Offline Capabilities

Overview

This article describes the offline capabilities within Genius POS and its workflows when a location’s system is offline.

Identify When Offline

Within the POS, you can tell at a quick glance if it has lost its internet connection by looking at the Cloud Sync icon at the top of the screen. If the connection is lost, the POS displays the icon with a red badge and a number in its corner. This indicates that the tablet is not communicating with the cloud and may be unable to communicate with the Internet.

No Wi-Fi Watermark

The POS displays the No Wi-Fi watermark when the iPad is not connected to a local network. The No Wi-Fi watermark will not show when the tablet is connected to a network locally but has no internet. The watermark does not necessarily mean that the location has lost its connection to the internet. Instead, it means that the tablet is not connected to the proper network.

Guest Display

The Guest Display connects to the paired iPad automatically over Ethernet, WiFi, or Bluetooth using Apple's Multipeer Connectivity. While internet connection is not required for normal operations of a guest display, internet connectivity is required for first time logins to the restaurant to receive configuration data and images from the portal.

Kiosk

Kiosk requires Internet connectivity because Genius uses the same basic framework for accepting Kiosk orders as it uses for online orders. This is also true for any orders placed with the Guest App.

Reports

Since reports receive their data directly from the cloud, internet connection is required to access reports from the POS application. When trying to access reports without an internet connection, the tablet will try to connect to the internet for a few moments until the software times out. This includes time punch management.

Changing PIN

You cannot change your PIN number in the POS without an active internet connection.

Offline Transactions

Currently, you can perform offline transactions with a MSR while using the Monetary or Bridgepay payment gateways. The best practice when setting up Monetary and Bridgpay is to run a transaction through the MSR while offline.

When setting up Monetary and Bridgpay, we recommend you run a transaction through the MSR while offline. Then bring the iPads back online and then authorize the transaction. This will verify that it can process both offline and online transactions.

Configuring Location Settings for Offline Transactions

For a location to perform offline transactions, you must configure its transaction settings in the Admin Console.

1. Log into the Admin Console’s Main Menu, click Location Setup.
2. In the Location Settings screen, in the Transaction Settings area, select the Offline Transactions check box.
   
3. Click Save, then click Publish.

If this setting is not enabled when a location goes offline, staff will be unable to use offline mode.

Configuring the Payment Gateway

To process transactions offline, the location must use either the Monetary or Bridgepay payment gateway.

BridgePay

1. Follow the BridgePay setup guide here.
2. In the Main Menu, under Location Setup, click Payment Gateway.
3. In the Payment Gateway screen, in the BridgePay Settings area, enter the login credentials for the BridgePay gateway.
4. Click Save, then click Publish.
5. Run a test transaction online to verify that the location can accept transactions.

Monetary

1. Fill out the Monetary Boarding Form.
2. When you receive your Public and Secret Keys, input them into the Monetary Settings.
3. In the Main Menu, under Location Setup, click Payment Gateway.
4. In the Payment Gateway screen, in the Monetary Settings area, enter the necessary settings for the Monetary gateway.
5. Click Save, then click Publish.
6. Run a test transaction online to make sure the location can accept transactions.

Offline Workflow

When you notice that the POS has no internet connection and cannot process credit cards, perform the following steps.

1. In the POS, tap  in the top right corner.
   The app displays a list of options.
2. Tap Manager, then tap General.
3. In the General Settings screen, enable the Force Offline Credit Card Processing setting.
   
   A yellow icon will display in the top panel to indicate that the POS is currently processing cards offline.
   Note: Credit cards are not authorized while the POS is offline. Later, when the site restores its internet connection and authorizes its offline transactions, it does risk not receiving payment for a ticket if its card is declined or has insufficient funds.
4. To pay a ticket with a credit card, access an open ticket and then tap Checkout.
5. Swipe the card on the MSR or enter the credit card number manually.
   If you are using EMV solutions, you may need to detach the payment terminals to manually enter credit card numbers while offline. When the internet connection is restored, reattach the payment terminals.
   The POS will approve the credit card, mark the ticket as Offline, and display the ticket as purple.
6. When the location’s internet connection is restored, tap the yellow icon in the top panel.
7. Tap Touch to show in Settings.
8. In the General Settings screen, disable the Force Offline Credit Card Processing setting.

Authorization Workflow

You can also approve pending authorizations within the Daily Review screen.

1. In the POS, tap  in the top right corner.
   The app displays a list of options.
2. Tap Manager, then tap Daily Review.
3. In the Daily Review screen, tap Tickets.
4. Tap Authorize All to authorize all the tickets with pending authorizations.

Tickets can also have pending tips. To process tips in the Daily Review screen, tap Tips, then tap Capture Tips.

Approving Pending Authorizations from Within a Ticket

1. In the POS, locate a ticket that needs to be authorized.
2. Tap the Payment box near the bottom of the ticket.
3. Tap Auth.

If the card is valid and the internet is connected, the POS will receive an approval. If it is declined, it is likely an invalid card.