5-Step Operational Setup Sequence
The authoritative dependency order to launch your venue with zero downtime, lost orders, or billing discrepancies.
How It Works
Stage 1 establishes your business identity and tax rate. The UniBill engine requires these values to format customer bills and print receipts.
Stage 2 builds your food catalog. Without active categories and items, guests scanning QR codes see an empty catalog.
Stage 3 creates your physical tables and generates cryptographic table_key security tokens. This links physical seating to order processing.
Stage 4 enables the master Table Ordering switch. By default, new accounts keep ordering paused so you can verify prices before going live.
Stage 5 issues single-use Join Codes to link kitchen display tablets and waiter smartphones without shared passwords.
What You Need to Do (Step-by-Step)
- 1. Configure Business Profile & Legal Taxes
Navigate to Dashboard -> Management. Enter your Restaurant Name, Phone, Address, Operating Currency (e.g., INR, USD), and Tax Rate. Click "Save Settings".
💡 Note: Tax rates only apply to future orders. Historical paid bills maintain frozen tax snapshots. - 2. Build Menu Categories and Food Dishes
Navigate to Dashboard -> Menu Manager. Click "+ Add Category" to create sections (e.g., Starters, Mains, Drinks). Inside each category, click "+ Add Item" to specify name, price, dietary badges (Veg/Non-Veg), and optional portion variants.
- 3. Create 1–2 Character Tables & Download QR Sheets
Navigate to Dashboard -> Tables / QR Code. Click "+ Add Table". Enter 1–2 character codes (e.g. 1, 10, T1, R1). Click "Download All QRs" to export vector SVG or high-resolution PNG files for physical standees.
💡 Note: Table labels must be 1–2 characters. Arbitrary names like "Table 12" or "Room 101" are rejected. - 4. Activate Master Table Ordering Toggle
At the top of Dashboard -> Tables / QR Code, switch the "Table Ordering" toggle to ON. When active, guest smartphone menus display "Add to Cart" and "Place Order" buttons.
- 5. Generate Staff Join Codes for Shift Devices
Navigate to Dashboard -> Staff & Roles. Click "+ Add Staff Member" to generate 6-character Join Codes (MNT-XXXXXX) for Kitchen (KDS) and Waiters. Staff open /staff on their device to log in.
💡 Note: Join codes are strictly single-use and expire in 60 minutes if unredeemed.
Key Screen Controls & Options
Action: Opens restaurant contact, currency, and tax percentage configuration.
Action: Opens categories, food items, variants, and stock availability toggles.
Action: Opens 1–2 character table creation and printable QR downloads.
- Tables update to Active (Green) on floor maps.
- KDS display begins receiving confirmed tickets with elapsed cook timers.
- Waiter portal displays table cards with real-time pending order badges.
- Table Ordering must be switched ON for customers to checkout. Leaving it OFF locks the menu into View-Only mode.
- Table labels are permanently restricted to 1–2 characters (letters and numbers only).
- Staff Join Codes cannot be reused across multiple devices. Once linked, the code is permanently consumed.
- Tax rate edits do not alter past bills; past records preserve historical snapshots for legal tax compliance.
⚡ Common Floor Scenarios & Edge Cases
What to do: Customers scanning the code will see an empty menu banner. Add items in Menu Manager; the QR codes update instantly without reprinting.
What to do: The screen displays "Code expired". Generate a new code under Staff & Roles in the manager console.
📋 Real-World Shift Walkthrough
Manager Sarah opens Management to set 5% GST and currency INR. She opens Menu Manager to add "Coffee" and "Pastries" categories with 10 items. In Table Manager, she uses Bulk Mode to enter "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12". She downloads the QR pack, turns Table Ordering ON, generates two Join Codes for her chef and server, and opens venue doors.