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The life of an order

Two words get used interchangeably on a busy floor and mean different things in OrderUp. Getting them straight explains most of the "why can't I add to this" questions.

Order vs check​

An order is the whole transaction for a table or a guest — everything ordered, start to finish.

A check is a bill. One order can carry several checks: a table of six that splits four ways is one order with four checks.

Order  (table 12)
├── Check 1  — Alice
├── Check 2  — Bob
└── Check 3  — shared, split two ways

Each has its own "closed"​

This is the part worth remembering:

StateMeansEffect
Check closedThat bill is paid and settledNo new items on that check
Order closedThe whole transaction is finishedNo new items anywhere on the order

A check can be closed while its order is still open — that is exactly what happens when one guest pays and leaves while the rest of the table stays. The order keeps accepting items onto the other checks.

Why you cannot add an item​

The till checks two gates before letting an item on:

  1. Is the order still open? A closed order refuses everything.
  2. Can this check accept items? A settled check refuses, even on an open order.

If an item is refused, work out which gate stopped it before looking for a bug.

Reopening​

A manager can reopen a closed check or order. Reopening is deliberately a manager action, because it changes a bill that has already been presented and, in the case of a settled check, one that has already been paid.

Once reopened, the check accepts items again and any additional amount is taken as a second payment, not as a change to the first one. There is no way to make an already-taken card payment bigger — see Refunds and adjustments.

Held orders​

An order can be held — parked without being sent. A held order is not closed, and it does not appear in sales until it is sent and settled.

A held order with a settled check will not close on its own

If every check on an order is settled but the order is still holding items, the order stays open. The table can look finished on the floor plan while the sale has not completed. Send or void the held items to let it close.

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