> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dishink.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Creating Sales
> The four-tab POS layout, the three-column checkout, the Bill Ready gate, and every payment method flow.
## Overview
The DishInk POS is organised into **four tabs** across the top:
| Tab | What it's for |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Table / Quick Sale Checkout** | The default working screen — active tables and the checkout panel. |
| **Quick Sale** | Fast counter service (cafés, bars, takeaway) with no table. |
| **Shift** | Every transaction you (or your whole team, if you're a manager) processed in a date range. |
| **Batch Invoice** | Consolidated cash-out report for end-of-shift or end-of-day reconciliation. |
If this device has never claimed a terminal, the **Terminal Setup** screen appears first. See [Terminal Setup](/pos/terminal-setup).
## The Checkout Screen (Three Columns)
On the **Table / Quick Sale Checkout** tab, the screen is split into three columns:
1. **Active Tables** (left) — every open session on your terminal.
2. **Bill View** (middle) — the selected table's running bill.
3. **Payment Panel** (right) — payment methods, discount, and split.
### Column 1: Active Tables
Every open session on this terminal, filterable by status. The filter chips show live counts:
* **All** — everything
* **Pending** — bill request sent from the Waiter App, not yet handled
* **Billing** — customer has asked to pay
* **Ordering** — order is still open, guests still adding
* **Served** — food delivered, awaiting the ask for the bill
* **Open** — session created, no items yet
Paid table cards show extra kitchen-status badges so you know when the food is out:
| Badge | Colour | Meaning |
| --------------------- | ------- | --------------------------------------- |
| **Paid — In Kitchen** | Blue | Ticket accepted by KDS, not yet started |
| **Paid — Cooking** | Blue | Kitchen has started preparing |
| **Paid — Ready** | Emerald | KDS has marked ready for pickup |
Paid takeaway/counter orders show a **"Has the customer collected?"** prompt 15 minutes after payment (the `PaidServedCard` auto-timer). Tap **Yes** to clear the card, or **Not Yet** to snooze.
### Manager Toggles
Managers with the right permissions see two extra toggles above the table list:
* **All Terminals** — see open sessions from every terminal, not just this one (requires *Manage Terminals*).
* **All Tables** — see every table, ignoring waiter assignments (requires *View All Tables*).
Waiters without *View All Tables* only see the tables they were assigned to for this shift.
### Column 2: Bill View
Shows the items on the selected session, discount line, tax, tip, and total. Long-press or tap an item to void a single line (see [Voids](/pos/voids)).
### Column 3: Payment Panel
Four large buttons: **Cash**, **Mobile Money**, **Card**, **Split Bill**. Below them, an **Apply Discount / Manager Override** button.
## Take a Table Sale — Step by Step
The waiter opens the table on the Waiter App and takes the order. See [Opening Tables](/waiter/opening-tables) and [Taking Orders](/waiter/taking-orders). The session appears immediately on the POS in the **Ordering** status.
When the customer asks for the bill, the waiter taps **Request Bill** on the Waiter App. Your POS shows a **Bill Request** toast (with a sound if enabled) and the session flips to **Billing**.
Tap the table card in the Active Tables column. The Bill View loads on the right.
Tap **Preview Receipt** to show the customer their total before charging. On a table sale, the preview has a **Mark as Awaiting Payment** option — useful when the customer needs a minute.
Tap the payment method (Cash / Mobile Money / Card / Split Bill). The Charge Modal opens on the right side of the screen — see the per-method flows below.
Tap **Charge K …** at the bottom of the modal. The Smart Invoice submits to ZRA, the receipt prints, and the session closes.
## The Bill Ready Gate
The **Charge** button is locked until *both* of the following are true:
* Every item on the session is `ready` or `served` **OR** the session status is `billing`, `served`, or `pending_payment`.
* The session is not currently in a split-active state (see [Split Bills](/pos/split-bills)).
If a customer is trying to pay while food is still being cooked, you'll see a hint that says *"Waiting for kitchen — bill locked."* This prevents charging for items that could still be voided by the kitchen.
## Payment Method Flows
### Cash
* Type or tap **Tendered** on the number pad, or pick a **Quick Select** chip (`K10`, `K20`, `K50`, `K100`, `K200`, `K500`).
* Tap **Exact — K…** to auto-fill the exact amount.
* If the tendered amount is more than the bill, DishInk shows a **Leave change as tip?** choice: **Give Change** or **Tip · K…**.
* Optionally add an explicit tip (percent chip: 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or fixed amount) — this is *added on top of* the bill.
### Mobile Money
* Pick a provider: **MTN MoMo**, **Airtel Money**, or **Zamtel Kwacha**.
* Enter the transaction reference (e.g. `MP250529.1830.A12345`) — optional but strongly recommended for reconciliation.
* Optionally add a tip.
### Card
* Process the card on your bank's terminal first.
* Enter the terminal slip ID (optional, e.g. `SLIP-4821`).
* Optionally add a tip.
### Split Bill
Opens the Split Configure panel. See [Split Bills](/pos/split-bills).
## Offline Resilience
The POS runs on a **3-tier fallback**:
1. **Cloud** — normal state, everything syncs live.
2. **LAN** — if the internet drops, the POS keeps working against the local LAN server.
3. **Local Storage** — if the LAN is also down, sales queue locally on the device.
Queued payments show a **Payment Queue** banner at the top of the screen. When the network comes back, the queue auto-replays and each transaction submits to ZRA in order.
Voids require an active internet connection (the void button is grayed out offline). Refunds *can* be queued offline. See [Voids](/pos/voids) and [Refunds](/pos/refunds).
## Bill Request Toasts
Every bill request from the Waiter App triggers a toast on every POS terminal that can see the table. There's a small speaker icon on the toast to toggle the alert sound — the preference is saved per device in `pos_bill_sound` local storage.
## Tips & Best Practices
* Keep the **Billing** filter selected during peak hours — you'll only see tables that need charging.
* Use **Preview Receipt** before charging split bills or discount overrides — customers get a chance to spot mistakes.
* If two cashiers get the same bill request, whoever charges first wins. The second cashier's screen will show the session as closed.
* Turn the bill-request sound off at bar terminals where waiters don't need it, and on at the cashier till.
## Common Mistakes
* **Trying to charge with the kitchen still cooking.** The Bill Ready gate locks payment. Wait for KDS to mark items ready, or move the customer to *Awaiting Payment* using the receipt preview.
* **Charging without picking a session first.** The Payment Panel is disabled until you tap a table card.
* **Adding a tip *and* leaving the change as tip.** Only one applies — the explicit tip wins. Watch the *Bill + Tip = Total* summary line above the Charge button.
* **Trying to void offline.** Voids need the internet; they're grayed out and require same-day. Use a refund instead if the day has rolled over.
## Related Pages
* [Quick Sales](/pos/quick-sales)
* [Table Billing](/pos/table-billing)
* [Split Bills](/pos/split-bills)
* [Partial Payments](/pos/partial-payments)
* [Discounts](/pos/discounts)
* [Voids](/pos/voids)
* [Refunds](/pos/refunds)
* [Batch Invoice Cash Out](/pos/batch-cash-out)