AccuPOS On-Screen Choices Menu Guide

 

Table of Contents

            Getting Started

            The Add Change Choice Keys Basics

            To Create a Choice Menu

            Adding Buttons and Overview

            Changing the Order of the Buttons on the Choice Menu

            Deleting a Button

            Attaching Inventory Items to Choice Menus

            Choice Menus at the Point of Sale

 

ON-SCREEN CHOICES MENU:

 

This guide was written for Platinum Version 9 of AccuPOS in Food Service mode on the Point of Sale.  If you are running an earlier version of AccuPOS, you will notice differences on the user interface on the Point of Sale.  Also, if you are running the Point of Sale in Retail mode, there will also be differences in the view and layout of the Point of Sale in this guide.

 

When using the Remote Printing Module, AccuPOS on screen Choice Keys help streamline changes, preparation directions, and additions to the POS orders to help with the communication between the front of the house and the back of the house. Just like the on screen buttons, laying out the choices and additions correctly is crucial for efficient usage. This guide will walk you through the proper procedure to set up Choice menus for ringing in certain items and will help with modifications to orders that can be used at the Point of Sale so that orders can be rung in correctly the first time to ensure proper food preparation and presentation.

 

All versions of AccuPOS Retail Point of Sale may use this feature.  However, without the AccuPOS Remote Printing Module also running, the modifications that the Choices menus provide will not be printed.  For more information on setting up and maintaining the AccuPOS Remote Printing Module, please refer to Remote Printing Module Setup Guide.

 

Getting Started: (top)

 

The first thing that must be done before any Choices Menus are created is to know exactly what types of choices you will need available for what items.  Choice menus are grouped by category.  For example, steaks will need an option for preferred temperature, whereas chicken will not. 

 

Also, bear in mind that any additions to orders that will also come with a price change need to have items inside the accounting software to coincide with those changes.  For example, adding shrimp to pasta will cost more money; adding more sauce may not.  For more information on adding items into the accounting software, please refer to your specific accounting software inventory setup guide (Peachtree, QuickBooks).

 

Once the choice items are set in the accounting software, and before you start setting up the choice group pages, it is important that you know which choices will be under each category. Doing so will help group all similar choices on the page and help set the position of the key by priority for those modifications that are more widely used, like Sauce on the side for example.

 

Now that all the choice items are created and the different groups are decided, it is time to create the different choice menus.  To begin creating Choices menus, open up AccuPOS Retail Management.  Go to Setup -> Keys -> Add/Change Choices Keys (Figure 1-1).  The Add Change Choice Keys window pops up and you are ready to begin creating Choice Menus.

 

Figure 1-1

 

The Add Change Choice Keys Basics: (top)

 

  1. Choices Group (Figure 1-2):  The Choices Group is where new Choice Menus are added.

 

Figure 1-2

 

  1. Add Group (Figure 1-3):  After typing in the name of a new Choice Group, the Add Group button finishes the creation of the new group and will allow further additions to the Choice Menu.

 

Figure 1-3

 

  1. New (Figure 1-4):  Click New to add an additional button to the currently selected Choice Menu.

 

Figure 1-4

 

  1. Next (Figure 1-5):  Click Next to add an additional page to the currently selected Choice Menu.

 

Figure 1-5

 

  1. Cancel (Figure 1-6):  Click Cancel to cancel changes from the last time you opened the Choice Menu window.

 

Figure 1-6

 

  1. Done (Figure 1-7):  Click Done to save all changes and to return to the main page of AccuPOS Retail Management.

 

Figure 1-7

 

To Create a Choice Menu: (top)

 

Creating a choice menu is extremely simple:

 

  1. In the text box next to Choices group, simply type the name of the choices group to be created and click Add Group.  (Figure 2-1)

 

Figure 2-1

 

  1. The group name is listed at the top of the Add Change Choice Keys window, along with the current page of that Choices menu currently selected.  (Figure 2-2)

 

Figure 2-2

 

From here, you may add buttons to the Choice Menu.

 

Adding Buttons and Overview: (top)

 

There is a limit of thirty-five buttons available for each page of a Choice Menu.  There is no limit, however, to the number of pages available for a Choice Menu.  It is best practice to add items that are used more often on the first page so that cashiers will not have to search to enter the common directions for the kitchen.  To begin adding buttons to a Choice Menu:

 

To add a button, click New (Figure 3-1).  The Edit Choice Keys window pops up.  From here you have several options:

 

Figure 3-1

 

  1. Button Label (Figure 3-2):  The Button Label is what appears on the button at the Point of Sale.

 

Figure 3-2

 

  1. Text (Figure 3-3):  Text is what will display on the remote printer when that specific button is pressed.

 

Figure 3-3

 

  1. Item Code (Figure 3-4):  Shows what item, if any, the button is attached to.

 

Figure 3-4

 

  1. Enter (cr) After (Figure 3-5):  Checking this box automatically placed a carriage return (the Enter key) after selecting a specific button.

 

Figure 3-5

 

  1. Cannot Repeat (Figure 3-6):  Checking this box disables the ability to hit the specific button twice in a row.

 

Figure 3-6

 

  1. Order (Figure 3-7): Determines the order of placement on the Choice Menu.  The first button is placed in the upper left and following buttons are placed below until a new row is created.

 

Figure 3-7

 

  1. Ok (Figure 3-8):  Saves changes to the button and returns you to the Add Change Choice Keys window.

 

Figure 3-8

 

  1. Delete (Figure 3-9):  Deletes the currently selected button.

 

Figure 3-9

 

  1. Items (Figure 3-10):  Click Items to attach a particular item to the currently selected button.  When selected, a window pops up displaying all the current items.

 

Figure 3-10

 

  1. Change Button Color (Figure 3-11):  Allows you to assign a particular background color to the button.  When selected, a window pops up with different choices of button colors.

 

Figure 3-11

 

  1. Change Text Color (Figure 3-12):  Allows you to assign a particular text color to the button.  When selected, a window pops up with different choices of text color.

 

Figure 3-12

 

  1. Exit (Figure 3-13):  Exits the Edit Choice Key window.

 

Figure 3-13

 

Now that you are familiar with all the different options, it is time to actually add the button.  After selecting New, the Edit Choice Key window appears.  From here:

 

  1. Type in the Button Label field what you want to appear on the button at the Point of Sale.  In the example below, buttons are being added to the Steak Temp Choices Menu.  (Figure 4-1)

 

Figure 4-1

 

  1. Type in the Text field what you want to appear on the remote printer when the button is selected.  Typically, this will match the Button Label to make things easier but it is not necessary.  (Figure 4-2)

 

Figure 4-2

 

  1. If this particular button is to affect the price change, click the Items button on the right hand side and select the specific item to attach to this button.
  2. Check Enter (cr) After to apply a carriage return and check Cannot Repeat as needed.  (Figure 4-3)

 

Figure 4-3

 

  1. Select a button color and button text color at your discretion.  (Figure 4-4)

 

Figure 4-4

 

  1. Select Ok when finished.
  2. Repeat steps 1-6 as needed until all buttons are added.  (Figure 4-5)

 

Figure 4-5

 

  1. From here, you may add another button, exit out of the Edit Choice Menu window, or add another Choices Menu group to add buttons to.

 

Only thirty five buttons can appear on a Choice Menu page.  However, it is possible to add more pages to the Choice Menu to allow for the creation of even more buttons for that particular Choice Menu.  To add another page, simply click the Next button prior to adding the thirty-sixth button.  (Figure 4-6)

 

Figure 4-6

 

Changing the Order of the Buttons on the Choice Menu: (top)

 

When adding buttons, the order you add them is how they appear on the screen.  Sometimes, it may be necessary to move a button to another location.  Depending on how many spots the button is being moved, it does have potential to be a somewhat tedious process, but it can still be done.  In the example below, the Steak Temp Choices menu added five different choices of cooking style but forgot to add the TO GO button before starting to add the first five buttons.  The user wants the TO GO button to appear in the top left of the menu, or the number one position.  To edit the order of buttons in a Choice Menu:

 

  1. Select the button that is going to be moved to the lowest (number 1 for example) position first.
  2. Change the Order to one greater than the total number of buttons currently on the Choice Menu.  For example, the order would be changed to 7 since if there are 6 buttons.
  3. Now move the rest of the buttons one spot higher starting with the highest number.
  4. Change the Order on the rest of the buttons until they are all moved up one spot.
  5. Now go back to the item that you changed in step 1 and change that Order to its final spot.  In this case, it is changed to number 1.

 

Yes, it does sound confusing, which is why it is important to place the buttons in the correct order the first time the Choices Menu is created.  If you do not wish to deal with the hassle of changing button order, buttons can be simply deleted and remade as well.

 

Deleting a Button: (top)

 

Once a button is added to a Choice Menu, it is not stuck there permanently.  Buttons can be deleted out of a Choice Menu very easily.  To delete a button from a Choice Menu, simple:

 

  1. Select the Choice Menu from the drop down options.  (Figure 5-1)

 

Figure 5-1

 

  1. Left click on the button to be removed.  (Figure 5-2)

 

Figure 5-2

 

  1. Select Delete.  (Figure 5-3)

 

Figure 5-3

 

  1. A popup message will ask you to confirm deletion.  Click Yes.  (Figure 5-4)

 

Figure 5-4

 

You may continue to delete buttons as needed.  If all buttons from a Choice Menu are removed, the Choice Menu is deleted as well once the Add Change Choice Key window is closed.

 

Attaching Inventory Items to Choice Menus: (top)

 

Now that the Choice Menus are set inside AccuPOS, they must be attached to items inside the accounting software.  Remember that the same Choice Menu can be attached to an unlimited number of inventory items but each item may only have one Choice Menu attached to them.  Before you may attach Choice Menus to Items, you must have the custom fields enabled for Inventory and the Custom Field Choices must be created.  Choices must have the capital C or the items will not attach correctly.

 

Once the custom field Choices is created, you may attach items to the Choice Menus you created inside AccuPOS.  To attach an item:

 

  1. Find the item in the item list of your accounting software.
  2. Go to the Custom Fields area of the item.
  3. Enter the name of the Custom Field created in AccuPOS verbatim.  If the Choice Menu is called Steak Temp inside AccuPOS, the custom field Choices must have Steak Temp listed in order for the menu to attach to that item correctly.
  4. Hit OK to stop editing the item.
  5. Import the inventory into AccuPOS.

 

Once imported, the item(s) will display the Choice Menu at the Point of Sale when selected.  Bear in mind that if the inventory is not imported, the Choice Menus will not attach.

 

*For more information on setting up Custom Fields inside the accounting software, please refer to your specific accounting inventory setup guide (Peachtree, QuickBooks).

**For more information on importing the inventory into AccuPOS, please refer to the AccuPOS Retail Management Setup Guide.

 

Choice Menus at the Point of Sale: (top)

 

Now that the Choice Menus are created inside AccuPOS and are attached to items in inventory, it is time to see how they operate at the Point of Sale.  To see the Choices Menu display at the Point of Sale:

 

  1. Select the item that has a Choices Menu attached to it.  (Figure 6-1)

 

Figure 6-1

 

  1. The Choice Menu attached to that particular item will pop up.  (Figure 6-2)

 

Figure 6-2

 

  1. Make your selections for instructions.  (Figure 6-3)

 

Figure 6-3

 

  1. Note that every selection made will show a preview of how the ticket will print to the kitchen at the bottom of the Choice Menu window.  (Figure 6-4)

 

Figure 6-4

 

  1. Note that there is a Free Text button (Figure 6-5) that, when selected, will display a touch screen keyboard for special instructions to be typed in.

 

Figure 6-5

 

  1. Click Done when all instructions are added.  (Figure 6-6)

 

Figure 6-6

 

  1. The item will then remote print once the order is tendered out or saved.

 

*For more information on tendering out transactions, please refer to your specific Operations Guide (Food Service, Retail).

**For more information on saving orders and reloading, please refer to your specific Suspended Sales Guide (Food Service, Retail).

***For more information on setting up remote printing, please refer to the Remote Printing Module Setup Guide.