Role: managerRole: waiter

Bill Settlement, Split Tenders & Tax Invoices

How to accept payments, record split tenders, finalize sequential tax invoices, and print receipts.

📍 Where to find it on screen:
Waiter Portal / OMS -> Select Table -> "Settle Bill" → Click "Mark Paid / Print Receipt"
Financial settlement dialog with payment tender selectors, tip chips, split inputs, and thermal print buttons.

How It Works

Dynamic Running Bill vs Frozen Invoice: While an order is active, UniBill dynamically updates the running bill as dishes and add-on rounds are added. The instant an order is marked Paid, MintLight claims a permanent sequential invoice number (e.g., INV-2026-0042) and permanently freezes the financial snapshot.

Supported Payment Tenders: (1) Cash, (2) Card (EDC swipe), (3) UPI / Dynamic QR, (4) Room Charge (hotel folio), and (5) Split Tender (allocates exact cash and card amounts).

Split Tender Mechanics: If guests want to split a ₹1,750 bill by paying ₹500 in cash and ₹1,250 on a card, the operator enters both amounts. MintLight validates that the split amounts equal the grand total, records both tenders, and prints them on the receipt.

Thermal Receipt Engine (ESC/POS): Supports standard 80mm countertop thermal printers (with full tax tables) and 58mm compact wireless belt printers used by waiters on the dining floor.

Financial Locking: Once marked Paid, line items are permanently locked to guarantee tax audit compliance. Cash bills allow staff tip adjustments up to 2 hours before full lock; online prepaid orders lock immediately upon capture.

What You Need to Do (Step-by-Step)

  1. 1. Open Settle Bill Dialog

    In the Waiter Floor Portal or Order Management (OMS), locate the occupied table and click "Settle Bill".

  2. 2. Select Payment Method

    Choose Cash, Card, UPI, Room Charge, or Split Tender based on the guest’s payment preference.

  3. 3. Apply Staff Tip (Optional)

    If the diner includes a tip, select an inline tip chip (5%, 10%, 15%) or type a custom amount.

  4. 4. Confirm Payment & Claim Invoice

    Tap "Mark Paid". MintLight permanently claims the next sequential invoice number and locks the financial snapshot.

  5. 5. Print Thermal Receipt or Share Link

    Click "Print Receipt" to output an 80mm or 58mm thermal slip, or direct the guest to view their digital PDF invoice on their phone.

Key Screen Controls & Options

Tender Selection ChipsWhen collecting payment from diners.

Action: Records the primary payment method used by the customer.

→ Result: Tags the accounting ledger with the corresponding tender type.
Split Tender AllocatorWhen guests request to pay part cash and part digital.

Action: Splits the total bill across two payment methods with live balance validation.

→ Result: Stores payment_split_cash and payment_split_other on the order record.
Staff Tip Selector ChipsWhen guests add a tip for their server.

Action: Calculates voluntary staff gratuity and adds it to the grand total.

→ Result: Attributes the tip directly to the assigned server (served_by_name).
Mark Paid ButtonAfter verifying payment has been collected.

Action: Claims a sequential invoice number, locks financial totals, and marks the table Available.

→ Result: Releases the dining table and generates printable receipts.
What Happens Next
The dining table returns to Available (Green) on floor maps. The order transitions to Paid in Order History, and revenue totals reflect in shift accounting reports.
  • Floor waitstaff can seat the next party immediately.
  • Thermal printer outputs the itemized slip with legal tax breakdown and server attribution.
  • Customer tracking page updates to "Payment Settled".
⚠️ Operational Rules & Restrictions
  • Sequential invoice numbers (e.g. INV-2026-0042) are permanent and cannot be modified, reused, or transferred.
  • Once marked Paid, line items cannot be added or deleted. Adjustments require an authorized manager void.
  • Split tender amounts must sum exactly to the order grand total before the system permits confirmation.

⚡ Common Floor Scenarios & Edge Cases

Situation: Customer paid via credit card, but cashier mistakenly tapped "Cash".

What to do: Within 2 hours, a manager can open the order in OMS Adjustments to update the payment method, or issue a formal void if necessary.

Situation: Customer requests an official PDF invoice for corporate tax reimbursement.

What to do: Open the order in OMS Overview tab and click "UniBill PDF" to download a formatted, branded PDF tax invoice.

📋 Real-World Shift Walkthrough

Settling a ₹2,000 Bill with Split Tender and 10% Tip

Table 8 bill is ₹2,000. Diners add a 10% tip (₹200), bringing the total to ₹2,200. Guests ask to split: ₹1,000 cash and ₹1,200 card. Server Alex clicks Settle Bill -> Split Tender, inputs ₹1,000 in Cash and ₹1,200 in Card, taps Mark Paid, and hands the guests an 80mm printed receipt showing both payment methods.

🔧 Troubleshooting & Rapid Fixes

Problem: Split Tender button is disabled.
Why this happens: The combined Cash and Card amounts do not equal the grand total of the bill.
How to fix: Adjust the split fields so their exact sum matches the bill grand total down to the cent.
Problem: Thermal printer outputs blank paper rolls.
Why this happens: Thermal paper was inserted backwards into the printer mechanism.
How to fix: Open the printer lid, invert the paper roll so the heat-sensitive coating faces the thermal print head, and reprint.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can we edit prices on a bill after it is marked Paid?
No. Paid bills are legally locked to protect financial integrity. Managers must void and recreate the ticket if errors occur.
Q: Where can managers audit daily cash vs card totals?
Navigate to Dashboard -> Orders (or Manager -> Order History) and filter by Payment Method to reconcile registers.
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