# Overview Welcome to the CloudWaitress knowledge base. Here you will find articles to help you setup and understand how our platform works. If you need assistance, do not hesitate to contact us. {% content-ref url="/pages/-M3-NvYNRoIzXKJ\_84Qm" %} [Getting Started](/getting-started) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/-M3-NvYV2GP7NmyZVadm" %} [How To Guides](/how-to-guides) {% endcontent-ref %} {% content-ref url="/pages/-M3-NvYfXFbkUJgU3H5L" %} [Platform Information](/platform-information) {% endcontent-ref %} # Getting Started This section will take you through the process of creating your account, setting up your restaurant, customizing your settings and managing orders. # Hardware Requirements Learn what devices and printers you can use with our system. We also have a list of recommended devices ## Stable Internet Connection Every aspect of the system runs online and therefore requires you to be connected to the internet to receive orders. Here are a few recommendations about how to set up your internet: * Use your own internet connection instead of a shared connection so you have greater control * Keep a 3G / 4G mobile internet connection as a backup in-case there is an interruption with your normal connection. Consider using your phone on hotspot mode for such instances. * Consider exclusively using a 3G / 4G mobile internet connection. Certain countries have a much more reliable mobile network such as Australia. {% hint style="warning" %} IT staff occasionally set up an internet firewall for small business to prevent accessing harmful content. Ensure that cloudwaitress.com is white-listed on your firewall to avoid connection issues to our servers. {% endhint %} ## Computer or Tablet To manage your online store and orders, you will need a device that can access the internet. At a minimum, we recommend using a tablet or bigger. Phone access is possible but may be limiting. ## Printer {% hint style="info" %} This is optional but very helpful for managing orders {% endhint %} You can automatically or manually print new orders using any printer whose drivers are installed on a Android device, Windows or Linux PC. To clarify, this means if you can print from an application like Word or Notepad, then it's compatible with our service. We highly recommend using a thermal receipt printer. Compatible devices: * Android 1.5, 1.6, 2, 3, 4 * Windows - 7, 8, 10 * Linux - requires NodeJS ## Recommended Computers & Tablets We highly recommend using an Android device or Windows 10 tablet/computer. Windows provides the greatest flexibility and allows for wireless order printing whilst being able to use the order and table booking dashboard. ### Worldwide Windows 10 tablets are abundant and cheap these days. You can't go wrong choosing from one of the major brands. Some notable brands include: * Lenevo * ASUS * HP * Microsoft - Surface Pro Tablet * Chuwi - Decent Chinese brand, starting from around $200 ## Recommended Printers You can use any printer with Windows or Linux drivers or any printer that works with ESCPOS using Android, so you are not restricted to just the printers we recommend. ### Branded Printers Organized from lowest to highest price. * [PushPrinter PX-90](https://www.pushprinter.com/#printers) - Available with Ethernet or Bluetooth (Recommended) * Epson TM-T20 - Available with USB or Ethernet * Epson TM-M30 - Bluetooth * Epson TM-T82-II-i - USB and Ethernet, supporting many connected devices * Star Micronics TSP143 - Available as Bluetooth or USB or WIFI ## Ideal Setup ![Ideal setup](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_1bzr2nv.png) # 10-Minute Quickstart Get started creating your account, restaurant and setting up your menus. Place a test order and see the order management process. {% embed url="" %} Quickstart video tutorial {% endembed %} ## Quick-start Steps 1. Visit and sign up for an account 2. Once you are at the admin dashboard, press "Create New Restaurant" 3. Fill out your restaurant details and create the restaurant 4. Click on your new restaurant to see the restaurant dashboard 5. On the left menu, visit the "Menus" section 6. Create a menu, create a category and then create a standard dish under it 7. On the left menu, click on "Orders" to view the order management interface 8. Open up your online store in a new tab by pressing "Visit Store" on the left menu 9. Place an order through your website 10. See the order come through automatically on your orders page. Select the order and try changing the order status or wait time. Use the "Actions" select to delete the test order when done ## What's Next At this point, you can customise the system as you please and start accepting orders. We recommend you continue reading the articles in this section. You will learn how to configure the system to your requirements and manage orders in-depth. # Setup Your Menus To accept orders online, you need to set up your online menu. You can create and manage all your menus under the "Menus" section in the restaurant dashboard. {% embed url="" %} Menu setup video tutorial {% endembed %} ## Setup Process Menus are organized in a tree structure. Menus contain categories and categories contain dishes. The general setup process is as follows. 1. Create a menu 2. Create all the categories under the menu 3. Create dishes under the categories 4. Create option-sets to add customization to dishes 5. Create dish tags to highlight attributes of particular dishes {% hint style="info" %} You will likely only need one menu. Multiple menus are useful if certain items are restricted in particular ways. You may need to create a "Breakfast" menu or a "Delivery" menu depending on your requirements {% endhint %} ## Example Menu Structure ``` - Menu: Main menu -- Category: Pizzas ---- Dish: Ham & Cheese ---- Dish: Margrita ---- Dish: Veggie Supreme -- Category: Sides ---- Dish: Chicken Wings ---- Dish: Fries -- Category: Drinks ---- Dish: Iced Tea ---- Dish: Cola ---- Dish: Water ``` ## Menus These represent your actual real-life menus. Many stores have just one main menu that's always available. Others may have a lunch & dinner menu or a pickup only menu. You will need at least one menu for your online store to work. Menu availability can depend on certain conditions such as order types (pickups or deliveries), order timings (e.g. pre-order only). They can also be restricted to certain days and timings. {% hint style="info" %} If you only have one menu available, there is no need to place restrictions on it. You can restrict the system globally to your business rules and the menu will work according to that. Restricting a menu to certain conditions is only needed if you have multiple menus {% endhint %} ## Categories Categories represent a sub-section of a menu and consist of dishes. For example, if you have one standard menu, your categories might include: * Starters * Mains * Sides * Drinks * Deserts {% hint style="info" %} In some instances, you may need to create a separate menu instead of using a category. For example, If you have many different categories of drinks, such as spirits, wines, beers, sodas, etc. You might want to create a separate drinks menu for all those categories instead of adding it to your food menu. {% endhint %} ## Dishes Dishes represent actual items that can be purchased. There are 2 types of dishes. #### Standard Dishes A standard dish works as you would expect. You would use it to create items such: * Ham sandwich * Veggie pizza * Vanilla ice-cream **Dish Ingredients** Standard dishes can contain a list of ingredients. The purpose of this is to allow customers to easily remove certain ingredients. A customer can remove the desired ingredients when they select the dish. #### Combo Dishes Combos are a special type of dish that contain other dishes. It allows you to create a list of choices for customers to select various standard dishes. For example, you can create: * Choose 3 pizzas, 2 sides and 2 drinks * Choose a burger, side and drink To do this you will first need to have created some standard dishes. Then when creating your combo, you can create 4 choices, 3 pizza choices and one drink choice. You can then assign dish choices to the pizzas and drinks for customers to choose from. {% hint style="info" %} Combo dishes cannot contain option sets or ingredients directly. Instead when a customer chooses a standard dish within a combo, if the chosen standard dish has any option sets assigned to it, a user can customize it accordingly. {% endhint %} #### Dish Availability & Status There are 3 statuses available for a dish. They are: * Hidden - hides dish from the menu * Not available - prevents ordering and shows not available on the dish * Out of stock - prevents ordering and shows out of stock on the dish In the admin dashboard, you can edit the status of a dish by checking the tickbox on the left of it. Then select the desired status from the popup menu. ## Option Sets All **dish customization is done using option sets**. Option sets are a configurable set of options that can be assigned to any number of dishes. With option sets, you are able to create requirements such as: * Select your pizza crust * Select one or more sauces * Select at least 4 toppings {% hint style="info" %} To learn how to create an option set that meets your requirements, read the descriptions of each of the settings available when creating an option set. Each setting is explained in detail. Alternatively, watch our menu setup video above to see us create the above examples. {% endhint %} ## Dish Tags Tags allow you to highly particular attributes about a dish with a fully customizable visual indicator. You can create tags for attributes such as: * Spicy * Vegan * Gluten free ## Common Menu Problems ### **No menu or categories showing under the store** For your menu to display in your online store, make sure to add at least one category and one dish to it. ### **Dish images to large** We highly recommend that you use the website or to optimize all your images. Given that the maximum image width is only around 600 pixels, it's best to make sure all your images are no wider than that. This is going to help significantly with your page load time especially for mobile customers. # Configure Your Services Your restaurant services represent the various order types you accept. View our video for an in-depth explanation of all the settings available. {% embed url="" %} Services video tutorial {% endembed %} There are 4 services currently available. They are: * Pickup - orders that are picked up in store by customers to take away * Delivery - orders that are delivered to the customer's address * Dine-in - orders that are placed by customers currently seated in your store * Table booking - a reservation made for a later date and time ## How To Configure Your Services 1. Visit your restaurant dashboard and go to the settings page 2. Select the "Services" tab and edit your settings as required ## Enabling & Disabling Services You can enable or disable services as needed. Go to the desired service settings and simply toggle the "Enabled" switch to enable or disable it. {% hint style="info" %} You must have at least one service enabled {% endhint %} ## Service Notes You can add custom notes for each service that will be shown to the customer when selected. Useful if you need to convey an important message to your customer ## Order Timings A customer is only able to place an order due immediately if your store is opened. Orders for a later date must be scheduled within your opening hours. As such, order timings are mostly controlled by your store opening hours. From there, each service has it's own separate order timing settings that allow your more in-depth control. ### Enabling & Disabling Order Times Under the "Order Timings" tab in the service settings, you can enable and disable both immediate and scheduled orders. ### First Order Offset This is the period of time from when your store first opens to when you will accept the first order. For example, if the first order offset is set to 30 minutes and your store opens at 9:00am, the first order can be placed or scheduled at 9:30am. ### Last Order Offset This is the period of time from when your store closes to when the last order will be accepted. For example, if the last order offset is set to 30 minutes and your store closes at 9:00pm, the last order can be placed or scheduled at 8:30pm. ### Order Offset The normal order offset only applies for scheduled orders at a later time. This is the period from now when a scheduled order can be made. For example, it's there to prevent customers from scheduling order in the next 10 minutes instead of just asking for it to be due ASAP. So for example, if your order offset is 30 minutes and the current time is 6:00pm, the next time a customer can schedule an order would be 7:00pm. If they want it before 7:00pm, they can still just order for ASAP instead. If the order offset was 15 minutes, then the customer can order for 6:30pm. The order offset also acts as a cut-off point to give you time to meet the order schedule. For example, if it's 6:00pm and your order offset is 30 minutes. If the customer is scheduling an order for 7:00pm, they must place the order before 6:30pm. This is to give you 30 minutes to meet the scheduled time. If they take too long and the time passes 6:30pm, they will receive a notification to tell them that the order has been changed to due ASAP instead of their scheduled time, 7:00pm. ## Custom Service Hours Each service can have its own independent operating hours. Setting custom operating hours for a particular service will override the operating hours set for your store location. ## Estimated Wait Times & Auto Statuses To help you better manage your orders and customer expectations, we provide a streamlined way to calculate order wait times and automatically update statuses. There are 6 order statuses: * Un-confirmed * Confirmed * Ready * On Route (delivery only) * Complete * Cancelled Both estimated wait times and automated status updates are connected to the same timing settings. This is so that your status updates and wait times are in sync with each other. This avoids any customer confusion. These timing settings are: | Setting (minutes) | From Status | To Status | | ---------------------------------- | ----------- | --------- | | Time till confirm | Unconfirmed | Confirmed | | Time till ready | Confirmed | Ready | | Time till on route (delivery only) | Ready | On Route | | Time till complete | Ready | Complete | {% hint style="info" %} * Time till confirm is the time between when an order is placed to when it's confirmed. Setting time till confirm to "0" will result in instant order confirmation. You will need to also enable auto status for the confirmed status. * Time till ready is the time it takes you to prepare an order after it's confirmed * The time till on route status is effectively the time between when an order is prepared to when it is taken by the delivery driver. * Time till complete is useful for automatically marking orders as complete {% endhint %} ### Estimated Wait Times A stated, customer wait times are calculated using the above timing settings. #### How estimated wait time are calculated for pickup or dine-in orders For pickup and dine-in orders, the estimated wait time is calculating but adding the **time till confirm** with the **time till ready** values. So for example, if your **time till confirm** was 5 and your **time till ready** was 20. The customer would get an estimated wait time of 20 + 5 = 25 minutes. If you have not added a value for time till confirm or time till ready, the estimated wait time would not be calculated. #### How estimated wait time is calculate for delivery orders For deliveries, the wait time is calculating by adding the **time till confirm** + **time till ready** + **time till on route** together. Then the **driving time** is added onto that. The driving time is determined using an external service that takes into account traffic data. This provides the customer with an extremely accurate wait time for their order to be delivered. Assuming If you have not added a value for time till confirm or time till ready or time till on route, the delivery time would not be calculated. ### Automated Statuses Automated statuses change an order's status after a set period of time has passed. This will allow you to do things such as: * Automatically confirm new orders * Mark orders as ready after a period of time * Mark orders as complete after a period of time This is very helpful if you know your business timings well and don't want to manually be updating order statuses. Auto status updates can also be enabled or disabled on a per status basis. This way you can provide estimated wait times without auto-updating statuses. Or you can just instantly confirm orders and handle the rest manually. For automated status updates to work, you will need to enable it for a particular status and ensure the timing settings are added to that particular status. #### How automated statuses work Status updates are dependent on your timing settings, the type of order and the order due time. It's best explained through a series of examples. For the examples, we will assume our timing settings are as follows * Time till confirm - 10 minutes * Time till ready - 10 minutes * Time till on route - 10 minutes * Time till complete - 60 minutes #### Pickup and dine-in examples If a customer places an order at 7:00pm for pickup or dine in which is due immediately | Time | Action | | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 7:00pm | Order has been placed, status unconfirmed | | 7:10pm | Status updated to confirmed because time till confirm is 10 minutes | | 7:20pm | Status updated to ready because time till ready is 10 minutes. This would also be the estimated order ready time as shown to the customer. | | 8:20pm | Status updated to complete because time till complete is 60 minutes | In the event that you added an extra 10 minutes onto the customers estimated order ready time, it will play out as follows: | Time | Action | | ------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 7:00pm | Order has been placed, status unconfirmed, you add 10 minutes to estimated ready time | | 7:10pm | Status updated to confirmed because time till confirm is 10 minutes | | 7:30pm | Status updated to ready because the old ready time was 7:20pm, since you added an extra 10 minutes, that becomes 7:30pm | | 8:30pm | Status updated to complete because time till complete is 60 minutes | If we are unable to calculate an estimated ready time for the order, for example if the time till confirm was missing, it would play out as follows | Time | Action | | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 7:00pm | Order has been placed, status unconfirmed | | 7:05pm | You manually update the order status to confirmed | | 7:15pm | Status updated to ready, because the time till ready is 10 minutes | | 8:15pm | Status updated to complete because time till complete is 60 minutes | If a customer places an order at 6:00pm for pickup or dine in which is due at 7:00pm, the following would occur | Time | Action | | ------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 6:00pm | Order has been placed, status unconfirmed | | 6:10pm | Status updated to confirmed because time till confirm is 10 minutes | | 7:00pm | Status updated to ready, because this is when the customer scheduled the order for | | 8:00pm | Status updated to complete because time till complete is 60 minutes | #### Delivery examples For the delivery examples, we will assume the driving time between your store and the delivery address is calculated as 10 minutes. If a customer places a delivery order at 7:00pm which is due immediately | Time | Action | | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 7:00pm | Order has been placed, status unconfirmed | | 7:10pm | Status updated to confirmed because time till confirm is 10 minutes | | 7:20pm | Status updated to ready because time till ready is 10 minutes | | 7:30pm | Status updated to on route because time till on route is 10 minutes. This would also be shown to you as the driver pickup time | | 7:40pm | Order will have been delivered to customer since the driving time is 10 minutes | | 8:40pm | Order marked as completed because time till complete is 60 minutes | If we were unable to calculate the estimated delivery time and driver pickup time, say if the time till on route was missing, the following would occur | Time | Action | | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 7:00pm | Order has been placed, status unconfirmed | | 7:10pm | Status updated to confirmed because time till confirm is 10 minutes | | 7:20pm | Status updated to ready because time till ready is 10 minutes | | 7:40pm | You manually mark the order an on route for delivery | | 7:50pm | Order will have been delivered to customer since the driving time is 10 minutes | | 8:50pm | Order marked as completed because time till complete is 60 minutes | If a customer places a delivery order at 6:00pm which is due at 7:00pm, the following would occur | Time | Action | | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | 6:00pm | Order has been placed, status unconfirmed | | 6:10pm | Status updated to confirmed because time till confirm is 10 minutes | | 6:40pm | Status updated to ready because delivery time is 10 minutes and time till on route is 10 minutes, which means that the order must be ready by this time if it is going to reach your customer at 7:00pm | | 6:50pm | Status updated to on route because the delivery time is 10 minutes, so it has to leave your store at this time. This is also the estimated driver pickup time. | | 7:00pm | Order will have been delivered to customer | | 8:00pm | Order marked as completed because time till complete is 60 minutes | If a delivery order is scheduled for a later time but the estimated delivery time could not be calculated, then the ready and on route status will not update automatically. {% hint style="info" %} If ever in doubt about how the auto status timings will work for you scenario, just think about how it would logically work in a way that makes sense to your customer and you. That is how we have designed it to work. {% endhint %} # Customize Your Design When you first create your restaurant, the default theme is relatively blank. It's up to you to customise it to represent your brand. Design settings are located under the settings page in the design {% embed url="" %} Design video tutorial {% endembed %} ## How To Customize Your Design 1. Visit the restaurant settings page and go to the design tab 2. Press "Open Design Mode" to open up the site design editor 3. Go through each of the setting sections and customize options as needed ## Quickstart Recommendation To get a great looking site quickly, just use our base theme, add your logo and add a nice header background image. It also helps to have a nice header title and subtitle. || We recommend using a PC or tablet to design your site for the best experience ## Recommend Images Dimensions * Logo image - 300 pixels wide by 100 pixels high wide * Header image - 1920 pixels wide by 500 pixels high * Logo icon - 350 by 350 pixel square # Managing Orders & Bookings Once the orders begin coming in, you need to be ready to fulfill them. As such, it's important that understand the order management workflow for everything to operate smoothly. ## Receiving Orders ### In-Store Setup To completely manage the orders lifecycle, you will need to have an internet enabled device in-store. We highly recommend using a Windows laptop or tablet with either Chrome or Firefox for the greatest compatibility. This device will need to be placed in an area where whoever is responsible for online orders can easily check, access and update orders. ### Order Management Interface Visit your restaurant dashboard and navigate to the orders page. The interface updates in real-time with new orders so you do not need to refresh the page. There are several key features of the order management interfaces: * You can easily see whether an order is a pickup, delivery or dine-in by the icon on the left. * The colour of the icon is a representation of the order's current status. * You can click an order to view the details of it and make updates ### **Board View** ![Board view](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_1l3lo9y.png) The board view is fantastic for actually managing orders in real-time. Orders flow from left to right along the different status columns. In the board view, the **due** time is the time when the customer will be coming to collect the order. For deliveries, the **start delivery** time is when the order must leave your store to reach the customer at their selected time. ### **List View** ![List view](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_11088vc.png) The list view provides you with an overview of your latest orders 10, 25, 50 or 100 orders. This view is perfect for filtering through orders and searching for specific ones. It is not well suited to actively managing orders. ### Viewing An Order's Details Once you select an order, you will see a popup showing you the details of your order. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_8eby9d.png) Here you are able to do the following functions * Change status - update the order status * Modify est ready time - update on the customer's receipt how long till the order is ready * Other actions - print orders, book for delivery, refund payments, delete the order ## How To Manage Orders To actively manage orders, use the board view and follow the process below. 1. Confirm or cancel any new orders received in the **Un-Confirmed** column. 2. Orders in the **Confirmed (Due Soon)** column are due in the next 2 orders. Simply prepare the orders from the top to bottom to meet the time they are due 3. Orders in the **Confirmed (Up-Coming)** section are due any time after 2 hours. You can keep an eye on what's upcoming with this. 4. When the order has been prepared, move it to the **Ready** column for customer or driver collection. 5. If it is a delivery, move it to the **On Route** column once the driver has taken it. 6. Finally, mark orders as complete when the customer collects it or the food has been delivered. || If you are unable to prepare an order by the due time, you increase the due time manually. Click an order to view the details. Using the "Modify Est. Ready Time" select bar, add the extra time required to prepare the order. This way your customers are aware of any delays. ### Order Statuses There are 6 different order statuses as indicated by the columns on the order management board. * Un-confirmed - new orders that are not accepted yet * Confirmed - orders that you have accepted and will fulfil * Ready - prepared orders ready for customer or driver collection * On Route - orders currently with the delivery driver (delivery only) * Complete - orders that have been completed fulfilled * Cancelled - orders that will not be fulfilled Updating the order status will update your customers in real-time about the status of their order. ### What Happens When An Order Is Placed Every time a new order is received, several things will happen. * A sound notification will play if enabled * If device notifications are enabled, you will receive one * If automated printing is configured, the order will be printed at the respective printer * You will receive an e-mail notification if configured * The new order will automatically be loaded into the orders interface ## Notifications ### Device Notifications We highly recommend that you have device notifications enabled if your device supports it. When you first load the admin dashboard, your web browser will ask you if you would like to allow notifications. Please make sure that you allow this. If you did not, you will need to manually enable them from your web browser settings. This is different for every browser. For chrome on a PC, you can do this by clicking the secure lock icon beside the website URL in the address bar. This will drop down the permissions window where you can enable notifications for the current page you are on. ### E-Mail Notifications You can configure up to 3 email addresses to receive notifications on. Simply visit "Settings > E-mail Notifications" and configure the settings there. E-mail notifications will also include a PDF copy of the order receipt. ### Audio Notifications Audio notifications can be configured at "Settings > Audio Notifications". One useful aspect to this is you can configure a sound to play until someone has tapped / clicked the screen. This is helpful to get someones attention that a new order has come through. ### Automated Printing If you have automated printing set up, this serves as a valuable notification for new orders. Learn how to set it up through our printing setup guide. ## Train Your Staff Implementing an online ordering system if you have never done so before requires some changes. Most importantly all staff must be aware that new orders can come through and must be attended to. ## Managing Bookings Bookings are managed very similarly through the bookings page. When a new booking is placed, it will start as unconfirmed. Verify that you can accept it and then manually update the booking status to confirmed or cancelled. This will notify your customer respectively. You can then pencil this booking into your calendar if needed. # Promoting Your Store Once you have set up your online store settings and menus, you are ready to start taking orders. Getting online orders requires you to drive customers to your website to place orders. {% hint style="info" %} Promoting your store goes well beyond the scope of our software. This single page does not do justice to the vast number of promotion strategies available. The below suggestions are here to help you get started. {% endhint %} ## Let Your Customers Know Initially, your customers will not be aware of your new online ordering system. It's important that you let them know this exists. You can do this by: * Handing out cards or flyers when customers make in-store purchases * Putting up a board or sign on your store window * Inform customers who call in that they can now order online. * Add a link from your website to your ordering page * Posting the ordering link on your social media channels * Add the ordering link to your in-store receipts ## Paid Advertising You can consider paying for Facebook or Google ads. Both of these are avenues to generate new customers. We highly recommend utilizing Facebook advertising as it is dirt cheap and easy to target local consumers with. ## Create A Google Places Listing A Google places listing will allow local customers to find you far easier as its focused on your locality. This means you are more likely to rank high if the person searching for you is near your store. Follow this link to create or manage your listing. Do not forget to add a "Placing an order" link to your places listing. See the following article on how this can be done ## Search Engine Optimization SEO which stands for search engine optimization is the process of making your site discoverable and rank high on search engines such as Google. ### Setup A Custom Domain Name By default, your online store can be found on a sub-domain of "cloudwaitress.com. It is essential that you set this subdomain to be something that customers can easily remember and recognize. While the subdomain is just there to get you up and running quickly, it's best to purchase your own domain name for your business. You can then configure your store to your own custom domain name. Once you have purchased your own domain name, visit "Settings > Website > Domains > Custom Domain" in your restaurant dashboard to configure it. ### Basic SEO Settings Under the "Settings > Website > SEO" section, you can edit your website title and meta description. This is the info Google will show on its search listings. It is recommended that you set these to something extremely local. Say you own an Indian restaurant called the Red Turban in a suburb called Townsville in New York. Your title should be "Red Turban - Authentic Indian Townsville New York. Your meta description should just expand on that more but make sure to hit on your keywords which are your locality and cuisine. The reason for this is because locality will reduce the massive competition and noise of other websites on search engines and it is most likely what customers will be searching for in your local area. ### Submit Your Website To Google, Bing etc Once you have a custom domain, visit . Register an account there, add your website, then use the "URL Inspection Tool" to check your website. There you can submit it to Google for indexing. ## Additional Reading We have created a few helpful guides for restaurant marketing on our blog. We suggest reading them to get more ideas and strategies. * [Online Marketing - Google My Business](https://www.cloudwaitress.com/blog/online-restaurant-marketing-google-my-business) * [Online Marketing - Facebook](https://www.cloudwaitress.com/blog/online-restaurant-marketing-facebook-advertising) * [Creative Marketing Ideas For Restaurants](https://www.cloudwaitress.com/blog/creative-marketing-ideas-restaurants) # How To Guides Learn how to set up specific features relating to the system such as online payments, customer accounts, order printing and more. # Setup Printing For Windows Learn how to setup and configure order printing for Windows devices with our printing software Our system allows you to manually and automatically print out new orders. This guide will show you how to set order printing and troubleshoot issues. || We are happy to remotely set up your printer for you. We know this is a step that can trip up many people due to every printer being a bit different. Please get in touch with us if you need assistance ## Requirements * Windows 7 / 8 / 10 either 32-bit or 64-bit * A Windows-compatible printer with the drivers installed * Latest version of PushPrinter that can be downloaded [here](https://pushprinter.net) In some rare instances, when the above does not work, you may require; * Latest .NET framework by Microsoft installed (might already be installed on Windows 10). Download [here](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=55170) || If you are unable to install the latest .NET framework due to an outdated operating system, there are 3 options. First, proceed with the steps below and see if printing works anyways. Second, update your Windows as required for the .NET framework. Third, proceed with the steps below and make sure to configure Ghostscript as shown at the bottom of the instructions. ## Setup Process ### Verify Printer Drivers Are Installed & Working 1. If your drivers are successfully installed, your printer will be shown on your PC under "Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers" 2. Right-click your printer and select "Properties" 3. On the bottom left, press "Print Test Page". 4. Verify that the test page successfully printed If this is successful, your printer will work fine. If you cannot find your printer or it doesn't work, reinstall the driver again. ### Take Note Of The Paper Sizes Available This step is slightly different for all printers. Some printers provide their own configuration tool where you can view the paper sizes available. By default, you might find this information under your printer "Properties" dialogue as described in the previous step. Sometimes this is found under the "Device Settings" tab in your printer properties. Other times you may select "Preferences" at the bottom of the printer properties popup and then select "Advanced" at the bottom again Refer to the image below to see what this may look like. ![Printer paper size settings](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_1vcnqy8.png) Take note of the paper sizes available as you will likely need to try a few to get it working flawlessly ### Create A Printer Configuration 1. Visit your restaurant dashboard and navigate to "Settings > Receipt Printing" 2. Press the "New Printer" button and fill out any options needed 3. On the "Paper Settings" tab, set your paper width and paper height according to the largest available paper size available for your printer as noted in the previous step. Going off the image above, we would enter a width of "72" and a height of "210" 4. We highly recommend starting with a font size of "18" and a paper margin of "0" 5. Create the print configuration. After creating it, you will get a unique API key to connect to it. Keep this screen open as you will need to copy your API key soon ![Printer API key](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_bnxer6.png) || The paper sizes entered in your printer configuration must match your Windows paper size settings as set in the printer driver options. If the printout is incorrect or skewed, you will need to test out the other sizes from largest to smallest. When changing the sizes in the printer configuration make sure to change it in the Windows printer driver settings. ### Install PushPrinter 1. Download PushPrinter from the following [link](https://pushprinter.net) 2. Run the installer, you will get a warning that the application is unverified, proceed with the installation 3. After it is installed successfully, PushPrinter will automatically open ### Configure PushPrinter 1. The first thing you will likely want to do is toggle the "Auto Start" switch so it connects and starts when your PC is started. Activate this by selecting the "Settings Cog" and ticking the 'Automatically start PushPrinter' button (image 1.1). 2. Press on the "Printer Icon" tab at the top to configure a printing service 3. Press "Create Printer" button (image 1.2). 4. Copy and paste the API key for the printer you created 2 steps ago 5. Set the number of copies to print and select your printer 6. Press the start button and make sure it says connected at the bottom ![Image 1.1 - 'Automatically start PushPrinter' button](/files/-M3-NvvO4pyOLrndx2n9) ![Image 1.2 - 'Create Printer'](/files/-M3-NvvQ6FRMcTQcKVTw) ### Test Print Visit your orders page. Select an order, under the action select bar, select print. We recommend printing both short and long orders to ensure that there is nothing being cut out vertically. If you have enabled auto-printing for this print configuration, place an order and test out the auto printing ### Ghostscript Printing {% hint style="warning" %} Only do this if you cannot update the .NET framework or you are unable to get printing to work correctly {% endhint %} Ghostscript is an application that can assist with printing on older Windows devices that do not support the latest .NET framework from Microsoft. It also allows for a completely different method of printing. This can help alleviate printing issues if you are not able to get things working correctly. To use Ghostscript, you must: 1. Visit this [website](https://www.ghostscript.com/download/gsdnld.html) and download the GNU public license version of Ghostscript 2. Run the installer and take note of the installation directory. 3. Open PushPrinter, in the first tab at the bottom, press the field "Ghostscript Path". Navigate to your installation folder. Inside, there will be another folder called "bin". Open that and select either "gswin32c.exe" or "gswin64c.exe" 4. Exit PushPrinter completely making sure to close it in the Windows tray and then open it again At this point, Ghostscript will be configured and you can test printing with it. Ghostscript is very fussy about paper sizes. You must ensure that your online printer configuration paper size matches your Windows driver paper size exactly. ## Troubleshooting #### Contact Us We have successfully setup 100's of printers, there is a good chance we can save you lots of headaches so please don't hesitate to contact us. #### Sides being cut-off Start by reducing either your margin or paper width values under your printer configuration in your admin dashboard. You will eventually calibrate a suitable width and margin. You can also adjust the font size to something smaller. You can get your correct paper width under your Windows printer settings as seen in the guide above. #### The end of the receipt doesn't come out fully Under your Windows printer settings. Set your "Feed Line After Printing" option to a high value to allow the printer to feed through a few extra lines. #### Excess whitespace at the end of a receipt Thermal printers generally trim out any excess whitespace when printing. If this is happening to you, please contact us. #### Invalid API Key The API key you entered does not below to any of your print configurations. Double check your API key #### Could Not Authenticate Check your internet connection or try again shortly #### Printer not being detected in Windows You need to find the correct driver for your printer provided its available for Windows. Try googling your printer name followed by the words "windows {insert your windows version} driver" #### Printing not working even though everything is set up correctly Please ensure that Windows detects your printer. Try restarting your printer or PC. Try printing to your printer from other programs on your PC such as your browser. # Setup Printing For Android Learn how to setup and configure order printing for Android devices with our printing software Our system allows you to manually and automatically print out new orders. This guide will show you how to set order printing and troubleshoot issues. || We are happy to remotely set up your printer for you. We know this is a step that can trip up many people due to every printer being a bit different. Please get in touch with us if you need assistance. ## Requirements * An Android device with Android 1.4 or above * A ESC/POS compatible printer * Latest version of PushPrinter that can be downloaded [here](https://pushprinter.net) ## Setup Process ### Create A Printer Configuration 1. Visit your restaurant dashboard and navigate to "Settings > Receipt Printing" 2. Press the "New Printer" button and fill out any options needed 3. On the "Printer Settings" tab, set your Printer Method to 'ESCPOS' and ESCPOS Printing Type to 'ESCPOS Image'. Note that some older printers may not support this method and ESCPOS Text Only can be used in these cases. 4. The defauly paper settings work for most printers. If the test print is cutting of the edge of the text, please adjust the Paper Scale Factor to 1.7 and test again. 5. Create the print configuration. After creating it, you will get a unique API key to connect to it. Keep this screen open as you will need to copy your API key soon. ![Printer Settings for Android](/files/-M3-Nz4lKNkTaxXhMjE3) ![Printer API key](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_bnxer6.png) ### Install PushPrinter 1. Download PushPrinter from the following [link](https://pushprinter.net) 2. After it is installed successfully, PushPrinter will automatically open ### Configure PushPrinter 1. Press the "Settings Cog" and select CloudWaitress. 2. Press on the "Printer Icon" tab at the top to configure a printing service 3. Copy and paste the API key for the printer you created 2 steps ago 4. Set the number of copies to print and select your printer 5. Press the test print button 6. Press the "Create Printer" button and make sure it says connected at the bottom ### Test Print Visit your orders page. Select an order, under the action select bar, select print. We recommend printing both short and long orders to ensure that there is nothing being cut out vertically. If you have enabled auto-printing for this print configuration, place an order and test out the auto printing ## Troubleshooting #### Contact Us We have successfully setup 100's of printers, there is a good chance we can save you lots of headaches so please don't hesitate to contact us. #### Sides being cut-off Start by reducing either your Paper Scale Factor to 1.7 and test print again. Adjust until it fits. #### Invalid API Key The API key you entered does not below to any of your print configurations. Double check your API key #### Could Not Authenticate Check your internet connection or try again shortly #### Printing not working even though everything is set up correctly Please ensure that Android detects your printer. Try restarting your device. Try printing to your printer from other programs on your PC such as your browser. # Setup Stripe Payments Learn how to setup Stripe, our recommend online payments provider due to their streamlined setup and user experience You can accept credit cards online using [Stripe](https://stripe.com/). It is currently supported in numerous countries with a variety of currencies. If Stripe is not supported in your country you can apply to try Stripe Atlas. Below is our simple guide on setting up Stripe and managing your account. ## How Stripe Payments Work When Stripe is enabled, customers can choose from the online payment option when checking out. If a customer selects "Credit Card", the credit card field will drop-down below. ![Stripe payment example](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_16wk7ks.png) ## Connecting Your Stripe Account 1. Create an account on the Stripe website if you do not already have one 2. Ensure you are viewing your live account and not your test account 3. Login to your account dashboard. On the left navigation, go to "Developers > API Keys" 4. Next, open up your restaurant dashboard and navigate to "Settings > Payments > Stripe" 5. Enable Stripe payments using the "Enable" switch 6. Copy the "Publishable Key" and "Secret Key" from the Stripe dashboard into the restaurant dashboard 7. Set your payment currency in the restaurant dashboard and save the settings ![Stripe API keys](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_4cpfy8.png) ## Testing Payments If you would like to do a test payment, copy your test API keys from Stripe. You can do this by toggling the "Viewing test data" switch. ![Stripe test data](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_1bjx53a.png) Once this is done, you can use the credit card number "4242 4242 4242 4242" with any valid expiry, CVC and zip code. This card will allow you to make a dummy payment. ## Validating Your Stripe Account To withdraw online payments to your bank, you will need to ensure your Stripe account is fully valid. Pleae, ensure you have completed all their required validations. ## Stripe Fee's We are not responsible for your Stripe account management or fees. Your Stripe account is simply linked to your CloudWaitress account to process charges on your behalf with the money going straight to your account. As such it is important you are aware of Stripe's payment processing fees. You can read more here . Please also take the time to read their FAQ and support to clear up any issues you may have. ## Stripe Currency Conversions Stripe enables you to accept different currencies online depending on the country you are in. If your Stripe currency is different from your store currency, we will convert the order amount to your Stripe default currency using real-time exchange rates for payment to be made. ## Issuing Refunds Stripe refunds can be processed from your order management dashboard or the Stripe dashboard. In the order management dashboard, the refund payment option is available in the order details popup. Simply press the action select bar and choose "Refund Stripe Payment". # Setup PayPal Payments Learn how to accept online payments using your own PayPal account with our simple setup process PayPal is one of the most widely used online payment methods. CloudWaitress makes use of PayPal's REST express checkout payment integration. This allows us to process payments on your behalf with the funds going straight to your account. Please be aware that PayPal is only available in certain countries and currencies. You can see them [here](https://developer.paypal.com/docs/integration/direct/rest-api-payment-country-currency-support/). {% hint style="danger" %} We highly recommend using Stripe instead of PayPal for online payments. PayPal occasionally has various service issues in our experience. See how Stripe payments guide instead below. {% endhint %} {% content-ref url="/pages/-M3-NvYZ5gOKOpm8VVKv" %} [Setup Stripe Payments](/how-to-guides/setup-stripe-payments) {% endcontent-ref %} ## How PayPal Payments Work Once PayPal is enabled, the option will be available to customers during the checkout phase of their order. Upon selection, they can either log in to their PayPal account, create an account or use their credit card and check out as a guest in order to complete payment. ## Requirements In order to use PayPal with CloudWaitress, you will need a **fully valid business account**. If you already have a PayPal business account, you can skip this step. If you do not already have one, sign up at . You can also upgrade your personal account to a business one from within your account settings. ## Connecting Your PayPal Account ### Create a REST API Application 1. Visit 2. Log into your PayPal account using the login in button 3. Once logged in, scroll down until you see the title "REST API apps" 4. Press the "Create App" button 5. Enter your business name for the app name, ignore the sandbox developer account field 6. Press the "Create App" button to complete this step ![PayPal REST apps](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_141scma.png) ### Copy Live Application Credentials 1. After creating your application, you will be on the page where you can copy your credentials 2. Change from the "Sandbox" to "Live" view using the buttons on the top right 3. Scroll down and press "Show" below the "Secret". 4. You will now be able to see your "Client ID" and "Secret" keys 5. In another window, go to your restaurant dashboard and to "Settings > Payments > PayPal" 6. Enable PayPal payments and paste in your "Client ID" and "Secret" key from the PayPal dashboard 7. Choose your payment currency and save the form ![PayPal application credentials](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_1g9uc8i.png) ## PayPal's Fees Please be aware that using PayPal, like other online credit card processors, you will be charged a fee on every transaction. This has to be managed by yourself through your own PayPal account as we are not responsible for this. You can use the PayPal website to see the fees for your respective country and currency. ## Refunds Currently, refunds must be manually processed from within your PayPal account. # Setup Facebook Login Learn how to setup the Facebook login system for customers to easily create accounts using Facebook Visit and login to your Facebook account On the top right corner, select "My Apps" and press "Add New App" ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_aqheot.png) Fill out the form and create the app On the app dashboard the left menu, select "Settings > Basic". Enter your website domain into the "App Domains" field ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_iokp6p.png) Scroll down and press the "Add Platform" button and select "Website ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_5fdlaq.png) Enter your ordering site URL into the "Site URL" box and then press "Save Changes" on the bottom right. ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_pa5uog.png) On the left navigation menu, press "Products" and press the "Set Up" button for Facebook Login. On the next screen, select "Web", you should see your "Site URL" already filled out, press "Save" ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_gdcuti.png) On the left menu, under "Products > Facebook Login", select "Settings" Enable "Embedded Browser OAuth Login" Enter your store domain into the "Valid OAuth Redirect URIs" field and press "Save Changes" ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_hbyf21.png) Finally, copy your Facebook App ID as shown on the top of the app dashboard ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_yxw5jy.png) With the App ID copied, visit your restaurant dashboard and to "Settings > System > Customer Accounts > Facebook". Paste your App ID and press save ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_u1lgnf.png) Visit your online store and confirm that the Facebook login option is available under the "Login / Signup" popup ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_1c1swn7.png) # Purchase A Domain Name Learn how to purchase a domain name to connect to your online store with our recommended provider ## The Process Purchasing and setting up your own domain is a very simple process that takes about 15 minutes. The below guide will help you do this with as this is our recommend domain registrar. 1. Visit the Namecheap website at 2. Use the domain name search box at the center of the page to look for a domain name 3. Add the domain name of your choice to your cart 4. Press the "View Cart" button on the right to progress through the checkout 5. We recommend disabling the "WhoisGuard" option as this is not ideal for public businesses. 6. Select "Confirm Order" button on the right side 7. Complete your order by creating an account and entering your payment details. {% hint style="info" %} You can watch the following YouTube video to see a video walkthrough of how to do this - {% endhint %} Once you have purchased a domain, you will need to complete the steps in our other article "Setup A Custom Domain". You will need to access your domain DNS settings to complete those steps. On Namecheap, you can do this by: 1. Logging in to Namecheap and going to your account dashboard 2. Select the "Domains List" on the left menu 3. Select the "Manage" button beside your domain name 4. Navigate to the "Advanced DNS" tab under your domain settings 5. Press "Add New Record" to create a DNS record. {% hint style="warning" %} You may have to remove some default records already set in order to add ours {% endhint %} ## Additional Info ### **What Is A Web Domain?** A domain is any web address, for example, 'google.com' is a domain. ### **Your Sub-domain** Your store will be accessible on your own unique subdomain that you can choose. Your subdomain will always be hosted under "example.cloudwaitress.com". Every subdomain must be unique and is taken on a first come first serve basis. ### **Custom Domain** A custom domain is a domain name you purchase and connect to our service. You can register any domain name available such as "yourbusiness.com" and connect it to our service. This way customers can go directly your domain name to find your online ordering system. It is often desirable to have your own domain name for your store in order to better promote your own brand and business. It is much easier to tell your customers to find you at "order.yourbusiness.com" instead of "yourbusiness.cloudwaitress.com". # Setup A Custom Domain Learn how to connect your own custom domain name to your online store for better branding and SEO ## Setup Process 1. In the restaurant dashboard, see "Settings > Website > Domains > Custom Domain" 2. Enter your domain name and press save 3. Go to your domain management panel where you registered your domain 4. Access your DNS records and add the DNS records listed below 5. After adding the DNS records, wait 10 minutes for it to take effect 6. Then press the "Generate SSL Certificate" button under your custom domain settings. If your DNS settings have taken effect, it will indicate the SSL certificate has generated successfully. Once generated, your site will be accessible on your custom domain name. If you are unable to generate the certificate, allow more time for your DNS settings to take effect. ## DNS Record To Add | Record Type | Host | Value | | ----------- | ---------------------- | ------------- | | A Record | www / order / anything | 35.238.2 .132 | {% hint style="info" %} The host value is the subdomain of your domain that your customer will need to visit to access the site. If the host value is "order" and your domain is "business.com", then your store URL will be "order.business.com" {% endhint %} {% hint style="warning" %} **If you use "www" for your host value, then please add the following record as well** {% endhint %} | Record Type | Host | Value | | ----------- | --------- | ------------- | | A Record | @ / blank | 35.238.2 .132 | Setting this will ensure if someone types in your root domain, i.e. example.com, they will be redirected to [www.example.com](http://www.example.com) # Setup an iOS & Android App With our native mobile app solution, we are able to package your online store into your own custom branded mobile application. ## Custom App Setup Process 1. Contact us using our live-chat to let us know that you would like us to start the process 2. We send you further instructions and request some digital graphics 3. We will create and send you pictures of your app icon and splash screen for you to approve 4. Finally, we publish the apps to your Apple and Android store accounts {% hint style="info" %} This application is compatible with Android and iOS platforms. {% endhint %} # Setup Facebook Ordering Enabling Facebook ordering will allow your customers to order from your Facebook page. {% hint style="danger" %} As much as this feature sounds great, it's honestly not very pleasant for people to order through Facebook. These tabs are also only available in desktop versions of Facebook further limiting them. That means it won't work on for users on their mobile phones. Facebook also regularly makes changes and sometimes things break unexpectedly. As such, overall we recommend against using this feature. Simply sending people to your ordering domain is a far more reliable option. {% endhint %} Visit . If you are not already signed into Facebook, you can sign in with your regular Facebook account. Once done, select the "My Apps" button on the top right and select "create new app". ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_f92n5y.png) Enter your business name for your app name along with your email address and press create After creating the app, you will be taken to the app dashboard. On the left menu, go to "Settings > Basic" ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_wtsxiz.png) Choose "Page Tab". You will now need to fill in your store URL under "Secure Page Tab URL" and what you want to call your page tab under "Page Tab Name". Your store URL can either be your CloudWaitress subdomain such as "" or your custom domain name if setup ![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/e903fdb8557a9800/image_cb565a.png) To add the page tab to your Facebook page, you will need your Facebook App ID which you will see highlighted in orange in the previous photo at the top of the page Next, you need to visit the following URL into your browser making sure to replace with your Facebook app ID and with the store URL that you entered previously [https://www.facebook.com/dialog/pagetab?app\_id=\&redirect\_uri=](https://www.facebook.com/dialog/pagetab?app_id={{YOUR_APP_ID}}\&redirect_uri={{YOUR_STORE_URL}}) If done correctly, you will see a page on Facebook saying "Add Page Tab" and you will be able to select one of your Facebook pages If done correctly, you will see a page on Facebook saying "Add Page Tab" and you will be able to select one of your Facebook pages # Platform Information An in-depth look at some of the features we offer along with information on managing your subscription # Customer Accounts Learn about the different types of customer accounts available and how they work within the platform Customers include people who have placed an order at your online store or signed up for an account. From the restaurant perspective, it's about being able to track and understand your customers. For customers, having an account means their information is saved permanently across devices. This includes delivery details, customer info and past orders. This information will be used to pre-fill as many steps of their ordering process for a smoother repeat purchase experience. ## Types Of Customers ### Guest Customers Guest customers are created whenever an order is placed by a user who has not signed in. We attempt to track guest customers by matching their name, phone and email address. When a guest places an order, if those 3 pieces of information match any past customers, the old customer will be updated instead of a new one being created. ### Logged In Customers A logged in customer is anyone who has used the login / sign up button to create an account. When a customer signs up for the first time their details are logged into your customer dashboard. Any subsequent logins or orders will also update their details. Customers who log in will have their order history permanently accessible to them. Customers create accounts using: * E-Mail * Facebook * Google ## Guides {% content-ref url="/pages/-M3-NvYaNntLokZbQvoY" %} [Setup Facebook Login](/how-to-guides/setup-facebook-login) {% endcontent-ref %} ## Caveats & Known Issues * Google and Facebook log in cannot be used on a mobile app as they have disabled it from being used in such a medium. # Your Subscription & Billing Learn how to modify your subscription, add a payment method and manage your account billing ## Changing Subscription Plan 1. Visit and login 2. Click **billing** on a restaurant in your restaurant list 3. In the popup, select your subscription plan and press "Edit Subscription" 4. Choose your plan from the drop down and press "Update Subscription" || You will need to add a payment method before switching to a paid plan ## Add A Payment Method We currently only accept, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. To add a payment method you must: 1. Visit and login 2. Click **billing** on a restaurant in your restaurant list 3. In the popup, select "Payment Methods" and enter your card details ## Billing Cycle You will be billed on the same day that your account was activated every month. ## Failed Payments If your payment fails, we will inform you and attempt to charge your card again in 24 hours. If it fails again, we will retry in 3 days and 3 days after if that fails. If the 3rd payment retry fails within 7 days of your initial failed payment, your account will be cancelled. ## Cancelled Accounts If your account has been cancelled due to a failed payment, you will no longer be able to accept orders. However, your store will still remain online and all your information will be kept. ## Re-Activating Your Subscription If your account is cancelled, add a valid payment method to re-active your subscription. ## Refunds Refunds will only be provided if our platform fails to meet its stated role when being used. Please contact us to discuss this. # Resellers The CloudWaitress reseller account is intended for businesses which want to re-sell our online ordering system to their customers under their own brand name and at their own prices. # Overview Learn about what's included with our reseller platform, our prices, requirements and setup process With a reseller account, you will get access to your own white-labelled and customized online admin interface hosted under your own domain. Any customer accounts created through this admin interface will be tagged under your main reseller account. These accounts are not tied into the CloudWaitress billing system at all and they will not receive any marketing e-mail from us. While you manage the billing of your customers, we will only bill you. ## What's Included ### Online Admin Interface The online admin interface we provide is the exact same as the one found on our website at , but as stated it is modified to your business and any references to CloudWaitress are stripped out. Any customer accounts created through your admin portal will be tagged as part of your reseller account. This admin interface is also where your customers will go to manage their account information and orders. This can be hosted at any domain name of your choice. ### Custom Domain Name Integration Under CloudWaitress, all new accounts can select a subdomain name under the main 'cloudwaitress.com' domain. As part of your reseller account, all online stores created will instead be assigned a sub-domain under your custom domain name. ### Comprehensive Support All our resellers can attest to the level of commitment we put into supporting them and their customers. We work very closely with them and see to it that they always get the support required. We also regularly take new feature requests. ### Access To All Platform Updates Every update and fix that we release will be automatically added to your configuration and sites so you will always have the most up to date system. ### Personalized System Customizations Here are some of the things we can customize for you: * Login / signup logo * Application name * Disable website sign up’s * Auto-verify email addresses * Pre-set store design & settings * Custom chat widget integration ## Pricing We only charge a low flat monthly cost per restaurant. Please get in touch with us to find out the exact amount. There are no other fees involved. ## Requirements ### Domain Name You will need your own domain name to set up a reseller account. A domain name is used to host your admin dashboard application and your customer's online stores. For example, the admin interface can be located at "admin.example.com". All your online stores can be found at "(name).example.com". Optionally, a separate custom domain can be connected to your individual online stores. ### Support E-mail Address We require one support email address to white-label all support and system emails sent to customers. This includes order notification e-mails. If this is not provided, your customers will receive emails from " ". Please note, Gmail, Hotmail and other e-mail hosting providers will not work for this. A custom domain email address is mandatory. ### Billing System (Optional) You will need a way to bill your clients as their subscription is not managed by us. Consider using software such as . We provide an integration with them for resellers to automate client billing. Please note that extra fees and charges apply. ## Setup Process On average, it takes 2 days to complete the reseller account set up once we have gotten all the information required from you. Here are the steps involved: 1. Contact us and we will send you the online reseller sign up form 2. Complete the form to start the process 3. We will request your billing information along with the initial deposit. 4. Once the deposit is confirmed, we will configure your reseller account 5. We will provide you with the necessary details to configure your web domain and to set up the platform 6. After this, you can review your setup, create a demo account and make any post set up modifications ## FAQ #### Difference between standard accounts and accounts created under your reseller system Reseller customer accounts do not have any subscription with CloudWaitress. This means they do not receive any bills, invoices or charges from us. Reseller customer accounts are not tied into our mailing systems meaning they do not receive any marketing/help emails from us. #### What should I charge my customers? We want to have a mutually beneficial relationship with our resellers. We see our role as being able to provide a reliable and robust online ordering system that is always being improved. The role of the reseller lies in the implementation and packaging of the system for businesses. To avoid the issue of your clients potentially being upset at a difference in pricing from resellers and CloudWaitress itself, it's best to take a value-added pricing approach. What this means is to find ways to add value on top of the bare online ordering system. For example, you can offer packages that include system setup, facebook ad designs, printers, staff training, ongoing support and much more. # Getting Started Learn how to get started and work with our reseller platform. Learn how to set up new accounts and manage your restaurants ## Starting The Setup Process 1. Complete this form 2. We will setup your billing account and contact you for the deposit 3. Once the deposit is paid, we will set up your account 4. Finally, we will provide you instructions to connect your domain to your reseller platform ## Understanding The Reseller Platform Your reseller platform consists of 3 parts * Admin dashboard - located at admin.your-domain.com * Online stores - located at \_\_name\_\_.your-domain.com * Landing pages - located at \_\_name\_\_.your-domain.com ## Accounts, O**rganizations** & Restaurants To work with the reseller platform, it's important to understand the structure of accounts. Every account created under your reseller platform is an **organization**. When you create an account, the email address you register it with is the **admin user** of that organization. An organization can have one or more **restaurants** under it. Each of these restaurants has their own **online store** website. Every organization can have a single **landing page** website that links to all the restaurants within that organization. Organizations can also have **staff accounts** that have access restricted to particular restaurants and particular functions. ### The Ideal Way To Setup New Clients We recommend that for every new business that you work with, you create them their own account. All their store branches should be added as restaurants under this single account. Managers of each branch can be given their own staff account with access to just that store branch. ## Creating New Accounts You can create new accounts through the signup form on your admin dashboard. Any accounts created from here will be part of your main reseller account. Their online stores and landing pages will have your branding on them, not ours. When we set up your reseller platform, we would have either enabled or disabled **e-mail verification** depending on how you plan to set up your customers. **If e-mail verification is enabled**, the user email that you signed up with will receive a 5-6 digit code that must be entered in the account creation process. **If e-mail verification is disabled**, this 5-6 digit code will be sent to your support e-mail address instead of the e-mail address you created your account with. {% hint style="info" %} You can use your reseller password in the e-mail confirmation code field to bypass the verification process {% endhint %} # Documentation Learn how to manage your white-labelled support documentation for your clients ## Creating Your Support Documentation 1. Visit and create an account 2. Go to and press the fork button on the top right to create your own copy under your account 3. Visit [https://www.gitbook.com](https://www.gitbook.com/) and register an account 4. Create your first documentation space 5. In your documentation space, using the left navigation bar, select integrations (cube icon) 6. Enable github in the integrations list. Select list all repositories, login to your github account and select your forked "cw-docs" repository that you acquired from the previous steps 7. Next, select "Sync master branch only" and continue 8. Then select "I write my content on github" 9. After this, your forked documentation repository will be synced over to gitbook 10. At this point, you can follow the editing steps below to make changes ## Editing Your Support Documentation 1. Visit and login to your account 2. Select your documentation site 3. Press the edit icon button on the bottom right 4. Make any changes as needed 5. Once done, press the save button on the bottom right 6. On the left nav bar, you will see an active draft with a blue button saying "Merge" 7. Press merge to update the docs with the draft changes just made