Overview

This article was written for Volanté v6.0.269 / build: 1361.

This article details how to add menu items and their organizational structure.

Menu Programming is organized into four easy steps so that it can be done quickly and efficiently. All operations follow a tree-like structure and may be controlled using the simple drag and drop motion. The 4 easy steps required for menu programming include:

Current Step:

1. Add Menu Items – Creating a master list of all Menu Items in the establishment excluding toppings and menu item modifications.

Next Steps:

2. Set Up Option Items – Creating a master list of Options defined under Menu Options. Options being the modifiers, supplementary items, or add-ons that get associated with specific menu items

3. Link Menu Item Options – Linking Menu Items to Options

4. Menu Config – Designing menu sets buttons for use on POS Terminals

Data Synch

After completing all Menu programming steps – data synchronization of the information from the BackOffice Server to the POS Terminals is required to view menu sets on the POS terminals.

Follow these instructions for /wiki/spaces/IS/pages/63359044 information.

Step-by-Step Guide

Menu Grouping Enhances Reporting Ability

Prior to adding menu items it is important to take a step back and think how you want to split up menu items.

Figure 1: Division, Group, Category, Menu Item Outline

Divisions: define how the menu is to be used - example: QuickService, FullService, Restaurant1, Restaurant2, East Coast, West Coast
Groups: broadly grouped menu items - example: Food, Beverage, Non-Food Items
Categories: are used to granularly group menu items - example: the Food Group is broken down into the categories – entrees, apps, desserts etc
Menu Items: individual menu items - where individual items are added - example: New York Steak, Spaghetti, etc.

Splitting menu items per division, group and or category can depends on how you want to view the data in reports. It has nothing to do with the visual display of information on the Order Entry Screens.
Example:

Regional specific information - adding divisions enables your to quickly view information per divisional areas like East Coast vs West Coast sales
Restaurant specific information - setting divisions per restaurants like "Coffee Shop" and "Restaurant" allows you quickly view sales per business function.
Time specific information - splitting categories between the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus can allow you to quickly see per category sales

The left pane of the window contains the Menu Definition (Menu Def.) area and it is similar setup to windows explorer – a hierarchical folder \ file or tree setup. The folders and grouping of menu items have nothing to do with the visual display of the menu items on an Order Entry screen but are used for reporting purposes. There are no limits to the number of menu items that can be added. By default the following has been added "Division" and "Food" ... these folders can be renamed but not removed!

Division

Divisions: define how the menu is to be used - examples QuickService, FullService, Restaurant1, Restaurant2, East Coast, West Coast

To create a new division:

Highlight at the root level "Menu Def." and click "New"
Type in Division Name
Click Save

Group

Groups: broadly grouped menu items - examples can be Food, Beverage, Non-Food Items

To create a new group:

Highlight an existing "Division" and click "New"
Type in Group Name and Group Name Alt. (other languages uses Group Name Alt)
Click Save

Category

Categories: are used to granularly group menu items - examples the Food Group is broken down into the categories – entrees, apps, desserts etc

To create a new group:

Highlight an existing "Group" and click "New"
Type in Category Name and Category Name Alt (other languages use Group Name Alt)

Set category defaults – this will speed up the programming of Menu Items within that category.

Set the Category defaults:
- Discountable - Check to ensure items are available for discounting
- Printer Types - Check if items are required to be printed to receipts and/or kitchen printers
- Taxes - Check to apply applicable taxes
- Disc. Item Type - Check appropriate discount item types
Click Save

Change Category Defaults

Sometimes default category items change and rather than changing every menu item in a category the category defaults can be changed and pushed down to each menu item within the folder.

Steps Required:

Update applicable default category information
- Select the appropriate category
- Select Edit the change appropriate default category information – for example change the printer
- Select Save

Select "Update Menu Items with Above Defaults"
- Check the appropriate component(s) to update
- Select OK

Upon completion, the following windows will be displayed

Menu Item

Menu Items: individual menu items - where individual items are added - examples being a "New York Steak", "Spaghetti" etc.

To create a new menu item.

Highlight the category where the item will reside
Click New

<

Enter appropriate menu item information:

Where:

MI Name: Menu Item Name – this becomes the button name on the quick menu. <max. 17 characters>
MI Name Alt: Alternative language Menu Item Name – by default the MI Name will auto-fill into this field
Master Menu Item: An auto-created number used as for reference in Volanté Systems
PLU: Optional field where a Price-Look-Up (PLU) number can be entered. If no PLU number is entered the Master Menu Item number will be auto-fill into this field.
Print Name: Menu item print name - used to shorten menu name to fit on receipts etc. If nothing is entered the field is auto-filled with the MI Name.

Complete Fields Using Category Defaults:

All settings pre-defined at the Category level like taxes, discounts, tags, prices, item types etc if set will auto-complete.

If information not pre-defined in the category, then manual entry information:

Price: Item price pre-tax
+Tax: Item price after-tax – if Taxes are not selected then price is the same as pre-tax.

Hint: If a tax check box is selected after entering in an initial price the display of after-tax-price will not be refreshed. If you move between menu items the display gets refreshed and the after-tax price will update.

Cost: Optional field where cost of the item can be entered – can be used for accounting and report purposes
DeptId: Optional field where Department ID can be entered if nothing is entered "1" is used
Unit: Optional field where unit amounts can be entered - default is 1.0
Count: Optional field where count information can be entered.
Discounts: Maximum number of discounts for selected item per each transaction
Discountable: If selected this item can be used in price modifiers, combos etc – otherwise the price will always remain at pr ice stated.
Item Depletion Type: If using inventory controls this allows for the appropriate selection type - By Menu Item, By Inventory, 86 Item

Hint: Use the "Find Item" button on the bottom left panel to find menu item. To use -- click the "Find Item > a pop-up Find window will be displayed > type in the menu item (or part of the menu item) that you would like to find > to keep searching for the same menu item keep selecting the find button until the menu item required is displayed.

Advanced Features

Pictures

Graphics / pictures can be added to menu items so that when added as buttons on menu sets (quick menu) they display the graphic rather than the menu item name.

Setup:

Highlight the appropriate menu item
Select the advanced tab
To add a picture go to the Item Icon area and click select
Browse for the appropriate graphic file – must be either a .gif or jpg file

Note: Graphic size is dependent on the number of buttons per quick menu. It will take a bit of playing around to get the size right.

Additional instructions on modifying graphical displays at a kiosk can be seen at:

Kiosk Images Customization - (1533 and Higher - Volante V6)

Open Price Item

Open price items are menu items that require the cashier to manually entering a price.

Setup:

Highlight the appropriate menu item
Select the advanced tab
Click the Open Price "check box"

If Required:

Add a maximum open price

Once configured the cashier will see something like the following when selecting the open priced item:

Minimum open price

To set a minimum amount for an open priced item – add a price into the basic tab (same way as per normal priced menu items).

Note: With a minimum price set – if you select <enter> or $0.00 the items price will be used as the open price. If you type in any amount above $0.00 that amount gets added to the minimum amount. For example, Delivery minimum amount is $3.00 and if enter $2.00 the delivery amount charged is $5.00

Receipt Printing

By default all menu items are setup to automatically print on receipts. However, in specific circumstances, businesses may select to not have a menu item print on receipt. To change this setting, unselect "Print Item On Receipt" from the advanced tab.

Related Articles

Page:

Menu setup - Menu structure function
Page:

Link Menu Item Options
Page:

Add Menu Items
Page:

Old Menu Setup (1715 and below)
Page:

Menu Config
Page:

Set Up Option Items
Page:

Menu Documentation
Page:

Menu Setup - Units (Build 1766+)
Page:

Menu Set Filtering - Tare Weight Filter - InterfaceLink - Restrict to Combo and Option Groupings by Menu Set
Page:

Kiosk Menu Setup - Weigh Scale Items and Tare Weight Item Setup (1750)
Page:

Menu Setup - Combo/Option Configuration
Page:

Volanté Menu Setup Guide (PDF)

Other Related Articles

Page:

How do I setup combos using menu item tagging?
Page:

How do I setup a multi-topping specialty pizza?
Page:

How do I print barcode labels?
Page:

How do I consolidate kitchen printouts?
Page:

Menu Colours
Page:

What do interface links do?
Page:

POS Change Menu Sets
Page:

Combos - Price Modifier Discount Setup (Old)
Page:

How do I create a pizza menu?
Page:

Tim Horton Menu Setup
Page:

Menu setup - Menu structure function
Page:

What colours can the Quick Menu buttons be?
Page:

Link Menu Item Options
Page:

Barcode Label Printing (Old)
Page:

Combos - Menu Items Tag Combos

Troubleshooting Articles

Page:

How do I setup combos using menu item tagging?
Page:

How do I setup a multi-topping specialty pizza?
Page:

How do I print barcode labels?
Page:

How do I consolidate kitchen printouts?
Page:

What do interface links do?
Page:

How do I create a pizza menu?
Page:

Menu setup - Menu structure function
Page:

What colours can the Quick Menu buttons be?
Page:

How to switch from HST to GST and PST in BC and update menu items?
Page:

Advanced Menu Programming
Page:

How do I setup combos using discounts?
Page:

How do I setup Volanté to work with BOLDstreet?
Page:

How do I setup a combo?
Page:

How do I set a minimum charge per bill?
Page:

How do I see the previous price of a menu item?

Browser not supported