Order Management

The Orders Overview provides a real-time view of all orders across your locations. Monitor order status, track preparation times, and manage customer communication from a single interface.

::: note Access: Navigate to Orders Overview from the main navigation menu. :::

1. Understanding the Layout

The Orders Overview is organized by location and table:

• Location Column: Restaurant venue name
• Orders Column: Individual orders grouped by table number
• Telegram Column: Toggle notifications for each location

2. Order Statuses

Orders progress through various states from creation to completion. These statuses reflect the order's journey within OrderNow and its handoff to your restaurant's POS system:

Status	Color	Description
SELECTING	Light Blue	Customer is actively adding items to their order (can be on multiple devices)
NEW	Blue	Order created but not yet submitted by customer
PLACED	Orange	Order submitted by customer and sent to the POS system
COMPLETED	Green	Order successfully processed by the POS system
FAILED	Red	Order could not be processed by the POS system
ABORTED	Gray	Order cancelled (e.g., session closed or order was faulty)

::: note POS Integration: Once an order reaches PLACED status, it has been sent to your restaurant's POS system. The POS system then handles kitchen preparation, delivery, and payment tracking independently. OrderNow does not track "Preparing," "Ready," or "Delivered" states - those are managed by your POS. :::

3. Viewing Order Details

1. Locate the location and table in the overview
2. Click on any order chip (e.g., "#42 - 12:30")
3. The Order Details dialog opens showing:
   • Order number and timestamp
   • Table number and session info
   • Complete list of items ordered
   • Individual item statuses
   • Special requests or notes
   • Customer information (if provided)

4. Understanding Order Flow

Typical Order Lifecycle

Most orders follow this progression:

1. SELECTING → Customer adds items to cart
2. NEW → Order exists but not yet submitted
3. PLACED → Customer confirms and sends order
4. COMPLETED → POS system confirms successful processing

TIP

Manual Status Changes: Generally, order status updates automatically as customers interact with the system. Administrators can manually change status if needed (e.g., marking a FAILED order as ABORTED after investigation).

Status Meanings in Detail

SELECTING

• Customer is actively browsing and adding items
• Can occur on multiple devices simultaneously
• Order not yet finalized
• Usually transitions to NEW when customer stops activity

NEW

• Order created in system
• Customer has items in cart but hasn't submitted
• May revert to SELECTING if customer continues ordering

PLACED

• Customer has confirmed and sent the order
• Order is transmitted to the POS system
• Receipt/confirmation shown to customer
• OrderNow tracking ends here for most purposes

COMPLETED

• POS system successfully received and processed the order
• Order is in the restaurant's POS workflow
• Kitchen preparation tracked by POS, not OrderNow

FAILED

• Error occurred during POS transmission
• Order may need to be re-sent manually
• Check POS system for connectivity issues
• Customer should be notified if order didn't go through

ABORTED

• Order cancelled before completion
• Common causes: session closed, customer left, order error
• Rarely used but available for error handling

5. Searching & Filtering

Using the Search Bar

The search field at the top filters orders by:

• Order number
• Table number
• Location name
• Item names (in orders)

TIP

Quick Find: Type "T5" to show all orders for Table 5 across all locations.

Clearing Filters

Click the X icon in the search field to clear filters and show all orders.

6. Telegram Notifications

Enabling/Disabling per Location

1. Find the location in the Orders Overview
2. Toggle the switch in the Telegram column
3. Green = Notifications enabled
4. Gray = Notifications disabled

What Gets Notified

When enabled, Telegram sends messages for:

• New orders submitted
• Order status changes
• Special requests or urgent orders

::: note Setup Required: Telegram notifications must be configured in the Telegram Integration settings first. See the Telegram Integration guide for details. :::

7. Order Details Panel Features

Timing Information

Each order shows timing metrics:

• Created Time: When customer started creating the order
• Placed Time: When customer submitted the order
• Duration: How long the order took to create/submit
• Completion Time: When POS confirmed the order (COMPLETED status)

Visual Updates

Orders that have been recently updated flash briefly:

• Helps catch new incoming orders
• Highlights status changes
• Animation stops after a few seconds

8. Printing Orders

Send orders directly to configured printers:

1. Open the order details
2. Click the Print button
3. Select printer or printer group
4. Order is queued for printing

9. Managing Multiple Locations

Location Overview

• Each location appears as a separate row
• Expand/collapse locations to focus on specific venues
• Orders are grouped by table within each location

Copying Location Name

Click the location name button to copy it to clipboard:

• Useful for pasting into other systems
• Sharing location info with staff
• Quick reference

10. Recommended Workflow

1. Monitor: Keep the Orders Overview open on a dedicated screen
2. Watch for PLACED orders: These are new orders that need attention
3. Check for FAILED orders: Address any orders that couldn't reach the POS
4. Verify POS receipt: Confirm orders appear in your POS system
5. Handle ABORTED orders: Review and clean up any cancelled orders

11. Common Scenarios

Scenario	Action
New order not appearing	Refresh the page. Check that the location filter isn't active.
Customer says they ordered but nothing shows	Check their table number in search. Look for orders in SELECTING or NEW status (not yet submitted).
Order shows FAILED status	Check POS system connectivity. Order may need to be re-sent manually or taken verbally.
Order stuck in SELECTING	Customer may have abandoned their cart. Order will time out eventually.
POS system didn't receive order	Verify order reached PLACED status in OrderNow. Check POS connection. Contact support if ongoing issue.

Best Practices

• Monitor PLACED orders: Ensure orders are reaching your POS system
• Watch for FAILED: Failed orders need immediate attention
• Don't rely solely on OrderNow: Always verify orders appear in your POS
• Have a backup: Keep paper and pen ready for system outages
• Regular refresh: Press F5 periodically if the page has been open for hours
• Clear old sessions: Close table sessions when customers leave to clean up SELECTING orders

WARNING

Important: Order data is real-time. Once a table session ends, orders are archived and will no longer appear in the active overview. Export reports if you need historical order data. OrderNow tracks orders until they reach your POS - kitchen and service workflow is managed by your POS system.