Since bessa POS 6.0, a Sales Point's printer setup lives in the cloud. The Printer settings tab in the Sales Point dialog makes it editable remotely: you see which printer is responsible for which purpose, and you change it without standing at the device. Swapping a device or setting up a branch from head office no longer requires an on-site visit.
You will find the tab in the bessa Manager under Locations → Sales Points → ‹Sales Point› → Printer settings, directly to the right of "Card terminal".
What each setting does – copies, font size, feed, buzzer, single Bons, template – is described in one place: under Printer Settings. This page only explains what the Manager adds on top.
Device Settings
At the very top you select the manufacturer. The selection filters the Device settings section below it so that only printers from that manufacturer appear. Pre-selected is the manufacturer already used in an assignment.
The Device settings section holds this Sales Point's printers. That is where you set the print width; as before, it applies globally to the printer in question and not per role.
Assignments
Below that you define which printer serves which purpose:
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the default assignment with the printer roles Invoice, Bon, Report, Cash drawer, and Announcement Bon,
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a separate Printing groups table with the printing groups you created in the Manager.
Every assignment knows exactly three options:
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Selection |
Meaning |
|---|---|
|
Automatic |
The Sales Point picks the printer itself. This is the default. |
|
Do not print |
Nothing is printed for this role or group, deliberately. |
|
One or more specific printers |
The list shows all printers grouped by manufacturer – so you can pick a printer from another manufacturer without changing the manufacturer selection above. From bessa Kassa version 6.2.0, several printers can be assigned, see Several printers per assignment. |
The additional behaviour settings of a row can only be expanded for a specific printer. With "Automatic" and "Do not print" there is nothing to configure, because no device is fixed.
For the Invoice role, "Do not print" is not offered: it must always be possible to print an invoice. For all other roles and for printing groups the option remains available.
On Sales Points fiscalised for Germany or Austria, the Invoice assignment also offers Always print hospitality receipt — the same setting as on the Sales Point, see Print a hospitality receipt.
Several printers per assignment
From bessa Kassa version 6.2.0, an assignment – printer role or printing group – can hold several printers. The same document then goes to each of these printers, each as a print job of its own. Typical uses are two kitchen printers for the same order ticket, or an invoice that also comes out as an A4 printout. What this does at the Sales Point is described under Several printers for one role or printing group.
In the Manager:
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Order: the printers are numbered and served in this order. If needed, you move a further printer to the top. There is no separate label for a "main printer".
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Print width: belongs to the printer, not to the assignment. It can also be edited on an assigned printer, but is written to its Device settings – a change applies to every printer role and printing group using this printer.
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Own printer settings: from the second printer on, you can store differing settings. Values you do not set show the value of the role or printing group, and that value applies. Only the settings that shape the individual printout are offered – such as template, copies, merge orders, prices or comments. Automatic printing, single receipts, the expediter ticket and voucher printing remain settings of the whole role.
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Placeholders stand alone: "Automatic" and "Do not print" cannot be combined with specific printers.
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Overrides: several printers are possible in the overrides per room and per floor as well.
If you do not change an assignment, its further printers and their own settings are kept when you save.
Assignments with several printers are only reliably kept once all devices of this Sales Point – Main Sales Point and Sub-Terminals – run bessa Kassa version 6.2.0 or later. An older device discards the further printers the next time it saves; the first printer is kept.
Overrides per Room and per Floor
You store differing settings as an override – in two separate sections, Overrides per room and Overrides per floor. Inside an override you get the same assignments as in the default view, including the printing groups table.
A typical case: the kitchen prints on the kitchen printer for the dining room, but on the printer at the outdoor bar for the terrace. Instead of rebuilding the printing group, you store an override for the "Terrace" area. An override you no longer need can be removed at any time.
Which override actually applies to a specific order is worked out for you by the Bon Routing Preview – without anything being printed.
Sub-Terminals
On a sub-terminal, the main Sales Point's printers are offered as well and marked Main Sales Point. A printer physically attached to the main Sales Point can therefore be shared by the sub-terminal.
In any case you only need to set on a sub-terminal what should behave differently from the main Sales Point. From version 6.0, the Sales Point resolves unassigned roles through the main Sales Point automatically – the rules are described under Wireless Ordering on Sub-Terminals.
Saving
The settings are applied when you save the Sales Point and are immediately available to the devices. The list of printers itself is maintained by the devices: whatever printers a Sales Point detects, it reports back – here you only assign them.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why can't I see the "General" role any more? It is no longer used and has been hidden. Values already saved remain unchanged.
What is the difference between "Automatic" and "Do not print"? "Automatic" means the Sales Point looks for a printer. "Do not print" means no printout is produced for this purpose at all. The two are not interchangeable.
A printer is missing from the list. Either the manufacturer selection filters it out – the assignment lists show all printers grouped by manufacturer – or the Sales Point has not reported it yet. Check at the device whether it is connected; see Printer Support.
Why have the further printers of an assignment suddenly disappeared? Most likely a device of this Sales Point running a version before 6.2.0 saved its printer settings. It only knows the first printer and discarded the others. Update the device and assign the further printers again.
Will my settings be lost when I swap the device? No. That is exactly why they live in the cloud: they are restored after signing in on a new device.
Related Topics
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Printer Settings – the individual settings and what they do
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Printing Groups – distribute articles across printers
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Bon Routing Preview – work out which printer actually applies
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Wireless Ordering on Sub-Terminals – printer assignment on sub-terminals
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Printer Support – supported devices