline Server to the system, which will ensure functionality even without Internet.

Can a meal order ticket be sent to the kitchen after adding an item to the account?

Yes. In Elementary POS, open “Orders” in the settings. As soon as a new meal order is issued, it will be printed automatically.

Ordering

How do orders work?

Once a customer places an order for a sales item, such as a soda for a specific table, an order is created. You can view the order on any device, such as the order display in the kitchen.

How do I create an order?

There are three options:

1. The waiter adds the sales item to the bill, and the order is created automatically.
2. The waiter creates a receipt, and the order is created automatically. This feature needs to be manually turned on in the settings.
3. The customer places a remote order via their phone and QR code.

It depends on you which system suits you. You can also combine these options.

What are the order processing options?

Elementary POS is very flexible in how orders are processed. Here are the most common use cases:

1. The waiter adds the items to the bill according to the customer’s order. The waiter sees when the order is ready (via the order display) and delivers the order.
2. The customer pays first, and then waits for the delivery of the order or picks it up. Completed orders can be seen on the order display.
3. The customer orders via their mobile phone. They then pick up the order or have the waiterdeliver it to them. The customer can see the completed order on their phone or on the order display. The customer can pay right there or later.

Can I have multiple order displays? One for the kitchen and one for the bar?

Yes, you can have multiple order displays. If you wish to differentiate sales items so that drinks go straight to the bar and food goes to the kitchen, you can adjust these settings in the order display configuration. Items are distinguished by color.

When is an order created?

By default, an order is created when you add a sales item to an account, such as a soda for a specific table. You can also choose to create the order upon payment (generating a receipt). This option is suitable for caseswhere the customer pays first and then waits for the order.

What happens while the order is processed?

While an order is being processed, it will be marked as “For Delivery”. This way, the waiter knows what and where to deliver.

Is it possible to have two order displays, with one showing pending orders and the other showing completed orders?

Yes, this can be configured in the order display settings.

Can the order be printed and can there be a sound alert for it?

Yes, the order can be printed, and you can set up a sound alert for it.

Are orders only useful for restaurants and gastronomy in general?

No, orders can also be used, for example, to request goods from a warehouse.

How to add a note to an order?

When selecting a sales item, long press the sales item button. You will then have the option to insert a note.This note will be visible also to the kitchen or bar staff.

How does remote ordering by a customer over the phone work?

1. The customer scans the QR code with their phone.
2. The customer is taken to a simple web page where they can place an order.
3. After ordering, a temporary account with a unique order number is automatically created. At the same time, an order is created.
4. The customer can see the order number and status and can add a new item to their order at any time. The account number remains the same.
5. The account number is visible to the waiter and can also be seen on the order display.
6. After the customer pays the order at the checkout, the temporary account is closed.

Where is the QR code for remote ordering?

The QR code can be found in the Elementary POS Office.  In the remote ordering settings, you can specify which sales categories will be displayed to the customers for remote ordering.

Why does remote order numbering start at #30?

In the case of remote orders via QR code, the numbering of orders is set to start at 30. This is so that remote orders do not get confused with open bills (tables), if you have them set up in the application.

How to manually change the remote order number?

In the Orders in Progress tab, tap on the order where you want to change the number. Next, tap the order number in the upper left corner of the screen. Now you can edit the order number.

Credit card integration

Can I connect Elementary POS to a payment terminal?

Yes. The following payment terminals are currently supported:

• SumUp
• MyPos SMART N5, Carbon, F20.

How does the connection with the payment terminal work?

After generating a receipt, select payment by card. The amount is automatically transferred to the terminal. After the payment, a confirmation is automatically printed.

Can the amount sent to the payment terminal be edited? For example, in the case of receiving a tip.

Yes. After selecting payment by card, tap on the pencil icon above the displayed amount to edit it.

Can card payments be recorded even if I don’t have a SumUp or MyPos terminal?

Yes. Select payment “By card” on the receipt preview screen. There will be no connection to the terminal, but you will have a registered information for your reports that this payment was not in cash.

Integration into other systems

Is it possible to connect the XXX system to Elementary POS?

Yes, we do provide a simple API.

How does API authorization work?

You create an API key in the Elementary POS Office. This key must then be sent in the request header.

I would like a feature added, but it is not included in the API. Is it possible to add it?

Yes, get in touch with us. We are happy to enrich the API.

Any further questions?

If you did not find the answer to yours, let us know. Please use Elementary POS forum.

We will be happy to answer you. You can also check Elementary POS Video tutorials.