Remote printing problems on your Micros Workstation 5 system can be disruptive for restaurant operations. If orders aren’t reaching the kitchen or bar correctly, it can lead to delays, errors, and unhappy customers. This guide will walk you through the essential troubleshooting steps to diagnose and resolve common remote printing issues in your Micros 3700 system, ensuring smooth operation and minimizing downtime. While the intricacies of system access might involve aspects like key fobs for security, this article focuses specifically on tackling printing malfunctions once you are within the system.
Initial Checks: Hardware and Basic Configuration
Before diving into software settings, it’s crucial to rule out any basic hardware or configuration problems. These initial checks will help pinpoint if the issue lies in the physical printers or the workstation’s ability to communicate with them.
1. Printer Confidence Test: Is it a Hardware Issue?
The first step is to determine if the printers themselves are functioning correctly.
- Identify Problem Workstations: Begin by identifying which workstations are experiencing printing problems. Are all workstations affected, or only specific ones? Isolate the scope of the issue.
- Run Confidence Tests: Access the printer’s configuration settings (this process varies depending on your printer model, consult your printer manual). Look for a “confidence test” or “test print” option. Running this test bypasses the Micros system and directly tests the printer’s mechanics and connection.
- Analyze Test Printouts:
- Successful Test Print: If the printer successfully produces a test printout, the physical printer and its basic connection are likely fine. The problem likely lies within the Micros system’s configuration. Proceed to the next steps.
- Failed Test Print: If the printer fails to print even a confidence test, there’s a hardware issue. Check the printer’s power supply, paper supply, and cable connections. Consult your printer manual for specific troubleshooting steps or consider contacting a printer technician.
Alt Text: A busy restaurant environment showing a Micros Workstation in use, highlighting its role in order taking and kitchen communication, essential for efficient service.
2. Error Message Check: Decoding System Feedback
Sometimes, the Micros system itself provides clues through error messages.
- Ring in a Test Order: On an affected workstation, ring in a simple test order (using a non-critical menu item) that you know should trigger remote printing.
- Observe for Error Messages: Carefully watch the workstation screen for any error messages that appear during the order process or when attempting to send the order to the kitchen/bar.
- Record Error Messages Precisely: If any error messages appear, write them down verbatim. Do not dismiss or click through them without noting the exact wording and any error codes. These messages are vital for diagnosing software-related issues.
Restaurant staff might inadvertently dismiss error messages without understanding their significance. Verifying error messages directly ensures you’re working with accurate information and not missing crucial clues.
Software Configuration: Menu Items and Print Classes
If the hardware checks pass and you’ve identified no immediate errors, the next area to investigate is the software configuration within the Micros system. This involves examining menu item settings and print classes.
1. Menu Item Print Class Assignment
Print classes are the link between menu items and specific printers. Incorrect print class assignments are a common cause of printing issues.
- Access POS Configurator: Open the Micros POS Configurator application on the workstation.
- Navigate to Menu Items: Go to the “Sales” tab and click the “Menu Items” button.
- Select a Test Menu Item: Choose a menu item that you know is experiencing printing problems. This will be your test case.
- Examine Print Class: Locate the “Print Class” field for the selected menu item. Click the folder icon next to it to open the Print Class window.
Alt Text: Screenshot of the Micros POS Configurator interface, specifically highlighting the “Menu Items” section under the “Sales” tab, used for configuring item-specific printing.
2. Verify Printer Assignment in Print Class
Within the Print Class window, you define which printers are associated with that class.
- Locate the Print Class: Find the specific print class assigned to your test menu item.
- Check Printer Selection: Ensure that the correct printers (kitchen printer, bar printer, etc.) that should be printing orders for items in this print class are checked or enabled in the list. If a printer is not checked, the items assigned to this print class will not print to that printer.
Alt Text: A detailed view of the Print Class configuration window in Micros POS Configurator, focusing on printer selection checkboxes which determine print destinations for menu items.
Printer Configuration: Order Devices and User Workstations
Beyond print classes, the configuration of order devices and user workstations plays a vital role in routing print jobs correctly.
1. Order Device Configuration
Order devices are logical printers within Micros that act as intermediaries between menu items and physical printers.
- Navigate to Order Devices: In the POS Configurator, go to the “Devices” tab and click the “Order Devices” button.
- Inspect Each Order Device: Click on each order device listed.
- Verify Device and Redirection Device: For each order device, check the “Device” and “Redirection Device” fields.
- Device: This should be set to the physical printer that this order device is primarily associated with.
- Redirection Device: In most standard setups (approximately 99% of cases), the “Redirection Device” should be set to the order device itself. This means the order device routes print jobs to its assigned physical printer. Redirection is used in more complex scenarios like multiple kitchens or bars with variable open/close schedules.
Alt Text: Screenshot of the “Order Devices” configuration panel in Micros POS Configurator, emphasizing the “Device” and “Redirection Device” settings crucial for print job routing.
2. User Workstation Order Device Assignment
Finally, you need to ensure that each workstation is authorized to use the necessary order devices.
- Navigate to User Workstations: In the POS Configurator, go to the “Devices” tab and click the “User Workstations” button.
- Select a Workstation: Choose the workstation experiencing printing problems.
- Go to Order Devices Tab: Within the workstation settings, click the “Order Devices” tab.
- Enable Correct Order Devices: Verify that the correct order devices (the ones associated with the printers needed for this workstation) are enabled or checked in the list. Each workstation needs to be explicitly granted access to the order devices it will use for printing.
Alt Text: The “User Workstations” configuration screen in Micros POS Configurator, specifically showing the “Order Devices” tab where administrator assigns printer access permissions to each workstation.
Understanding Micros Printing Logic: Putting It All Together
To fully grasp troubleshooting, understanding the flow of print jobs in Micros is essential. Here’s a breakdown:
- Menu Item Order: When a menu item is ordered at a Micros workstation.
- Print Class Lookup: The system checks the print class assigned to that menu item. The print class dictates which order device(s) should receive the print job.
- Workstation Order Device Check: The system verifies which order devices are active and enabled for the specific workstation where the order originated.
- Order Delivery to Order Devices: The print job is sent to the order devices that are enabled for both the menu item’s print class and the workstation.
- Redirection and Physical Printing: Each receiving order device then consults its “Redirection Device” setting (usually itself) and sends the print job to the assigned physical printer.
This multi-layered system offers flexibility but requires careful configuration at each stage.
Conclusion
Troubleshooting remote printing on Micros Workstation 5 involves a systematic approach, starting with hardware checks and progressing through software configurations. By methodically verifying printer functionality, error messages, menu item print classes, order device settings, and workstation assignments, you can effectively diagnose and resolve most common printing issues. After making any configuration changes, remember to reboot the affected workstation to ensure the changes take effect.
If you continue to experience problems after these steps, further investigation may be needed, potentially involving network connectivity or more advanced system settings. Don’t hesitate to seek additional support from your Micros system vendor or a qualified POS technician. Let me know how these steps work for you and if you require further assistance!
