Sync Approved Offline Credit Card Orders in Shift4 Venue

Description: Learn to manage credit card order sync in Shift4 Venue, including how to identify order states, use Store and Forward (SAF) mode, sync offline transactions, and troubleshoot unsynced orders.

Understand Order States

Shift4 Venue uses two order states to help you track incomplete or failed credit card transactions.

Submitted

The Submitted state appears when the point of sale (POS) is online and the card reader is activated, but the payment is never completed — for example, due to a device reboot. This state helps you track abandoned orders.

Submission Failed

The Submission Failed state appears when a card reader error occurs or the user returns to the previous screen after activating the card reader. These transactions are not charged.

Note: Exclude both the Submitted and Submission Failed states from reconciliation reports.

Use Store and Forward Mode

By default, Quick Service POS operates in Online mode, where orders move to the configured Skip POS Submission state (typically Completed) and settle immediately.

Store and Forward (SAF) mode allows credit card transactions to be processed when a device is offline or experiencing poor network conditions. Orders are stored locally and uploaded to the processor once the connection is restored.

When Devices Enter SAF Mode

Devices enter SAF mode under the following scenarios:

Scenario 1: Device goes offline

• FreedomPay: Switches to SAF dynamically when the device goes offline.
• PAX: Switches to SAF and enters a 30-minute cooldown period. During this time, all transactions process through SAF — even if the device comes back online.

Scenario 2: Operator manually enables SAF

• PAX only: If toggled to Offline Only, the device stays in SAF mode until you manually change it back.

Scenario 3: Online device encounters a gateway error

• PAX devices follow the same behavior described in Scenario 1.

View and Manage Approved Offline Orders

While in SAF mode, orders enter the Approved Offline state. These orders are not authorized or settled until they are synced.

View Unsynced Orders

1. Select the hamburger menu, then select Orders > Unsynced Orders.

Sync Orders

1. Select Device Summary.
2. Look for red counts under Device Sync Status.
3. Confirm your network connection:
   1. Select the menu, then select Refresh Config.
   2. If you see Config refreshed successfully, your connection is active.
   3. If you see Failed to refresh config, no network is available. Restore the connection before continuing.
4. Select Sync Orders to upload transactions.

Note: Syncing also occurs automatically after 30 minutes of being online and idle.

What Happens During Sync

Orders first sync to Shift4 Venue and appear in Canopy and DataNow as Approved Offline. The payment processor then attempts settlement:

• Completed: Approved orders settle successfully.
• Authorization Failed: Declined orders. You can view these in DataNow under F&B Sales > Auth Failed Orders Approved Offline.

Monitor Approved Offline Orders in DataNow

1. Go to Device Monitoring in DataNow.
2. Set the Calendar Date filter:
   • The default is the last 24 hours.
   • To check for older orders, set the filter to is in the year: 2023 (or the applicable year).
3. Run the report.

The report displays the following for each device:

• Device ID
• Revenue Center Location
• Organization Name
• Order count and Gross Sales

Note: Approved Offline counts may differ between the POS and DataNow. If the device never returned online, or if offline payments were accepted with cash or a custom tender, those orders appear in the POS but not in DataNow.

Sync Orders After Using Offline Only Mode

After your event ends, follow these steps to sync orders from Offline Only mode:

1. Select the hamburger menu, then select Debug Info > Hardware tab.
2. Set Payment Processing Mode to Online First.
3. Confirm your network connection by selecting Refresh Config.
4. Select Orders > Show Summary > Sync Orders.
5. Allow the device time to complete the sync.

If unsynced order counts remain after the sync completes, see the Troubleshoot Stuck Syncs section below.

Troubleshoot Stuck Syncs

If unsynced order counts are not clearing and the device is on a stable network, follow these steps:

1. Reboot the device.
2. Go to Android Settings > Apps > ST Venue App.
3. Select Force Stop, then select OK.
4. Reopen the app and log in.
5. Select Device Summary > Sync Orders.

If orders do not sync after reattempting, move the device to a different local network or mobile hotspot to rule out network or allowlist issues.

Important: Do not clear ST Venue App data. If the issue persists, contact Shift4 Venue Support for further assistance.