TRAY Offline Mode Overview

TRAY Offline Mode

Auto Offline automatically detects interruption in communication external to the restaurant, and automatically shifts the TRAY solution into Offline Mode. Offline Mode allows the system to operate until communication is restored. 

How Do I Know a Site is Offline?

When offline mode is active, devices will display a flashing OFFLINE status indicator in the top right corner of the POS.

New checks created in offline mode will display a longer check ID and indicate that the check has not yet synced. This status  is also visible in the Checks screen next to each check. 

When a site returns to Online Mode, both the updated check ID and status indicator will both show that the check has been synced. 

Different Types of Communication Failure

There are 4 types of communication failure, and they all work a bit differently:

	TRAY Server Outage	Internet Outage	Network HW Failure in Site	Failure to Reach Credit Processor
ACCESS TRAY HQ	✓	✘	✘	✓
RING IN ORDERS IN THE POS	✓	✓	✘	✓
ACCEPT CASH PAYMENTS	✓	✓	✘	✓
SEND ORDERS TO THE KITCHEN	✓	✓	✘	✓
CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS	✓	✓	✓	✓
GIFT CARD PAYMENTS	✘	✘	✘	✓
RECEIVE OLO ORDERS	✘	✘	✘	✓
PAY N’ GO AND PUNCHH	✘	✘	✘	✓
SERVER CHECKOUT REPORT	✘	✘	✘	✓
TRANSMIT DATA TO 3RD PARTIES	✘	✘	✘	✓

What Should I Know About the Tech?

TRAY offline mode is unique in the market; and has been designed from the ground up to be resilient.  Key points that are good to know:

• Devices in a restaurant talk to each other constantly through a gossip layer (multi-cast for techies).
• In offline mode, this gossip layer allows each connected device access to all orders regardless of where the order was started.
• There is no “Back-of-House Server” in TRAY, all devices act as a virtual server.
• Once TRAY returns to Online Mode, offline transactions will sync to the cloud.
• TRAY Cloud Services are powered by AWS
• Credit transactions below a certain threshold will be approved and forwarded to the processor once the outage is resolved.

Please note - Multiple Networks can be a Problem

Many locations have physical connections for POS terminals, KDS units or printers.  Tablets connect via Wifi.   If the network is not configured to allow the wired equipment to talk with wifi equipment (same subnet or routing rules configured), offline mode will not work correctly.
 

Troubleshooting Information

Auto offline settings and device configurations  should never be adjusted. If a change is needed, it should be escalated to the Dine helpdesk. 

This information is provided for awareness purposes. If issues occur in offline mode that are presumed to be related to configuration and not manual disruption, franchisees should reach out to the Dine helpdesk for assistance. 

Troubleshooting Scenarios

Behavior Within A Location	Possible Root Cause
None of the devices are communicating in offline mode.	Possible Network Switch or Router Failure in store – Device offline mode functionality relies on the device having an IP address. Check the offline dashboard for available devices.
Some of my devices aren’t communicating in offline mode	Devices may not be on the same subnet. Check network settings.
Kitchen Printers are not printing orders in offline mode	If a printer is not printing, there are multiple issues to consider - possible hardware and network communication issues. Check the KDS App for the terminal driving the specific printer in question for any related error messages.
Reports are missing sales	There is potentially unsynced data. The store might still be offline or some of the data has not synced from the POS devices while in offline mode.
Checks are not syncing after devices come back online, and the sync button in the check screen on the POS is not correcting the issue.	One or more devices may be offline and may not have come back online. One or more devices may be on the wrong subnet. Check network settings.  It’s also possible not enough time has transpired after coming back online, as it can take up to  5 minutes before data syncs. Attempt to manually sync.
Site is not moving back into online mode from offline mode and it’s been 2 hours since communication was restored.	If the service outage is confirmed to be restored, and offline is active for more than 2 hours, contact the Dine helpdesk.
All of my devices are offline but my tablets still show online.	Ensure that the tablets are on the correct network. Ensure that network is able to communicate with the POS devices - if not, the tablets cannot be used in offline mode.
My devices are going back and forth into offline mode multiple times during the day	One device is struggling to connect – could be a bad cable or a bad NIC card, etc.  This could also indicate ISP issues. A tablet may be configured for auto offline and losing connectivity intermittently - contact Dine Helpdesk if this is presumed to be the case.