Keeping the till running through load-shedding and internet outages
Outages are part of trading here. A till that stops when the connection drops costs sales and queues; one that sells blindly can lose them. Here's what a good offline till does, and the habits that keep the books right.
What an offline till must get right
- Save each sale on the device before anything else, so a power cut can't lose a finished sale.
- Keep prices, customers and exchange rates on the device, and send queued sales automatically when the link returns.
- Never duplicate a sale when a batch is sent twice, and never drop one silently if the server refuses it.
- Check stock, prices and approvals again on the server when the sales arrive.
What needs a connection
- Mobile money payments.
- New sign-ins on a device.
- Fresh supervisor approvals, unless the supervisor printed single-use codes in advance.
- Fiscal receipts: an offline sale's printed slip says the fiscal receipt will follow once it reaches ZIMRA.
Habits that keep the books right
- Open the till online on each device before an outage, so it has what it needs.
- Don't clear browser data on a till with sales waiting to send.
- Keep devices on automatic time.
- Close the till every day, after every device has synced, and before month end.
- A UPS for the router and till PC buys time; a mobile data backup keeps sales flowing.
This guide explains general practice. It isn’t tax or legal advice: confirm rates and choices with your accountant or payroll adviser.