Applying Payments to an Open Check

Applying payments to an open check is performed on the Payments tab on the Restaurant Check page or the Quick Sale page (see Create a Quick Sale Check).

First you need to view an open check: See also How To Open a Check

There are multiple ways to access an open check to modify it - these are each done from the Point of Sale (POS) Restaurant Log in page section of the Point of Sale (POS) Menu and all will take you to the Restaurant Check page:

• Click the Table command, and select one of your tables (listed in blue) from the Table list. This will automatically take you to the restaurant check page. Clicking on the Table command will show checks at specific tables (in parenthesis is the number of checks at the table).

• There is a button next to Table for Checks that will list all the table checks that are open.

• Click Quick Sale in the restaurant start page (on right) and when taken to the restaurant check page select one of the open checks listed in the Checks list on the left. Clicking on Quick Sale will only show open Quick Sale checks.

• Use the Check(s) tab (Open Checks command) in the main bar on the restaurant log in page to see a list of all open checks, and select one to view.
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Note: Any time you are on the restaurant start page you will need to enter your Server Quick ID button before you can do anything else.

With your open check selected in the Restaurant Check page, select the Payments tab (middle section below banner):

The Payments tab in the Restaurant Check page has several fields and allows you to apply customer payments to the open check.

Various options will be available such as cash, room charge or credit card (see below). Keep in mind, the selections you have available for Payment Type and the fields required are determined by how the Point of Sale (POS) system is configured. See Point of Sale (POS) Configuration Menu Overview for further details.

The Postings list on the right hand side of the screen provides the running total of the check.

• Payment methods that have an * next to them require a Quick ID. Not all properties use them.
• Select the desired option by clicking on it.

When chosen, all options will have a similar set of fields to complete.

• If you need to apply an automatic gratuity or discount to the check you will usually use the Gratuity/Misc $ tab, rather than the Gratuity field in the Payment field. This tab allows far more range and choice of options. See Applying Discounts or Gratuities to an Open Check .

Be sure to do this before posting payments for the check.

• The Amount field will be automatically completed from the Total due on the postings list, as 100% of the check.

Once the other fields are completed, click the Post button to post the check and take the payment.

Split payments can be applied to a single check:

See also Splitting a Check. As can be seen in the Payments tab field, there are four buttons across the top with percentages. These allow the option of paying the check in one (100%) or splitting the check evenly. (50% button will pay half the current check balance, 33% a third, or 25% a quarter).

Note: If a check is split evenly, any payments posted subsequent to the first are considered separate and therefore 100% of that payment. (For example, a check is divided evenly between three people. The first payment is 33% of the total posted. The second payment is 50% of the total remaining, and the third payment is 100% of the total remaining balance, to bring the check to zero balance). The buttons calculate the amount automatically.

Recommended Practice:Apply credit card or room charge payments before applying Cash payments.

• Select the Payment Type of the first payment.
• Edit the Amount field to be the amount to be paid in the first payment.

If using the % buttons to split the check evenly, the amount will be automatically displayed in the Amount field. If not, the amount can be entered manually by clicking within the field. A numerical keyboard will display in place of the posting list that can be used, or it can be typed directly from the keyboard.

• Enter the other required information, determined by payment type.

Note: Although there is a field in this tab for gratuity, the gratuity field on the payment screen is only used with credit card payments. In all other cases the Gratuity/Misc $ tab should be used. See Applying Discounts or Gratuities to an Open Check.

• Click Post to apply the partial payment to the check.

NOTE: You must click Post to apply each payment type to the check. This is particularly important if the payment is split between credit and cash or between immediate payment and charge to the room.

Repeat these steps until the check is at a zero balance and can be closed.

Once the check is paid, you can click Print Receipt to provide a copy to the customer or, if the check is paid using a credit card, click Payment Receipt.

When the balance on the check is zero, click Close This Check to close the check.

Payment type:

Restaurant Charge 2 Room:

For this option, you will need the room number to charge to, as well as any other information required by the system. This may include Guest Name or Group Name if the guest is part of a group folio.

Note: The server may be required to check guest ID before using this option.

This option will display a list of guests and rooms within the property below the set of fields requiring completion.

The room/guest tab selected is displayed in blue.

Note: If the name/room is displayed in black, there is credit on the room and the room can be charged (the check added to the guest's bill). If the name/room is displayed in red, there is no credit, or too little credit to cover the posted check, currently associated with the name/room selected. if posted to a guest's room whose name is in red, Skyware will attempt to authorize the card for the charges.

Cash Payment:

If the check is to be paid with cash, when the option is selected, a screen with a numerical keyboard will appear on the right (where the posting list appears for all other payment types).

Enter the Amount Tendered and then click Post. The Change Due is automatically calculated.

Direct Bill Payment:

To charge an amount to Direct Bill, enter the A/R Account number, or choose the account from the listing.

Credit Card Payments: There should be a swipe machine that automatically completes the fields. If not, you will need to manually enter the credit card number and expiration date.

The gratuities field in the payments tab is only used with credit card payments.

Be sure to click Post once the payment type and associated information is entered. This applies the payment to the check.

One the check is paid, you can Print Receipt to provide to the customer.

When the balance on the check is zero, click Close This Check to close the check.

Date Updated August 11, 2020