New Features in Aloha Version 6.7

Highlights

Accessing an Employee Schedule from FOH
Employee schedules are often posted in a central location of a restaurant and are sometimes overlooked by employees for a variety of reasons. The schedule may not be easily accessible to kitchen employees, not printed in copies for portability, or cannot be found at the moment. To increase the accessibility of employee schedules, in POS v6.7, once an employee is logged in, they can easily view or print any of their prepared work schedules from the FOH. You can also automatically print schedules for up to four work weeks on the clock-out chit when an employee clocks out to remind them when they work next.

Performing ‘Get Check’ with Named Tabs
Currently, the ‘Get Check’ feature allows you to access an open order by its check number, table number, or associated card via manual card or a scanned bar code. In v6.7, you can look up a tab by its name.In Aloha Table Service, you can perform ‘Get Check’ using the following mechanisms:
» Select ‘Can Get Checks’ in Maintenance > Labor > Job Codes > Job Code tab and the system automatically displays the Get Check button on the Working with Tables/Tab screen.
» Add the Get Check button function to an order screen panel in Panel Editor and you have access to the button on the FOH order entry screen, providing you also select ‘Can Get Checks’ in Maintenance > Labor > Job Codes > Job Code tab.
» In Aloha Quick Service, you can perform ‘Get Check’ when you add the Get check button to a panel in Panel Editor, providing you also select ‘Can Get Checks’ in Maintenance > Labor > Job Codes > Job Code tab.

Configuring Gross Sales in Sales by Revenue Center Report
In v6.7, you now have more flexibility in configuring the gross sales formula on the BOH Sales by Revenue Center report by optionally including inclusive taxes. This option appears in the following sections of the report
» Sales by Category
» Sales by Day Part
» Sales by Day Part and Category

Supporting New State Overtime Laws
In POS v6.7, we have enhanced overtime to support new requirements implemented by certain state laws. These enhancements include the ability to:
1. Award daily overtime depending on the employee’s shift rate.
2. Configure overtime pay where the daily work starts at the employee’s clock in of the previous day, within a 24-hour time frame, instead of using the Aloha date of business.
3. Allow employees to earn a one-time penalty pay when their daily worked hours exceed 10 hours.
4. Calculate overtime pay based on the store-level minimum wage, instead of using the blended rate.
5. Configure overtime calculation to include the daily overtime in weekly overtime hours.

In addition, we have redesigned the interface for configuring overtime and moved all options to a new tab called Overtime, in Maintenance > Store Settings > Labor group. Overtime computation has not changed.

Sorting and Consolidating Modifier Group Buttons
Automatically sorting and consolidating buttons on the display grid in Submenu Maintenance with one button touch has long been a valuable database building tool in Aloha Table Service. In v6.7, you can now use sort and consolidate buttons in Modifier Maintenance for both Aloha Quick Service and Table Service, making this process much easier and less time-consuming.

Supporting Rounding By Tender
Other countries, such as The Czech Republic, New Zealand, and Thailand, require check rounding to occur at different levels based on the tender type, ranging anywhere from a low of 0.02 to a whole amount of 1.00. For example, the Czech Republic rounds the Czech crown to the nearest 0.50 for credit card transactions and to the nearest whole crown (1.00) for cash transactions. In New Zealand, the dollar is rounded to the nearest dime (0.10).

To accommodate the International market, you can now configure a rounding method for each tender type, and you have more flexibility when choosing the rounding level to use

Supporting Additional Pizza Modifier Groups
The existing pizza functionality in Aloha Table Service and Aloha Quick Service supports three modifier groups for each item within a given pizza category. Generally, the three modifier groups are used for 1) Size, 2) Crust, and 3) Toppings. Each modifier group is limited to 54 items; however, because of the limited screen real estate, only the third modifier group can consist of more than a few items.
As of POS v6.7, the Pizza Modifier screen now supports two additional modifier groups, bringing the total number to five. This allows you to configure a more complex pizza environment to accommodate sauce choices, specialty pizzas per half, and more. For example, with five modifier groups, you could use them for 1) Size, 2) Crust, 3) Pizza Sauces 4) Pizza Toppings, and 5) Specialty Toppings.
When you take advantage of all five modifier groups, the first three appear on the screen when you initiate the Pizza Modifier screen. To display the fourth and fifth modifier groups, you must select the respective modifier group button located in the center of the screen. The system ignores any modifier groups configured for a pizza item beyond the five that you are allowed.

Adding Modify Item in Aloha Spy
This RFC makes modifications to the TCP/IP data streams and COM port output, as generated by Aloha Spy, to add modifier transactions to the text overlay on the monitor screen, and to the basic information captured for possible later reference in Debout.spy. When a server adds a regular or open modifier to a menu item, the item and its modifier appear on the screen together, after exiting the modifier screen. If the server must cancel, void, or refund a modifier, this information also appears on the text overlay and in Debout.spy. This feature is immediately available upon upgrade to Aloha v6.7.0.1813, or later, and after restarting the Aloha Spy service, AlohaSpy.exe.

Enhancing Order Entry for Delivery Operations
Changes made to the Delivery functions in Job Codes, impact the way Aloha responds to actions taken by delivery drivers. The changes do not affect the content of reports, but do provide more flexibility in both Aloha Quick Service and Table Service installations, of especially the former. In previous versions, the delivery driver and delivery order taker functions were mutually exclusive. An employee assigned to a job code with both of these options enabled was unable to perform order entry. This change removes the exclusivity of these functions, making it possible for a delivery driver to also enter orders, if they are not currently signed out on a delivery. If the employee is signed out for a delivery, Aloha prevents order entry until they sign back in.

The ability to use the Delivery feature to recall a closed order and adjust or modify payments, in spite of access level restrictions normally denying Adjust Payments permissions, has been a great benefit in certain types of operations, but the potential for abuse has required a change. We have added a new option to the Delivery tab, in Job Codes, ‘Cannot adjust recalled closed checks.’ This new option, disabled by default, prevents order modification when the Delivery interface is enabled. Aloha displays the message, “The check is closed. This function is unavailable,” when an employee attempts to modify a check, if they are assigned to a job code in which the new option is enabled. If it becomes necessary to modify an order, a manager, or other employee with proper access-level permissions, must reopen the order and make the changes.

Enhancing the Aloha COM Interface for v6.7
We made the following enhancements to the Aloha COM Interface in v6.7.RFC 70097
- This enhancement allows Quick Service and Table Service users to void multiple items on the same check through the Aloha COM interface. There are additional considerations for this enhancement.

Replacing Default Tip Text Based on Gratuity
Currently, you can replace the text for the standard tip line on the guest check and voucher; however, this same text is used whether an automatic gratuity is added to the check or not. This could cause confusion for the guest when the tip text is something like “Tip Not Included.” This works well for a check without automatic gratuity, but the text does not translate well for checks with an automatic gratuity added. In POS v6.7, you can now configure separate text strings for checks with and without automatic gratuity.

Configuring Gross Sales for Sales by Category Section on Sales Summary Report
In POS v6.7, you now have more flexibility in configuring the gross sales formula in the Sales by Category section of the BOH Sales Summary report by optionally excluding comps and promotions. This allows the section to reflect the money you actually take in as payments received.

Configuring Video Display Method by Terminal
Restaurants offering both dine-in and delivery services often need the two types of orders to display differently on the video screen. In most cases, you can distinguish between these two types of orders based on the revenue center or terminal from which you generate the order. As of v6.7, you can now designate a video display method to use for a specific revenue center or terminal using a new event called Set Video Display Method by Term/Rev Center. The available display methods are Display Items as Entered, Display One Behind, Display Items When Ordered/Finalized, and Default to Video Queue Settings.

Printing Legal Disclaimer for Prepaid Visa and American Express Cards
Some establishments require you to print a legal disclaimer when the balance of a third party prepaid payment card prints on a receipt. In the Aloha system, you can print an additional message on the receipt; however, the message prints on all credit cards. With this new feature, you can print the legal disclaimer for prepaid payment cards only.

Supporting Fiscal Requirements for Quebec
Some restaurant operators have started using technological devices known as zappers, to hide sales from their customers and falsify accounting records, resulting in tax evasion. To combat this, the Quebec government is mandating all POS systems to communicate with the sales recording module (SRM), a micro­computer that connects in to the POS system device that intercepts the printing of all guest checks and adds a fiscal transaction ID and a legal attachment to the receipt, as depicted in the diagram in Figure 31. When a transaction occurs, the fiscal device intercepts the transaction and adds a fiscal transaction ID and a legal disclaimer to print at the bottom of the guest check.

Preventing the Pizza Screen from Automatically Prompting Upon Ordering
Complex pizza establishments find it beneficial, when using the full functionality of the Pizza Modifier function, to prompt you with the Pizza Modifier screen when you select a pizza from the FOH, so you can enter such things as the crust, size, and toppings. Other restaurants; however, may only offer a small selection of pizzas, or only one size. The prompting of the Pizza Modifier screen could be an annoyance each time you select a pizza.
In POS v6.7, you can now prevent the Pizza screen from automatically prompting upon ordering by con­figuring the system to follow the screen flow requirements of the individual modifier groups attached to the pizza item. This way you need only to access the pizza screen when you want.

Supporting Code Page 852/1250 for Native Printing
To support native character printing for languages residing in Central and Eastern Europe, and Germany, the Aloha POS system now supports MS Windows code pages 852 and 1250. If you are using an Epson TM80 printer, or an emulation, we recommend using code page 852. If you are using an OPOS printer, you must install the OPOS driver set on the terminal and use code page 1250.

Supporting Configured Number of Modifier Rows and Columns on Pizza Screen
The Aloha system supports a configured layout of modifier groups that appear on the FOH screens. By default, the system uses seven rows and three columns, totaling 21 modifiers per page. The Pizza Modifiers screen; however, does not adhere to this layout and always uses six rows and three columns, totaling 18 modifiers. In POS v6.7, the Pizza Modifiers screen now respects the modifier row and column configuration defined in Store Settings. This allows a consistent display of modifiers on the hard-coded screens, including the Pizza Modifiers screen.

Supporting Validation Code for Private Label Cards
To increase fraud protection, you can now require the entry of the security validation codes associated with a private label payment card, similar to the CPN, CID, C2V2, CVV2 numbers used with standard credit cards. You can configure the prompt to appear when the card is manually or electronically entered, the minimum and maximum number of alphanumeric characters to capture, and if you want to re-prompt for the validation code a second time.

Prompting Twice for Manually Entered Payment Cards
To increase security and reduce incorrect manual entries for payment cards, you can now require employees to enter the credit or gift card number a second time. The system validates the two entries are the same and then proceeds to authorize.

Forcing Authorization for Gift Card Redemptions
For customers who distribute their own private label gift cards, you can now redeem a gift card using the ‘Force’ button on the FOH. This is particularly useful when communication between Aloha EDC and the processor is offline. The transaction is processed locally by EDC and the authorization number is stored in the EDC transaction file for settlement. The forced transaction is not submitted to the processor once communication has been re-established.

Supporting Radiant SRP275 Impact Printer
Radiant Systems now offers the Radiant SRP275 impact printer, which emulates the Epson TM-80. The Radiant SRP275 is a highly reliable impact printer that features 1.5 million cuts for the auto-cutter, multiple paper widths, such as 57.5, 69.5, or 75 mm, printing 5.1 lines per second, and a front drop-in paper loading. The device ships with a standard DB-25 serial interface.

Supporting Prompts for Cash Drops in Table Service and Public Cash Drawers
To safeguard against carrying too much cash in the drawer, you can configure Aloha Quick Service to prompt you to make a cash drop when the cash drawer reaches a specified cash amount. You can configure three separate thresholds, the last of which forces you to make a drop to continue with order entry.
As of POS v6.7, you can now also configure prompts for cash drops in Aloha Table Service, and you can use this feature with public cash drawers in Aloha Quick Service and Aloha Table Service.

Automatic-Declaring of Charged Tips for Employees Who Do Not Clock-Out
When an employee forgets to clock out, a manager must clock them out or, if configured, the clock-out can occur during the End-of-Day process. In both cases, a tip declaration is not made, not even for the charged tips received by the employee. To ensure at least the charged tips are declared, a manager must access the Edit Punches function and enter the charged tip amount for the employee. To assist managers so that they are not responsible for editing the punch and possibly entering an incorrect amount, you can configure the system to automatically declare the charged tips for an employee when a manager or the End-of-Day pro­cess does the clock-out for them.

Automatic-Declaring of Charged Tips for Employees Who Do Not Clock-Out
The BOH Void Report allows you to select a single date or a range of dates from which to report; however, when you select multiple dates, the void detail does not display the date on which the item was voided. In v6.7, you can now configure the BOH Void report to display the Date column so you can determine the date the void occurred.

Outputting Check Number Instead of Check ID for Aloha Spy
Aloha Spy has the ability to send the POS check number, instead of the check ID, to the video security system, for the purpose of displaying and recording this number as part of the video image. Because the check number is the number that is printed on the check and appears in reports, it is much easier for someone reviewing the video to associate on-screen activity with a specific check number without having to analyze the contents of the Trans.log.

Supporting CAS PD2 Scale
Scales enhance the POS system by allowing you to calculate the price of a menu item, such as a salad, based on its weight. Tares allow you to subtract the weight of the container in which you place the item to weigh it, to determine the true weight of the item.

Supporting Context Panels
In the current Quick Service environment, you must force either the “classic” or “system-generated” modifier screen to appear, when you add an item to the guest check, to allow guests to make additional selections for the item. Or, you can script the item button so that it chains to another panel from which you can make additional selections; however, both of these methods require you to respond to the screen prompts as they appear before you can continue entering the order, requiring you to interrupt the guest while they are ordering.
Aloha Quick Service v6.7 introduces a new concept called context panels, from which you can also make additional selections, but context panels appear on the screen at the time you add an item to the guest check, and again if you select the item from the guest check window. This allows you to make additional selections right then, or you can let the guest continue placing their order without interruption, and address their selections on demand later in the order entry process. Simply select the item requiring additional selections from the guest check window and the associated context panel reappears on the screen, allowing you to enter guest selections at your convenience.

Restricting the Ability to Cancel Cash Declaration
In a Quick Service environment, it is typical to configure the Checkout button to automatically open the cash drawer upon selecting the button in the FOH so the cashier can begin reconciling the drawer. Upon reconciliation, if the cashier cancels the cash declaration, the system aborts the checkout process, but the cash drawer remains open and creates a security risk. In POS v6.7, you can restrict the ability to cancel the cash declaration and force all employees to continue with their cash declaration; thereby, providing a more secure environment.

Supporting Dynamic Included Modifiers
In Aloha Quick Service v6.4.9, we introduced the Included Modifiers feature, which displays a bitmap on each modifier that is included with an item. This helps the cashier easily identify the default items a guest can modify and also helps prevent the sending of confusing or incorrect orders to the kitchen.

Toggling Between Adding and Removing a Modifier
In POS v6.7, you can configure the system so that it is much easier to change a modifier. For earlier POS versions, you have to select the modifier, touch Delete, then select the new modifier. The new “toggling” feature enables you to toggle between adding and removing a modifier using one button touch. It also makes it easier to add special instructions about the modifier, such as the guest would like it on the side, or would like an extra serving.

Supporting Dynamic Item Substitution for Quick Combos
In POS v6.2, we introduced the system-generated Item Substitution Screen for quick combos, for a more streamlined method for substituting items within a quick combo. When you select a component of a quick combo that allows item substitution, from the FOH guest check window, the system-generated Quick Combo Substitution screen appears. This introduced the one-button touch for substitutions, replacing the need to select and delete the item you are substituting and then add the new item to the guest check.

Modifying Multiple Items Simultaneously
In the current POS environment, you cannot select more than one like item in the guest check window and make the same change to each item simultaneously; you must select and modify each item individually. Aloha Quick Service v6.7 introduces a new feature that, when enabled, allows you to select and modify more than one like item on the guest check, all at the same time.

Automatically Adding a Modifier to the Check
To enhance your speed of service and reduce button touches, you can define your most frequently selected modifiers to be added to the guest check automatically during the order entry process. Using this feature, you only need to change the modifier on exceptions.
Although automatically adding a modifier to a check takes advantage of the ‘Included Modifier’ functionality, you do not have to also designate the modifier as being an included modifier. For example, you can configure a biscuit to automatically add to the check when you order a Chicken Basket, but not designate the biscuit as an included modifier. The biscuit appears in the guest check window as a modifier, but the check mark, or bitmap being used to designate included modifiers, does not appear on the modifier button.

Substituting Included Modifiers With Context Panels
In Aloha Quick Service v6.4.9, we introduced the Included Modifiers feature in Aloha Quick Service, which uses a bitmap on the modifier button to help the cashier easily identify the modifiers that are included with an item. This provides the cashier with a visual indication of the default items that the guest can modify and also helps prevent the sending of confusing or incorrect orders to the kitchen.

Enhancing Repeat Button to Quantify Items and Quick Combos
In Aloha Quick Service, the system behaves differently when you quantify an item or quantify a quick combo, using either the Quantity button or Repeat button. You can now allow consistent quantifying behavior by enhancing the Repeat button function.

Automatically Printing an Included Modifier in the Kitchen
Included modifiers help the cashier easily identify the modifiers included with an item by displaying a bit­map, usually a check mark symbol, on the modifier button. This provides the cashier with a visual indication of the default items that the guest can modify and also helps prevent the sending of confusing or incorrect orders to the kitchen.

Supporting Fractional Toppings and Fractional Pizzas
Prior to POS v6.7, you could only support half toppings, using the hard-coded Pizza Modifiers screen. As pizza environments become more complex and cater to customer needs, there is an increasing demand to support fractional toppings, such as halves, thirds, and quarters, as well as splitting the entire pizza into the same fractions. With these choices, restaurants can easily support guests who want to share a pizza.

Supporting ‘Topping Average’ Pizza Portion Pricing Methods
You can now use a pizza portion pricing method called ‘Topping Average’ that uses a unique formula. This formula is particularly useful when averaging fractional toppings that contain different prices. A fractional topping is any topping that does not cover the entire pizza. For example, if a guest orders onions on half the pizza only, the onions are considered a fractional topping.

Overriding Store-Level Pizza Portion Pricing Method by Item
For establishments that need to use more than one pizza portion pricing method, you can configure a global pizza portion pricing method in Store Settings, and override it at the item level for individual pizzas that do not follow this pricing method. If a pizza with two or more pizza portion pricing methods is ordered, the system uses the method defined in Store Settings.

Supporting Included Modifiers in Table Service
To help the cashier easily identify the modifiers that are included with an item, you can configure a bitmap to appear on the modifier button. This bitmap can appear on the classic and system-generated modifier screens, as well as the pizza screen. This provides the cashier with a visual indication of the default items that the guest can modify and also helps prevent the sending of confusing or incorrect orders to the kitchen. In Aloha Quick Service v6.4.9, We introduced included modifiers in Aloha Quick Service v6.4.9. You can now use included modifiers in Aloha Table Service v6.7.

Limiting FOH Reports by Revenue Center
When you run reports from the FOH, the system generates data from the entire store; however, some sites are set up where each restaurant or concept is configured by revenue center. In POS v6.7, you can now optionally configure the following FOH reports to collect data only from the specific revenue center in which the terminal resides:
» Restaurant Sales Report
» Product Mix Report

Applying a BOGO Price to Items Based On Order Entry Time
In the Aloha POS, you can use events to activate a Buy One Get One (BOGO) promotion and offer special pricing to guests during a specific time frame, such as a Happy Hour; however, the system calculates the guest check using the item price in effect at the time you close the check. If this time is after the promotion expires, you could get unexpected totals on the guest check. You can now configure the system to apply and retain the price in effect for the item at the time it is ordered, regardless of when the check is closed.

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  Aloha POS Enhancement Release v6.7