What to do when your till has no internet connection

A till without an internet connection can still record sales if it has an offline mode. That doesn't mean every payment method works. The connections of the till app, the payment terminal and online orders each need to be checked separately.

Solmio stores sales on the device during an outage and moves the data to your reports once the connection is back. Card payments depend on the payment terminal, its connection and the payment provider's terms.

Find out where the connection is missing

First check whether the problem affects one till, a payment terminal or the whole point of sale. Write down the error message on the screen and what you were doing when the problem started. This helps support find the fault.

If a payment was left in an unclear state, check the status of the transaction using the terminal's instructions or with support before charging again. A connection error alone doesn't tell you whether the payment succeeded.

Don't delete the till app's data to fix the problem. The device may hold transactions that have not yet been sent to the service. Follow the instructions for your own device and ask Solmio support for help if needed.

What does offline mode mean for sales?

In offline mode, sales data can be stored on the till device to be sent later. A report viewed on another device may then not include the latest sales. Nor should you rely on other tills or the online shop being up to date during an outage.

A market trader, for example, may need a working till without Wi-Fi at the stall. A handheld till on the mobile network covers this as long as the mobile connection works. If that goes down too, the available payment methods need to be assessed separately.

Can customers pay by card?

Card payments usually need a network connection. Some payment providers also support offline payments. The terminal's own connection may work even if the Wi-Fi used by the till is down. Even then, you need to make sure how the terminal works together with the till in your particular setup.

Don't assume offline payments are a feature of your device: check with your payment provider which payment methods can be used and on what terms.

Mobile payments and lunch benefits may also need a connection. Agree in advance which payment methods staff can offer during an outage.

Plan a backup connection in advance

Go through the connections of both the till and the payment terminal with your supplier. Find out whether the devices switch to the backup connection automatically or whether staff need to act. Try the procedure at a quiet time, following the supplier's instructions.

At an event, the public mobile network can get congested as the crowd grows. Connections and how to secure them are worth planning as part of the event's till services. Read more about preparing an event.

Check the transactions once the connection is back

Make sure the sales stored on the device move to your reports. Go through any unclear payments with support, using the data from the terminal and the till. This way missing entries or double charges can be sorted out.

Also write down which connection failed and how the situation was solved. It helps you prepare better next time.

Keep this information at the till

• Contact details for till support and your payment provider.
• Identification details of the till device and the payment terminal.
• Instructions for using the backup connection.
• The payment methods agreed for an outage.
• Instructions for checking an unclear transaction.
• Who is responsible for checking transactions once the connection is back.

Contact us if you want to plan your till connections and preparedness before you start. For an ongoing problem, get help on the support page.