Release Notes - 7.1.403 - 1750_0000

Important highlights from this release

1. Menu Setup Features
   1. Restriction of BO Access to Divisions and Price Levels
   2. Copy/Paste and Cut/Paste functionailty for Menu Items and Groupings respectively
   3. New search queries for Scan Codes 
      
      
2. New Kiosk Features
   1. Upselling Combos
   2. Printer Error prompts and functionality
   3. Price Levels/Discounts available
   4. Open Hours (enable/disable kiosk use during scheduled hours)
      
      
3. Email Notifications for Declining Balances
   
   
4. General Menu Setup QOL improvements
   
   
5. Important fixes
   • Improved loading speeds for BackOffice 

New Features

Menu Setup - Restrict Modifications for Menu Divisions

HeadOffice users can restrict BackOffice user access to specific Price Levels

• Restriction features are available via the Permissions Tab in the Menu Setup screen.
• This function can only be performed from Store 0/Template Store.  At store level, restriction features are not visible.
  
  • Furthermore, a specific store must first be selected via the Store Picker.
• Users can be restricted access by Division, Menu Set, and Price Level, independently.

• Restrictions do not apply to individual Menu Items.

Upsell (Combos) on Kiosk

Upsell functionality is available for kiosks.  This functionality can be enabled from the Kiosk Config screen. 

• Upselling combos exposes the user to other options that may not have been previously considered, with the intent of promoting sales. 
• For example, when a user orders a burger item, Volanté will automatically detect that the burger is part of a combo. A pop-up with a message will prompt the user if they would like to turn this item into a combo. If the user selects Yes, they will be prompted to select a side item to complete the combo.
• Setup:
  1. In the BackOffice, navigate to Menu Setup. 
  2. Create a combo item.
  3. If the ordered item belongs in the Main Combo Grouping that makes up a Combo Item, users on the kiosk will be prompted with this combo first.
• On the Kiosk, after ordering an item applicable to a combo, users will automatically be prompted with a message to upgrade the item to a combo.

Disable Kiosk Functionality when Kiosk Printer is in Error Status

When this feature is enabled, and when a kiosk is out of printer paper, users will be prompted with an error message indicating this is the case.

Kiosk transactions may still proceed even if the printer is out of paper; no receipt will be provided, but users will still be provided with a receipt number on-screen.

Settings for printer errors can be configured from the Kiosk Configuration screen in the BackOffice.  This feature can be configured with several options or behaviours:

Customer Database - Price Levels / Discounts on Kiosk

Implemented price levels and discounts on kiosk.  Functionality works just as it would on a standard POS.

Menu Setup - Copy/Paste Menu Items

Implemented the ability to Copy and Paste Menu Items in the Menu Setup UI.

• Copy and Paste are accessible via the right-click context menu.
• Users can only Cut/Copy Menu Items from one Category to another Category.
• Users can select multiple items to cut or copy at the same time, using the Multiple Select (checkbox functionality)
• When a user cuts a downloaded item, it will still follow the HeadOffice Template's details even from it's new location.

Ability to move Menu Item Groupings via Cut/Paste Categories, Groupings

• Users are able to cut and paste categories and groupings. 
• Comparable to Copy/Paste functionality, but the functionality is restricted to only these types of groupings.
• Items can only be move

Implemented ability to search by scancode in the Price Level View 

Added a new search filter for scancodes on Menu Items in the Price Level View.

This feature is intended for improved searchability for users attempting to add scancodes into the system.

Advanced Customer Search for X Transaction within Y days

A new search criteria is available for searching customers in the CustomerDB, with a certain number of transactions over a specified period of time.

• This feature can be used for marketing purposes, reaching out to customers who have not made transactions over a period of time.  

• This feature can also be used in conjunction with the low balance email notification.  See below for more details.

Email Notifications when Declining Balance Accounts reach certain values

The Email Notification module allows users to configure outgoing email notifications based on specified queries.

For further documentation on its usage, please see: Email Notification Module. 

• Email Notifications can be configured from the BackOffice, under General Setup. 

• Email Notifications can be used to customize email templates to be sent out to Declining Balance owners.  
• Variables can be added to email templates via "freemarkers" and preset values.
• This feature was originally created to notify users when their declining balance accounts reach zero.  It is now expanded upon to allow notifications when the declining balance account reaches any specified amount (i.e. $5 instead of $0).

Kiosk Config - Open Hours Scheduling

Open Hours can be configured from the BackOffice, under Kiosk Config.

• Selecting Open Hours Schedule now opens a screen that allows users to edit or create new schedules for Open Hours on Kiosks.
• This makes use of the Set Schedule screen, comparable to the scheduling screen used for Price Levels.  From here, users may configure the time and date for open hours on a terminal.
• After configuring schedules for Open Hours, the Kiosk UI will be "closed" during off hours.
• Users will be required to perform a Data Sync in and restart the kiosk application in order for these hours to be committed.

Improvements

New grouping creation, redirect focus to name

When creating new Menu Items or Groupings, users are automatically directed to the corresponding name field for the item.

Menu Items – Size Prices can be changed immediately upon creation of new size

After creating Menu Item sizes, users will be automatically be brought to new size item fields upon creation, instead of needing to navigate to the new size item to manually adjust the price.

Removed the requirement for the F3 button to be pressed on BlueFin PIN Pads in order to to process transactions

A new flag, DISABLE_VERIFY_AMOUNT, is available in credit card configuration files on BlueFin PIN pads.   This flag enables or disables behavior where F3 needs to be pressed in order for a BlueFin PIN pad to process a transaction.

• The system will read the credit card config file, change the verify amount flag, and writes the changes to the file.  This occurs every time the PIN pad is set up; the kiosk/POS must be reset in order for these changes to occur.
• By default, PIN Pads will not have this amount verification enabled.
• To accomplish this manually, append the string "DISABLE_VERIFY_AMOUNT" to the Credit Card Config file.
• When this flag is appended to the file, PIN pads will verify the amount again on reset.
• Kiosks/POS systems must be reset for this change to take effect.  

NOTE: This string was previously labeled ENABLE_VERIFY_AMOUNT.

Bug Fixes

Combo item with non-combo links defined

• Resolved issues associated with Combo Items ordered on Kiosk throwing exceptions.
• Resolved issues related to Combo Items being ordered on the Kiosk taking options from previously ordered items.
• Added prompts to inform users if combos have not been configured correctly, and prevents the item from being ordered.

New Menu Build Slowness Issues

Improve loading times and slowness issues, specifically for:

• BackOffice launch times, previously stalling at 54% and 82%
• POS Terminals disconnecting from BO intermittently
• Slow database issues