Using the POS offline

When the restaurant's internet drops, the Point of sale keeps working on the device: it takes orders, prints kitchen tickets and bills at the counter, and records payments. Everything it did is sent to AirQR exactly once when the connection comes back. The POS, and so offline mode, is included in every plan.

Preparing each POS device for offline use

Offline mode only works on a device that has opened the POS while online at least once. Do this on every counter device before you need it:

1. Sign in and open Point of sale while connected. AirQR saves the menu, tables, open checks and outlet settings on the device, and registers it with a code such as C1.
2. Leave it open for a minute. The device reserves offline bill numbers (C1-0001, C1-0002…).
3. For paper during outages, connect the counter's kitchen and bill printer by USB or Bluetooth and keep Print station open in the same browser (see USB and Bluetooth printers).
4. Optionally install the POS as an app (see Point of sale basics).

Each device has its own number series, so two devices never clash. A device that has never opened the POS shows "You're offline, and this device has no offline copy of the POS yet."

What works offline on the POS

• Open a check: dine-in on a table, or takeaway with name and phone. It gets an offline reference such as C1-0007.
• Send rounds with sizes, add-ons and kitchen notes. The KOT prints on this device.
• Add rounds to checks that were already open before the outage.
• Give a discount (percent or amount), if your role allows. A reason is required and is reviewed after sync.
• Remove the service charge from a dine-in bill (and add it back), if your role allows discounts. The reason is optional; the change syncs with the check.
• Take payments: Cash (with change), Card, UPI (the QR is drawn on the device) and Other, including split payments.
• Close a fully paid check. The bill prints as a provisional bill, for example "BILL C1-0007 (PROVISIONAL)".
• Cancel a check that nothing was sent on.
• Reprint last KOT and Print bill.
• Reload the page or restart the browser; the POS still opens.

An unsent order is kept if the page reloads

The POS keeps the order you're typing, with its dishes, notes, table and guest details, on the device as you go. If the page reloads, the browser crashes or the internet drops mid-order, the order comes back with a note, "We restored an unsent order from 6:42 PM", and Discard if you don't want it. It's removed once the order is sent or saved for syncing, or when you clear the cart or sign out. It stays on that device for the outlet and the person who typed it; nobody else who signs in on the same browser sees it.

What doesn't work offline

These need the internet:

• Changing or removing items that were already sent to the kitchen. Tell the kitchen, and change it when you're back online.
• Coupon codes and loyalty points.
• Coupon codes and loyalty points. Automatic offers (like happy hour) still apply offline when you send a round, so the guest pays the same as the synced bill.
• Moving tables, the order details page, reports and menu editing. Other dashboard pages show a "You're offline" message.
• Record refund and the Payment QR button on the online POS. The refund window says "Refunds need the internet. Record it once this device is back online." Give the money back as usual and record the refund when you're back online. (The offline POS still shows a UPI QR in its own payment window.)

Other devices don't see offline orders until this device syncs: kitchen displays on other devices, QR table ordering, online orders, the floor plan and reports. That's why the KOT prints at the counter; the kitchen works from paper until the connection is back. LAN or Wi-Fi printers run through the print bridge can't take new jobs while offline.

For UPI, the guest's phone needs data. Confirm the money arrived in your UPI app before recording it.

Knowing when you're offline

The connection pill at the top of the dashboard shows Online, Offline, Offline · (n) waiting or Syncing…. The POS goes offline when the browser has no network, or when AirQR can't be reached twice in a row (Wi-Fi up but internet down). On a flaky connection, open the pill and press Work offline so the POS stops waiting on the network.

If the internet drops while you're sending an order, the POS switches to offline mode with that order: "Connection lost — switched to offline mode with this order. If the kitchen already got it, don't send it again."

How syncing works

When the connection returns, the POS sends every offline change in order, and each is applied exactly once, even if sending is retried. Order numbers and takeaway tokens are given at sync time; the offline reference stays on the order. Rounds that printed at the counter arrive on the kitchen display as already served, so nothing is cooked twice.

The POS shows "Back online — everything is synced." Press Sync now (or Sync / retry now) to push immediately.

Don't sign out with unsynced changes: signing out deletes them from the device. AirQR warns you first ("… offline changes haven't synced yet … Signing out deletes them from this device.").

Reviewing changes and conflicts (POS → Changes and the sync page)

• On the POS, Changes · (n) opens Offline changes: what's waiting, what was refused and why, and Recently synced from this device. Full sync log opens the sync page.
• The Offline sync page (open it with Full sync log on the POS, or Sync log in the connection pill) shows this device's queue, all POS devices at (outlet) with their last sync, and, for owners and managers, the last 7 days of offline changes that were refused or applied with changes, each linked to its order. Press Show every synced change to see everything, or Only what needs a look to go back.

Common conflicts and what AirQR does:

A refused change stays on the device and retries by itself (fixing the menu can let it through). A manager can Discard it after review; it then never reaches AirQR.

Troubleshooting offline POS

If orders were lost or sync keeps failing, contact support: +91 96573 22724 (call or WhatsApp) or support@airqr.in.