Signature Device Failed – What to Do?

If the note "Signatureinrichtung ausgefallen" ("Signature device failed") appears on your receipts or in the status menu of your bessa POS, this means that the connection to the signature creation unit (SEE) has been interrupted. Don't worry: you can still continue to take payments, and your transactions are fully recorded in the Datenerfassungsprotokoll (DEP).

At a Glance

How Your bessa POS Behaves During an Outage

Automatic Notification

• In the status menu: The Sales Point displays "Signatureinrichtung ausgefallen"

• For each signing operation: You receive a corresponding notice

• On every receipt: The legally required note is automatically printed

Automatic Recovery Attempts

bessa POS automatically tries to restore the connection to the signature device with every invoice and every Nullbeleg printout. In many cases, the issue resolves itself this way.

After Successful Recovery

As soon as the signature device works again:

1. bessa POS automatically creates a collective receipt (Nullbeleg)

2. This receipt summarises all receipts created during the outage

3. The receipt chain is then complete and correct again

Online Signature Messages: Cause and What to Do

If your Sales Point signs online – via A-Trust HSM or bessa Sign –, bessa POS version 6.2.0 and later names the provider and the cause when signing fails. This tells you whether you need to act on site or whether the problem lies with the provider.

The message appears in three places:

• In the status menu as a short line, for example "A-Trust: server certificate expired, for 2 h".

• Under Menu → Settings → Sales Point → Signature Management as the same line, followed by an explanation of what to do.

• In an error dialog when an operation cannot be signed because of the outage – with the same explanation.

Whatever the cause: you keep taking payments in compliance with the RKSV. The Sales Point points this out with "Until then the cash register keeps working and marks its receipts as issued during a signing outage." Receipts carry the legally required outage note, and as soon as the service signs again, the Sales Point automatically closes the receipt chain with a collective receipt.

Server Certificate Expired

The Sales Point explains: "The server certificate of ‹provider› has expired. This is a disruption at the provider – nothing needs to be done on site to restore signing."

The Sales Point therefore cannot establish a secure connection to the provider. This affects all customers of that provider at the same time, not just your Sales Point. Restarting the device, reactivating the signature or printing Nullbelege does not help. Once the provider renews the certificate, the Sales Point signs again with the next receipt.

Provider Disrupted

The Sales Point explains: "‹provider› reports a disruption. This is a problem at the provider – nothing needs to be done on site to restore signing."

The signature service is reachable but reports an error itself. This usually affects many Sales Points at once. The Sales Point retries with every receipt and signs again as soon as the provider has resolved the disruption.

Provider Unreachable

The Sales Point explains: "‹provider› cannot be reached. Please check the internet connection of the cash register – if it works, the disruption is at the provider."

The Sales Point cannot connect to the signature service – no internet connection, a failed name lookup or a timeout.

1. Check the Sales Point's internet connection: do other online functions work, such as sync or card payments?

2. Restart the router or modem if necessary.

3. Print a Nullbeleg once the connection is back.

If the internet works and other Sales Points at other locations report the same outage, the cause lies with the provider. There is then nothing more to do on site.

Access Denied

The Sales Point explains: "‹provider› rejected the access. Please check the credentials for ‹provider› in the Manager."

The signature service rejects the Sales Point's login because the credentials are wrong, blocked or no longer valid. This problem does not resolve itself. The credentials are stored in bessa Manager and were set up by bessa or your reseller. Contact whoever set up the signature. Once the credentials are corrected, print a Nullbeleg to verify.

Signature Certificate Expired

The certificate of your own signature device has expired. For this, the Sales Point still shows "Certificate expired". Getting a new certificate and replacing the signature device is described in Replace the Signature Device.

Outage Without a Cause

If the Sales Point cannot assign the error to a cause, it shows the previous status line "Signature outage since: … h" and, in the error dialog, "Signing unit failed. Please check your device and reactivate signature!" (German: "Signatureinrichtung ausgefallen. Bitte prüfen Sie Gerät und reaktivieren Sie die Signatur!"). Then work through the troubleshooting steps.

You also see this message:

• with card or stick signature, because no online service is involved,

• after restarting the Sales Point, until the next signing attempt fails – only then is the cause known again,

• with bessa POS before version 6.2.0, which shows this message for every cause.

When Is a Nullbeleg Useful?

A Nullbeleg triggers an immediate signing attempt. It is useful after you have fixed something on site – internet connection, credentials, stick or card – to check whether the Sales Point signs again.

If the cause lies with the provider, a Nullbeleg achieves nothing: it does not speed up the fix, and every regular receipt retries the signature anyway.

Step-by-Step: Troubleshooting

For card/stick signature (hardware solution)

Step 1: Check the physical connection

• Is the RKSV stick / card reader plugged in?

• Does the stick light up or blink? (If not → use a different USB port)

• Is the signature card seated correctly in the reader?

Step 2: Reconnect the stick and confirm the USB prompt

1. Unplug the stick / card reader

2. Wait 10 seconds

3. Plug it back in (use a different USB port if needed)

4. If Android asks whether bessa POS may use the card reader: tick "Always" and confirm with OK

5. Print a Nullbeleg to verify

Without the USB permission, the Sales Point cannot read the card. If it shows the message "The USB permission for … is not granted!" (German: "Die USB Berechtigung für … wurde nicht erteilt!"), exactly this permission is missing. How to get the prompt back after answering it wrongly is described in Create the Startbeleg and Register the Cash Register.

Step 3: Restart the system

1. Shut down the Sales Point hardware / computer completely

2. Restart it

3. Unplug the stick and plug it back in – a restart alone does not reliably bring the USB prompt back

4. Print a Nullbeleg to verify

Common stick errors:

If the outage persists after all this, the stick or card itself may be defective.

For online HSM signature (cloud solution)

Step 1: Check the internet connection

• Is the device connected to the internet?

• Do other internet services work?

• Restart the router / modem if necessary

Step 2: Print a Nullbeleg Once the internet connection is restored, print a Nullbeleg to verify the signature.

Possible causes:

• No internet connection or unstable connection

• Brief outage of the HSM service (A-Trust, Globaltrust, etc.)

• Certificate expired (after about 5 years) – contact your reseller

If the message on the Sales Point already names a cause, follow the instructions under Online Signature Messages.

Reporting Obligation to the Tax Office

When Is a Report Required?

A report to the tax office is required if the outage lasts longer than 48 hours (counted in working days).

Automatic Report (with FinanzOnline integration enabled)

If you have activated the FinanzOnline integration in bessa POS:

• ✅ The outage report is sent automatically

• ✅ Resumption of operations is also reported automatically

• ✅ You don't need to take any action

Manual Report (without FinanzOnline integration)

If FinanzOnline integration is not activated, you must report yourself:

1. Log in to FinanzOnline

2. Navigate to: Eingaben → Registrierkassen → Meldung Ausfall/Außerbetriebnahme

3. Specify: start of the outage, reason for the outage

4. After resolution: report resumption of operations in the same way

Issue Not Resolved?

If "Signatureinrichtung ausgefallen" is still displayed after all steps:

Possible Causes

• Hardware defect: card reader, stick or signature card defective

• Certificate expired: RKSV certificates have a validity of about 5 years

• Software issue: driver or configuration error

Next Steps

1. Contact your bessa POS reseller Describe the issue and the steps already taken. State whether you use a card/stick solution or online HSM

2. Have the following information ready: Type of signature device (card/stick or online HSM), since when the outage has been ongoing, error messages (if any), which troubleshooting steps you have already tried

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I continue taking payments while the signature is down?

Yes. You can continue normally. All receipts are stored in the DEP. Receipts are automatically marked with "Signatureinrichtung ausgefallen" – this is compliant with the law.

Will my transactions be lost?

No. All transactions are fully stored in the DEP and, after restoration of the signature, automatically re-signed via a collective receipt.

Do I need to open a support ticket for a provider malfunction?

No. If the message names a certificate problem or a malfunction at the provider, neither you nor your reseller can fix anything on site. The Sales Point signs again automatically as soon as the provider has resolved the problem.

Do I have to inform the tax office immediately?

No. A report is only required if the outage lasts longer than 48 hours (working days). With FinanzOnline integration enabled, this happens automatically.

How much does a new signature card cost?

Signature cards can be ordered directly from the trust service provider (A-Trust, Globaltrust, PrimeSign) or via your reseller. The cost is usually around €30-50.

Legal Basis

The procedure for signature device outages is regulated in § 17 of the Registrierkassensicherheitsverordnung (RKSV):

• § 17 para. 1 RKSV: Reporting obligation for non-temporary outages

• § 17 para. 4 RKSV: Note "Sicherheitseinrichtung ausgefallen" on affected receipts

• BMF decree: Temporary outage = a maximum of 48 hours