Front of House Errors – Aloha Terminals

There are a few common errors you will see on the Aloha Terminal:

1. “Can’t locate master terminal”
2. “Can’t locate file server”
3. Multiple Aloha Terminals assigned as the “Master”

This document outlines steps you can take right away when these errors occur –

First it is important to understand some Aloha terminology:

 

 

The master terminal will have “Master” on the bottom of the login screen.

 

You will find the name of the Terminal here

 

 

 

Aloha only has one master terminal.

• All other terminals communicate through the master terminal.
• The master terminal communicates with the BOH (back of house) or fileserver (Aloha Computer) in the office. 
• You will want to make sure you understand which of your terminals is the master.
• The Name of the Terminal - You will see the name of the terminal in the lower right hand of the screen.  Whenever you have an issue with a terminal please refer to it by name. 

 

 

Error #1 :

If the master terminal resets or loses connection then all the other terminals will go down and display this error.

“Cannot locate master terminal.”

 

 

Resolution:

Wait 15 – 45 seconds and the terminals will load back up and reassign a new master terminal on their own. 

DO NOT turn off any computers, this will only cause it to take longer to recover.

• Rebooting the terminals is never recommended. 
  • There is a risk of losing sales, time punches, and transactional data
• You should be able to continue once the terminal comes up and automatically reassigns a master terminal.
• Leave an email at [email protected] to alert Viva IT of the issue as soon as possible.
• If it is a recurring issue we will need to have documentation of each issue to research

 

Error #2:

If a terminal loses connection with the Aloha computer in the office it will display this error:

 

 

“Cannot locate fileserver.”

 

 

Resolution:

Wait 15 to 30 seconds and the terminal will automatically go into redundancy.

Redundancy allows the Aloha Terminal to operate without the Aloha computer in the office (file server.)

When the system is in redundancy the screen will have a red outline – See below:

 

Whenever you see the red outline, you must immediately email [email protected] to let us know your system is in redundancy. 

 

 

Risks of Redundancy:

1. Online orders will fail. – Check the back of the house portal to pull orders and or communicate with Travis and Mary that you are in Redundancy
2. Sales will not sync with pulse or enterprise.
3. Credit cards are possibly spooling. (Mock authorizing without internet)
4. EOD (end of day) will complete on the master term.
5. Employees punch edits will not have a running total.
   1. No punches or sales are lost; however, reports are not able to be run or calculated.

 

Resolution:

1. If you are in the middle of a rush it is ok to run in redundancy.
2. Call support immediately after your rush and before closing to take you out of redundancy.
   • Support will make backups of transactional data and credit cards

Error #3:

If you have multiple Aloha terminals that say “Master” at the bottom this is very bad! Call support immediately.

 

Common issues you will have when you have multiple master terminals are:

1. Checks opened on one term not visible on another
2. Clock-ins not recognized from term to term.
   • If you clock in on term 1 and then try to enter in order on term 2 and it asked you to clock in again.
3. Sales different on each term.

 

 

BOH – Aloha Computer in the Office -  Trouble Shooting

Error:

If a terminal loses connection with the Aloha computer in the office it will display this error:

“Cannot locate fileserver.”

Go to Aloha Computer in the office to troubleshoot once the terminals are in redundancy:

Troubleshooting:

1. Is the server (Aloha Computer) on?
   1. Are there lights on the Aloha Computer?
   2. Is the Aloha Computer plugged in and turned on?

 

2. Do you hear beeping?
   1. Is the battery backup on?
      • Check for lights.
      • Does it have a power fault?         
        • If yes turn it off wait 30 seconds and turn on again.

 

3. Can you process credit cards?
   1. If not call support immediately.

 

4. Is there any equipment without lights?
   1. Check power cables – do not unplug anything
   2. Did the BOH freeze?
      • If frozen turn off server and wait 30 sec and power on
   3. Never reboot the Aloha switches.
      • May cause data loss.

 

5. Call support

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Label Printer (Bixolon) Trouble Shooting

 

1. Does the printer have power?
   1. Does it have a light on?
      • If yes, go to next step 2.
      • If no, go to step “b” below
   2. Power trouble shooting
      • Is it plugged into the wall?
      • Is the wall cord plugged into the power brick?
      • Is the power brick plugged into the printer?
      • Check outlet
        1. Test by plugging in your phone or another piece of equipment
        2. Check GFI on outlet
        3. Check breaker
2. What color is the light?
   1. If Red
      • Does it have stickers?
      • Are the stickers facing the right direction?
3. Does the feed button work?
   1. Reprogramming
      • Turn off the printer
      • Open the lid
      • With the lid open, hold the feed button and turn on the power, then let go of the feed button
      • With the lid still open you should see the lights alternating green top then bottom top bottom… and so on. (if not, try again)
      • Once you close the lid a sticker will print with 1.. 2.. 3.. on it.
      • Then you need to press the feed button not too fast and not too slow with a slight pause in between presses three times, you will see the light change color.
      • The label printer will shoot out a bunch of blank labels and suck one in and then feed more out.
      • After this completes press the feed button and verify one label comes out.
      • Turn off the printer and then back on and test reprinting a label through ATO?
4. Is the printer data cable connected?
   1. Take the network cable out and put it back into the printer and do the same where it connects to the wall. 

4. • Printer has a grey/black adapter plugged into the back of printer and take this out and put back in.  Check for damage to adapter or cable
   • Take out the network cable plugged into the grey/black adapter and then put back in
   • Make sure the other end is plugged into the wall.  Take out and plug this connection back in. 
5. Verify the label printer is plugged into the bottom of the terminal.
   1. Should be Com4 or Com1

 

6. Call Viva Support or email [email protected].

 

 

Thermal Printer Trouble Shooting

 

1. Does the printer have power?
   1. Does it have a light on?
      • If yes, go to next step.
      • If no check the power connections

 

1. 2. Power trouble shooting
      • Is it plugged into the wall?
      • Is the wall cord plugged into the power brick?
      • Is the power brick plugged into the printer?
      • Check outlet
        1. Test by plugging in your phone or another piece of equipment
        2. Check GFI on outlet
        3. Check breaker

 

2. What color is the light?
   1. If Red
      • Does it have paper?
      • Is it the correct roll of paper?
      • Is the paper facing the right direction?

 

3. Does the feed button work?
   1. Test printing
      • Turn off printer, hold the feed button while turning on printer switch
      • Once on let go of the feed button
      • Does it print a test receipt?

 

4. Is the printer cable connected?
   1. Unplug and plug back in (Reseat) the network cable. (Large cable with two screws.)
   2. Verify the receipt printer is plugged into the bottom of the terminal.
   3. Should be Com3

 

5. Call Viva Support by dialing 448 from the store phone or email [email protected].