How to set up & Troubleshoot Preparation printers

By the end of this article you will be able to;

• Understand how to print a windows test page
• Add the preparation printer to HART 
• Add a printer to a sales group
• Add a printer to an individual item
• Configure printing for void and cancelled checks 
• Troubleshoot preparations printers. 

A preparation printer is a printer that you wish to send a POS order to, for example, a drinks order to the bar. To set up a preparation printer, you first need to ensure that the printer is set up on each machine that you wish to print from and be able to print a window test page.

To print a windows test page

To print a window test page on your machine search for printers and scanners on your machine. then click on the printer in question, click manage. then click print a test page.

If you can not locate the printer or print a windows test page, you will need to refer to your IT department for assistance.

If the printer is installed and you can print a Windows test page you can then proceed to set up the printers in HART PMS.

To add your preparation printers to HART

Ensure you have the name of the printer that you wish to start configuring. You will find this on your machine in the section printer and scanners. Navigate to Configuration > Outlets and the Preparation tab. By righting and adding an entry, you need to fill in the following fields;

• Preparation Point:  free type the printer’s name as set up by your IT department.

• Layout: choose from the drop-down box either:

                        Text Only: for simple printouts.

                        Graphics: for more stylish printouts (Bold text, lines, colour). 

• Copies: free-type the number of copies that you wish to be printed. Leave this blank if you only want one copy.
• Option colour: select the colour of the fonts either red or black. Or if this is not supported by your printer leave this blank.
• Type: choose a printer, the display is currently in development.

HART enables you to be able to set up a preparation printer in two ways by either:

• Sales group: this means that any item(s) that is under a sales group will print to the printer you have configured per outlet 
• Item: this means that when this item is selected, this will print to the printer you have configured per outlet.

To add a printer to a sales group.

Navigate to Configuration >Materials and the sales tab. Highlight  the sales group you need to link to the preparation printer(s) to and in the at the bottom-left section of the window right click and add an entry to enter the following information:

• Outlet: select the outlet from the dropdown menu.
• Preparation Point: select the printer from the drop-down box that you wish the highlighted sales group in the chosen outlet to print from 
• Fallback preparation point: here you can add another printer, so if for any reason the system can not print to the first preparation point (printer) the system will try the fallback printer.

To add a printer to an item.

Navigate to Material > Items and locate the item you wish to set up. In the printer tab by right-clicking and adding an entry, choose the outlet and the preparation point printer.

Configuring  printing for void and cancelled checks 

Navigate Configuration > Outlets > Configuration tab and highlight your outlet.  Under the void printout field choose from the drop-down box;

• No: meaning no printout at all.
• Kitchen Only:  only the linked preparation printer receives a printout.
• Check Only: only the receipt printer prints out a void/ cancellation printout.  
• Check and Kitchen: both the receipt printer and the preparation printer will print.

Troubleshooting preparation printers.

• Check the printer has been installed on the machine in question. To do this go to the machine in question search for printers and scanners and see if you can see your printer.  If you can not see the printer then please contact your IT department. 
• If you can see the printer installed on your machine, try to print a Windows test page to the printer in question. If you cannot do this, then please contact your IT department.
• Check the printer’s name in your machine against the printer’s name in HART under Configuration > Access and the preparation tab. If this has been changed this will cause you issues.
•  If you have configured by sales group check that the setup is correct by going to Configuration > Materials and the sales tab. Select your sales group and check the printer in the bottom left-hand window for the correct outlet. Or check the setup by running Reports > Point of sale > Menu card and preparation point.
• If you have configured by item check that the setup is correct by going to Materials > Items and the printer tab, check the printer is correct for the correct outlet. Or check the setup by running Reports > Point of sale > Menu card and preparation point.