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v26.3

Payment Methods

DiKAS supports numerous payment methods — from cash payment to card payment, vouchers, customer credit, and house tabs. Multiple payment methods can be combined in a single transaction.

Overview of All Payment Methods

Payment Method Type Code Cash Register Effect Description
Cash 0 Yes (cash income) Cash payment with change calculation
Debit card 1 Yes (card revenue) Via ZVT terminal or Tap-to-Pay (SoftPOS)
Credit card 1 Yes (card revenue) Via ZVT terminal or Tap-to-Pay (SoftPOS)
Net cash 3 Yes Cash payment without VAT display
Net card 4 Yes Card payment without VAT display
Bank transfer 5 No Bank transfer
Customer credit 10 No Prepaid credit from the customer
Voucher 20 No Redeem value voucher
House tab 99 No On customer account (credit)

ℹ️ Note: Cash register effect means: The amount appears in the cash balance (cash) or in the card revenue (card). Payment methods without a cash register effect (house tab, credit, voucher) do not change the cash balance.

Cash Payment

  1. Tap "Pay"
  2. Select "Cash"
  3. Enter the amount received (or tap a quick-select button)
  4. DiKAS calculates the change automatically

Payment dialog with cash, debit card, and credit card

Payment complete

Quick-Select Buttons (Denominations)

In the payment dialog, fixed banknote/coin buttons let you quickly enter the amount given:

[200] [100] [50] [20] [10] [5] [2] [1] [0.50] [0.10]
[Exact]  [C]  [Hosp.]  [Split]
  • Tap e.g. 20 to set "Given = 20.00 EUR" and calculate the change.
  • "Exact" books the exact amount — no change needed.
  • "C" resets the Given field.

💡 Leave the Given field empty and tap "Cash" directly — DiKAS automatically books "exact" (no change).

Change Calculation

Total Amount Given Change
12.70 EUR 15.00 EUR 2.30 EUR
12.70 EUR 20.00 EUR 7.30 EUR
12.70 EUR 12.70 EUR (Exact) 0.00 EUR

ℹ️ Change is for display purposes only for the cashier. What is always recorded (and saved on the receipt/Z-report) is the invoice amount — not the given amount. If a guest declines the change, the difference is a tip (see below).

When the Cash Drawer Opens

The cash drawer has no connection of its own to the computer — it is attached to the receipt printer and is opened through it. It also opens when no receipt is being printed: cash has to go into the drawer, whether or not the guest wants a receipt.

Whether it opens on a payment is decided by four settings together. It is enough for one of them to say no — then the drawer stays shut:

# Setting Where
1 "Kassenschublade aktivieren" (Enable cash drawer) — the global release for the whole business Admin → Settings → POS → Payment Methods, below the list
2 "Schublade" (Drawer) per payment method: "Auto" (cash only), "Immer" (Always), "Nie" (Never) Admin → Settings → POS → Payment Methods, column "Schublade" (Drawer)
3 "Kassenschublade nicht öffnen" (Do not open cash drawer) for an individual workstation Admin → Settings → POS → Workstations
4 "Kassenlade nicht öffnen" (Do not open cash drawer) as an employee permission Admin → Staff → [Employee] → Permissions

When a cash receipt is voided, the drawer opens by the same rules — the payment method of the original receipt applies. This also works when no void receipt is printed.

The drawer stays shut even though the cash payment method is set to Auto?

Then the global release is usually switched off. It used to be invisible, and this exact combination has already cost businesses money: the payment method clearly showed Auto, while the global switch sat unnoticed in the off position. Check the four points in this order — from top to bottom.

What each level does

The global release enables the function for the business. The payment method determines when the drawer opens (cash yes, card usually no). The workstation excludes an individual register — a mobile register without a drawer of its own, for example. And the employee permission blocks individual people without changing the register as a whole.

If the drawer does not open despite correct settings, it is down to the wiring: the cable belongs in the kick-out port of the receipt printer, and the drawer has to match the printer's voltage — see Hardware → Cash Drawer.

💳 Card Payment (Debit / Credit Card)

DiKAS supports several terminal types — without third-party lock-in and without a DiKAS surcharge:

Terminal Type Description
ZVT terminal Classic debit card terminal via network (ZVT standard, e.g. Ingenico, Verifone, CCV)
Tap-to-Pay (SoftPOS) The Android device itself becomes the contactless card terminal — no extra hardware
Stripe Terminal Stripe card reader, controlled via the Stripe cloud
SumUp Reader SumUp Air/Solo, connected via the SumUp account

Which terminal fits your business and how to connect it: Hardware → Card Terminals.

💡 Demo/Test without a real terminal: In demo mode DiKAS simulates the card terminal. The simulator deliberately rejects every second transaction ("Simulator: Payment declined") — so the error case can be tested too. Simply tap Pay again, the next transaction will succeed.

  1. Tap "Pay"
  2. Select "Debit card" or "Credit card"
  3. DiKAS sends the amount automatically to the terminal (ZVT protocol)
  4. Guest holds card to the terminal or inserts it
  5. Terminal displays "Payment successful"
  6. DiKAS receives the confirmation and prints the receipt

Advantage: The amount is transmitted automatically — no manual entry at the terminal required.

With Tap-to-Pay (SoftPOS)

With Tap-to-Pay, the Android device running DiKAS becomes the card terminal itself — the guest simply holds their card, phone, or smartwatch to the device. No extra hardware is needed: no separate terminal, no cable, no pairing. DiKAS uses the certified SoftPOS technology of our partner RS2 for this.

One-time setup:

  1. In DiKAS, under Admin → Settings → Terminals, create a new terminal, select type "Tap-to-Pay (SoftPOS)", and enter the terminal ID and environment (test/production).
  2. Use "Check status" to test readiness — once the icon turns green, everything is connected.

⚠️ Important: For security reasons (PCI certification), SoftPOS does not run while Android developer options are enabled. Turn these off before taking payments.

When charging:

  1. Select "Debit card" or "Credit card"
  2. DiKAS automatically opens the Tap-to-Pay payment screen with the amount
  3. Guest holds card / phone to the device
  4. After a successful payment, DiKAS automatically returns and prints the receipt

Advantage: No separate terminal, no cable, no pairing — the register device itself takes contactless payments.

Without Terminal

  1. Select "Debit card"
  2. Enter amount manually on the external terminal
  3. After successful payment, confirm in DiKAS

Voiding a Card Payment

If the wrong amount was charged by mistake:

  1. Admin → Cash book or search for receipt
  2. Select "Void"
  3. Enter reason
  4. DiKAS sends a reversal request to the ZVT terminal
  5. The terminal voids the transaction
  6. A void receipt (with negative amounts) is created

Refund / Credit (Card)

Unlike a void (which refers to a specific booking), a credit is an independent refund to the card — e.g., for a return on a different day or a partial amount without the original receipt.

  1. At the POS: Menu → Card Credit (visible to staff with the "Card Credit" permission) — or in Admin → Settings → Payment Terminals tap "Card Credit" for the terminal
  2. Enter amount → "Process Credit"
  3. Guest holds card to the terminal
  4. DiKAS shows the result and customer receipt

Stripe & SumUp: credit only with the original payment

A free-standing credit to any card is only available on a ZVT terminal. Stripe and SumUp always refund against the original payment — so void the original receipt there instead, and the refund then runs automatically with that reference. This also protects against mistakes: an over-refund is ruled out this way.

Example — complaint the next day: A guest paid by card yesterday at "Bella Vista" and today complains about the bottle of wine they were charged for (24.00 EUR). The waiter opens Menu → Invoices, finds yesterday's receipt, and voids the item — or, with ZVT, alternatively goes straight to Menu → Card Credit for 24.00 EUR, and the guest holds their card to the terminal once more. The void receipt is automatically TSE-signed and documented in the cash book.

Card Type as Payment Method (optional)

On request, DiKAS can adopt the card type reported by the terminal (girocard, Visa, Mastercard …) as a separate payment method in reports — instead of just "Card". Switch under Admin → Settings → Payments.

Receipt & Terminal Printer

Per terminal, configure under Admin → Settings → Payment Terminals whether it has its own printer:

  • With printer (default): The terminal prints the customer receipt and settlement itself. DiKAS does not additionally print the card receipt in the POS receipt — no double printing.
  • Without printer: DiKAS prints the customer receipt in the POS receipt and the card settlement via the receipt printer.

Further Terminal Functions

Per terminal, the following are available under Admin → Settings → Payment Terminals:

  • Status / Device Info — check connection, show terminal ID and merchant number
  • Receipt Repeat — reprint the last receipt
  • Turnover Subtotal — query the terminal's card total (also used at End-of-Day Report for reconciliation)
  • Settlement — trigger the card terminal settlement

During a running card payment you can actively cancel at the terminal via "Cancel" in the payment dialog — the device then stops waiting for the card.

💡 Live messages from the terminal: If an action is triggered directly at the device (e.g., a void or settlement at the terminal itself), DiKAS shows it immediately at the POS via a persistent connection (setting "ZVT Device Listener").

ℹ️ Own ZVT integration: DiKAS includes its own ZVT integration — no third-party tool, no per-transaction surcharge. The terminal runs under your own contract at your bank conditions. In cloud mode DiKAS reaches the terminal via a local hardware agent in the venue network.

Redeeming a Voucher

Value Voucher (e.g., "Gift voucher 50 EUR")

  1. Select articles as usual
  2. Tap "Pay"
  3. In the field "Voucher no…" at the top of the payment dialog, enter the code or scan it via scanner → tap the magnifying glass
  4. DiKAS checks whether the code is valid, not closed, and has remaining balance
  5. The voucher amount is deducted from the invoice amount (up to the open total). Any remaining amount is settled with the chosen payment method (cash/card).

ℹ️ "Voucher" is not a separate payment method button to select — it is a deduction that is offset before the payment method selection. Multiple vouchers can be redeemed one after another.

ℹ️ Note: The value voucher is treated as a payment instrument for tax purposes. VAT is applied to the purchased articles — not to the voucher itself.

Single-purpose voucher (e.g., "Brunch for 2")

A single-purpose voucher is not processed as a payment instrument but as a negative receipt item (discount line). The VAT was already calculated when the voucher was sold.

→ Detailed instructions: Vouchers

Customer Credit

  1. Select customer (before paying!)
  2. "Pay" — if the customer has credit, DiKAS automatically deducts it from the invoice amount and shows the deduction at the top of the dialog
  3. If a remaining amount is left (credit insufficient), select a normal payment method (cash/card)

Payment dialog with customer credit

ℹ️ Customer credit is not a payment method button to select — it is always automatically offset as soon as a customer with credit is selected. Exception: if a top-up or payout article is in the cart, the automatic deduction is skipped.

If the credit is insufficient: The remaining amount is paid with another payment method.

Purchase:           35.00 EUR
Customer credit:   -30.00 EUR
Remaining amount:    5.00 EUR  → Cash

→ Detailed instructions: Customer Credit

House Tab (On Account)

For business customers and regular customers who order on account:

  1. Select customer (mandatory!)
  2. "Pay" → Select "House tab"
  3. The amount is posted to the customer account
  4. The invoice can be created later in Admin

Important Details

Property Description
Cash register effect None — no cash flows
Where visible? Admin → Customers → [Customer] → Invoices
Invoice creation Admin → Accounting → Invoices → "Create"
Dunning Automatic 3-level dunning process for overdue invoices
SEPA direct debit Available for customers with a stored IBAN

Practical Example: Catering Company

"Event GmbH" regularly orders catering:

  1. Employee of Event GmbH orders: 20× Schnitzel, 20× Beverage
  2. Waiter selects customer "Event GmbH" → "House tab"
  3. At month's end: Admin → Accounting → Invoices → Consolidate all house tabs
  4. Send invoice via email
  5. Collect payment via SEPA direct debit

Net Payment Methods

For businesses with net customers (e.g., business customers receiving net invoices):

Payment Method Description
Net cash Cash payment, receipt shows net amounts
Net card Card payment, receipt shows net amounts

Net payment methods must be enabled in the settings.

🔀 Combining Multiple Payment Methods (Split Payment)

A guest can pay with any number of payment methods simultaneously:

Example 1: Cash + Card

Total amount:        45.00 EUR
─────────────────────────────
1. Cash:             20.00 EUR
2. Debit card:       25.00 EUR
─────────────────────────────
Paid:                45.00 EUR

Example 2: Voucher + Credit + Cash

Total amount:              60.00 EUR
───────────────────────────────────
1. Voucher GS-A7B3:        30.00 EUR
2. Customer credit:         20.00 EUR
3. Cash:                    10.00 EUR
───────────────────────────────────
Paid:                       60.00 EUR

Example 3: Customer Credit Insufficient

Total amount:              25.00 EUR
───────────────────────────────────
1. Customer credit:         18.50 EUR  (entire balance)
   Remaining amount:         6.50 EUR
2. Cash:                     6.50 EUR
───────────────────────────────────
Paid:                       25.00 EUR

Split Payment Workflow

  1. Tap "Pay"
  2. Tap "Split"
  3. Enter the amount for the first payment method (e.g., 20.00 EUR card)
  4. The second payment method automatically takes the remaining amount (e.g., 25.00 EUR cash)
  5. Both payment methods freely selectable; confirm

ℹ️ The split function divides a payment across exactly two payment methods. Vouchers and customer credit are additionally offset automatically beforehand — allowing combinations like "Voucher + Credit + remaining by cash" in practice.

Each payment method used is stored as a separate payment record — for seamless bookkeeping.

What Happens During Payment in the Background?

Every payment in DiKAS goes through the following steps:

Step Description
1. Check permissions Does the employee have checkout permissions?
2. Load articles All ordered articles and their tax classes
3. Create receipt Receipt with items, taxes, payments
4. TSE signing Signature for the tax authority (KassenSichV)
5. Book payments Payment records per payment method
6. Process vouchers Create new vouchers / redeem existing ones
7. Update customer account Credit, points, last visit date
8. Print receipt Receipt on the configured printer
9. Release table Set status to "Free" or "Cleaning"

Hospitality Receipt (Bewirtungsbeleg)

For business entertainment (tax-deductible under § 4 para. 5 German Income Tax Act), DiKAS creates a separate hospitality receipt with all required details:

  1. Order/ring up articles
  2. In the payment dialog tap the "Hosp." button (before selecting the payment method)
  3. With "Hosp." active, an additional "Tip" field appears (in EUR). Optionally enter the tip amount to be shown on the hospitality receipt.
  4. Complete payment
  5. The hospitality receipt is additionally printed/generated as PDF — the entered tip appears as a separate line on the receipt

Other Payment Methods & Devices

In addition to cash and card, DiKAS supports further — sometimes less obvious — payment options:

Payment Method / Device Description
Admin payment methods Payment methods visible only to staff with the "Admin payment methods visible" permission (e.g., internal billing)
Cash machine Connected coin/bill changers (Settings → Hardware → Cash Aut.): the payment amount is sent to the machine, change is dispensed automatically
OnlinePayment (11) Online prepaid orders (e.g., delivery service prepayment, Stripe/PayPal)
Tap-to-Pay Android smartphone as contactless card terminal (no separate device)

Tips

Tips can be recorded in three ways:

  1. Tip article: Special article with tip flag → Amount is shown separately
  2. Extra cash given: When the guest gives more cash than needed and declines the change
  3. Entered at the terminal: If the guest enters the tip at the card terminal, the charged amount is higher than requested. DiKAS recognizes the difference and posts it as a tip — not a correction. Works in direct sale and at table payment.

Tips appear in the end-of-day report as a separate item and are assigned to the respective waiter.

Next Step

→ Vouchers — Selling and redeeming vouchers → Customer Credit — Prepaid accounts for regular customers