Billing without internet: how it works and what to check
Your shop does not stop when the internet stops. Your billing should not either. Here is how offline billing works, and how to test it.
Why billing stops when the internet drops
Some billing programs keep your bills on a server far away. Every bill goes out over the internet and comes back. When the internet drops, they cannot bill. A shop with a queue at the counter feels it at once.
Two ways a POS can work
- Online first: the bills live on a server. No internet, no billing.
- Computer first (offline first): every bill is saved on your own computer first. The internet is used only for things that need it.
Offline first is the safer choice where the internet is weak or often cut.
What still needs the internet
- Checking the license, from time to time
- Sending e-bills by email, SMS or WhatsApp
- Online reports and the daily summary
- Updates and downloads
- Card machines and UPI, which use their own network
A simple test you can do
- 1Switch the internet offPull the router plug, or switch off the Wi-Fi.
- 2Make a billAdd items, take payment, print the bill.
- 3Send a KOTIf you run a kitchen, send an order to the kitchen printer or screen.
- 4Switch the internet onCheck that nothing was lost and the reports show the bills.
Questions to ask any seller
- Can I bill with the internet switched off? For how long?
- Where are my bills saved first?
- What needs the internet, and what happens if it is not there for a week?
- What happens to my data if my plan ends?
How RestroPod works
- Every bill and every stock entry is saved on your computer first. You do not need the internet to bill
- KOT, the kitchen screen and other devices work over your local Wi-Fi, without the internet
- The POS checks its license online and must connect at least once every 5 days
- E-bills and Cloud Reporting need the internet
- If your plan ends there is a short grace period, and your data stays on your computer
- Automatic backups, and backup and restore
Questions
Does RestroPod need internet to make a bill?
No. Bills and stock are saved on your computer first. The POS connects to the internet at least once every 5 days to check its license.
What if my internet is off for a week?
The POS must connect to the internet at least once every 5 days to check its license. Until then you bill as usual. Your data stays on your computer.
Do the other devices work offline too?
Yes. Waiter phones, kitchen screens and other devices join over your local Wi-Fi, so they work without the internet, if the Wi-Fi router is on.
Is my data safe if my computer breaks?
Keep backups. RestroPod makes automatic backups, and you can back up and restore. Keep a copy somewhere other than the same computer.