POS System Down - Backup Server Mode

What to Do in Case Your POS System is Down and Your Terminals ask to go into Backup Server Mode

In the event you see the message “No Communications with Database Server. Enter Backup Mode?”

First Press NO. In most cases the terminal briefly lost communication.  Pressing no will restore services.  If pressing No does not resolve the issue, please read on.

Press Yes.  It will then prompt for manager’s authorization.  Swipe your mangers card to enter backup server mode.

 You will notice in the bottom corner it will say [BACKUP MODE]

Please call the service desk to troubleshoot the problem in order to return your system back to normal.

While in backup server mode DO NOT REBOOT YOUR TERMINALS.  If you do this, you may risk losing all sales rung in while in backup mode

If the service desk is not able to return your system to normal and a technician is required to go to your location, make sure to keep a copy of EVERY receipt while you are in backup mode in case your sales are lost and you have to re-ring in the transactions.

To process Credit Cards:

• Use the “OFFLINE CC” button to process the credit card. Note that this is not retrieving an Authorization from Chase, it is simply storing the card for processing once the system is restored.  There is a risk that the card may have insufficient funds.
• Have the guest fill in the tip and sign the Customer copy. Enter in the final total including tip and press “CC FINALIZE” to close the check.

****IMPORTANT ****– in case Offline Credit cards do not transfer over when the system is restored, keep an imprint of every card with the “Knucklebuster” found in your crash kit in case they need to be re-processed.

Debit - If you have a Cellular Unit which you use for Delivery, you can also use this to process Debit and Credit cards. If you have an ATM, you can suggest to your guests to use Cash.

Givex – You can check the balance from your computer (if it has access to the Internet) or from your mobile device at https://www.cara.com, select “Gift Cards”, and then “Check Balance”. If it has balance you can keep the card number and re-process once your system has been recovered (instructions below)

Printing – Your Kitchen and Bar printers will print to the backup receipt printer of the POS you are ringing in the transaction on. You will need to hand deliver this to the kitchen.

KDS – Receipts will print at the POS terminal you are ringing in the order at with the Order details. You will need to hand deliver this to the kitchen.

Reporting - At the end of each server/cashiers shift, make sure to print an Employee Balance Report, and at the end of the day, print a System Balance Report.  To do this, press the Cashout button and hit “Yes” when it prompts you to Enter Offline Reporting.

 If the “Offline Report Printer” section is blank, press the printer button beside that field. 

Scroll and highlight the receipt printer of the terminal that you are on.  In this case we are on the TakeOut1 terminal.

Press “Set Printer as Default”, then “OK”

 You will now be able to print either a System Balance Report or an Employee Balance Report.

 Here are samples of the Employee and System Balance Reports

Restoring the System - Once the terminals are able to communicate with the POS Server again, the terminals will be busy on this screen while the sales entered in during backup mode combine with the server.  Please be patient while this occurs and DO NOT Reboot the terminal.

When the system is restored, please open Financial Management and press Recalculate to verify that your sales have been captured.

Reprocessing Credit or Givex cards once system is restored – If you were unable to process the Credit or Givex cards when the system was down and have the card numbers, use the Pay Card Adjust button to ring in a Non-Revenue Sale for the amount you want to process. For credit, use the CC Authorize button and then the CC Finalize button.