Dispensers are virtual profiles for configuring dispensing devices such as beverage tap systems, coffee machines, or vending machines. Each profile defines the mappings for products, operating mode, users, and tables for a specific dispensing device.
A corresponding license is required to work with dispensers. New dispenser profiles can only be created by Support.
Overview
The term "Dispenser" does not only refer to classic beverage tap systems for beer and other drinks. bessa supports all dispensing devices that use one of the supported protocols, including fully automatic coffee machines, cocktail machines, vending machines, and other dispensing equipment.
The hardware connection (USB or network) and communication protocol are configured directly on the POS terminal. For more information, see Tap Systems.
Configuration Areas
The dispenser configuration is divided into four areas: Dispenser, Products, Users, and Tables.
Dispenser
In the Dispenser area, you define the basic settings for the profile.
Name: Assign a descriptive name for the dispenser profile, for example "Main Bar Tap" or "Counter Coffee Machine".
Mode: The operating mode determines how transactions are processed between the POS and dispensing device.
|
Mode |
Description |
Typical Use Case |
|---|---|---|
|
Credit |
Products are only released at the dispenser after being booked on the POS |
Classic table service: The server takes the order at the table, books it on the POS, and then dispenses at the tap |
|
Debit |
Dispensing at the tap automatically triggers a booking on the POS |
Bar operations with high turnover: Direct dispensing at the tap without prior POS booking – ideal when speed is more important than pre-booking |
|
Credit & Debit |
Combined mixed operation of both modes |
Flexible hospitality businesses: Servers work in credit mode for table bookings, while debit mode is used for direct dispensing at the bar |
Recommendation for mode selection: Use Credit mode for controlled workflows with a clear booking sequence. Debit mode is suitable for fast-paced bar operations where efficiency is paramount. Mixed operation offers maximum flexibility for businesses with different service areas.
Products
In the Products area, you map POS products to the PLU numbers (Price Look-Up) of the tap system.
Basic mapping: Each product from the POS system is assigned to a corresponding PLU on the dispenser. A PLU always stands for one fixed portion whose size is configured on the dispenser (e.g., 2 cl, 4 cl, 1/8 l, 1/4 l, 1/2 l). The POS only transmits the PLU and the number of whole portions — the interface has no notion of partial quantities such as "0.1 l of soda".
As a consequence, every portion that is dispensed needs its own PLU on the dispenser and its own article on the POS. Beer 1/4 l and beer 1/2 l are therefore two PLUs and two articles.
Mixed drinks
There are two ways to set up mixed drinks such as a spritzer or a shandy:
|
Way |
When |
Mapping in the dispenser profile |
|---|---|---|
|
Mixed drink on the dispenser |
The dispenser has the drink programmed as a PLU of its own and dispenses the components internally |
Only the sold article (e.g., "White spritzer 1/4") is mapped to this PLU |
|
Recipe on the POS |
The dispenser only knows the individual portions |
Each component is a portion article of its own with its own PLU; the sold article gets a recipe made of these portion articles |
With a recipe, the POS releases each component as a portion of its own at the dispenser when the order is booked. Each component counts exactly once per drink sold — a recipe has no quantity per component. The portion size therefore lives in the portion article itself: "White wine 1/8" rather than "White wine, quantity 0.125".
Map either the mixed drink or its components to a PLU, never both. Otherwise the POS releases the drink and each of its components on top.
Examples of recipes made of portions
|
Sold article |
Recipe made of portion articles |
Volume content of the portion articles |
|---|---|---|
|
White spritzer 1/4 |
White wine 1/8 + soda 1/8 |
0.125 + 0.125 |
|
White spritzer 1/2 |
White wine 1/4 + soda 1/4 |
0.25 + 0.25 |
|
Summer spritzer 1/4 |
White wine 1/16 + soda 3/16 |
0.0625 + 0.1875 |
|
Shandy 1/2 |
Beer 1/4 + lemonade 1/4 |
0.25 + 0.25 |
|
Rum and cola |
Rum 4 cl + cola 0.2 |
0.04 + 0.2 |
|
Aperol Spritz |
Aperol 6 cl + prosecco 9 cl + soda 3 cl |
0.06 + 0.09 + 0.03 |
The large spritzer does not use white wine 1/8 and soda 1/8 twice each: an article can only appear once in a recipe. The dispenser needs a 1/4 portion of white wine and a 1/4 portion of soda for it. The same applies to 1/16 and 3/16 for the summer spritzer — if a portion does not exist on the dispenser, the mixed drink can only be set up as a PLU of its own on the dispenser.
Recommendation for article structure: Define dispenser articles in dedicated article groups. Create the portion articles with the type Inventory so that they appear neither on the ordering screen nor on receipts — the receipt only shows the drink that was sold. For stock tracking, link each portion article to its container via Select main article and Volume content, e.g., "White wine 1/8" with volume content 0.125 to the main article "White wine 1 l" with volume content 1. See Set Up Articles for Inventory Management.
Users
In the Users area, you map POS users to the corresponding user numbers on the dispenser.
Individual mapping: Each POS user receives their own user number on the dispenser. This enables precise tracking of dispensing operations to individual staff members.
Shared user number: In some setups, only one user exists on the dispenser. In this case, all POS users are assigned the same user number.
No mapping: If no user is assigned a number, the system sends user number 0, provided the dispenser supports this.
Tables
In the Tables area, you map tables from the POS system to table numbers on the dispenser.
This mapping is particularly relevant for more complex tap systems. It allows servers to only book drinks that have been allocated to the correct table.
If no table is defined, no table information is transmitted to the dispenser. This is sufficient for simple setups without table allocation.
Related Topics
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Tap Systems – Hardware configuration and supported protocols
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Articles - Create and manage articles
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Users - Create and manage users
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Order Groups - Create and manage order groups
Labels: dispenser, tap-system, beverage-dispenser, pos-system, location-management, coffee-machine, credit, debit, plu