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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions merchants ask, with answers.
Using Emily
Hi Emily — what can you do for a merchant?
I'm Emily, your in-app assistant. I can help you run your food-service business, including:
- Menus: items, categories, modifiers, variants, allergens, and upsells
- Integrations: POS systems (Hendrickx, MplusKassa, Kassanet, Lightspeed, ShopCaisse, Square), payment providers (Viva Wallet, Stripe, Square), and delivery platforms (Deliveroo, Uber Eats)
- Settings: locations, business hours, billing, branding, team members, and permissions
- Sales channels: online ordering, kiosk, and QR/table ordering
- Features: loyalty, inventory/stock, offers and coupons, gift cards, customers, and invoicing
Just tell me what you'd like to do — for example "how do I add a location" or "where are my payment settings" — and I'll guide you to the right place.
Where do I start with onboarding / setup?
Use Guided Setup to walk through the core steps in order — locations, payment profile, menu, and your sales channels (online ordering, kiosk, QR ordering). You can return to Guided Setup at any time to finish remaining steps. Tell me which part you'd like to set up and I'll guide you through it.
Online Ordering
Why does my location show "Currently Closed"?
Possible causes:
- Outside business hours
- Custom availability is enabled with different hours
- Today is a restricted date (holiday)
- Online ordering is disabled
Solution: Check Settings → Locations → Business Hours and Pickup & Delivery → Online Ordering settings.
Why can't customers select certain time slots?
Possible causes:
- Time slot is at full capacity
- Time slot is in the past
- Time slot is outside business hours
- Time-specific rules are limiting that period
Solution: Check In-House → Settings → Order Capacity. Increase limits or adjust time-specific rules.
Why is delivery not available to some customers?
Possible causes:
- Customer is outside delivery radius
- Customer's postal code not in delivery zone
- Delivery is disabled
- Minimum order amount not met
Solution: Check Pickup & Delivery → Delivery Settings. Expand radius or add postal codes.
How do I temporarily stop accepting orders?
Quick method: Toggle "Accepting Orders" OFF in Online Ordering settings.
Scheduled method: Add a Restricted Date for the closure period.
Permanent: Disable Online Ordering entirely.
How do I use a custom domain for online ordering?
You can add a custom domain via the Settings page. Go to the Domain menu. There you will find all the required details that you can forward to your website administrator to correctly link the domain.
Once this is configured, go to the submenu Online Ordering to enter and activate your custom domain.
Can I have different menus for lunch and dinner?
Yes! Create separate menus and schedule them:
- Create "Lunch Menu" and "Dinner Menu"
- Go to each menu's settings
- Set availability schedule (e.g., Lunch: 11:00-15:00, Dinner: 17:00-22:00)
Menu & Items
How do I hide an item temporarily?
Option 1 - Snooze: Click Snooze on the item, select duration. Item auto-returns.
Option 2 - Stock: Set stock to 0. Item shows "Sold Out".
Option 3 - Disable: Toggle "Available" OFF. Item hidden completely.
What's the difference between modifiers and variants?
| Modifiers | Variants |
|---|---|
| Add-ons to an item | Versions of an item |
| Customer can select multiple | Customer selects one |
| Examples: Extra cheese, No onions | Examples: Small, Medium, Large |
| Price added to base | Price replaces base |
Use modifiers for customizations and add-ons. Use variants for fundamentally different versions (size, color).
How do I set up a combo/meal deal?
- Create the combo as a single item
- Add modifier groups for each choice:
- "Choose your main" (required, select 1)
- "Choose your side" (required, select 1)
- "Choose your drink" (required, select 1)
- Set combo price as the item price
- Set modifier prices to €0 (included) or extra cost
Can I upload more than one image at a time?
Yes! In the Content submenu you can upload multiple images at once.
Why aren't my allergens showing to customers?
Check:
- Allergens are selected on the item
- Allergen display is enabled in Online Ordering settings
- Clear browser cache and refresh
How do I set up upsells (upselling)?
Create an upsell group under Marketing → Upsell Groups → Add:
- Enter a Title (and optional Subtitle — both translatable) and set status to Active.
- Choose a trigger:
- Item — fires when a specific product is in the cart
- Product group — fires when any product from selected categories is in the cart
- Checkout — shown at the checkout step
- Choose where to show it — Checkout and/or In-flow (during ordering). Not needed for the checkout trigger.
- Add the items to suggest and save.
Active groups are shown on both online ordering and the kiosk for that location. You can also manage a product's upsells from the item's Upsell Groups tab (Menus → Items → Edit), or from a location's Upsell Groups tab. Upsell groups are per-location.
Payments
Why are payments failing?
Common causes:
- Test mode: You're in test mode but using real cards
- Keys incorrect: API keys don't match
- Account not verified: Stripe account needs verification
- Payment method disabled: iDEAL/Bancontact not enabled
Solution: Check Settings → Payments. Verify keys and enable Live Mode when ready.
How do I switch from test to live payments?
- Go to Settings → Payments → Stripe
- Ensure your Stripe account is fully verified
- Toggle Live Mode ON
- Test with a real small transaction
Warning: Live mode processes real charges!
Can I accept cash payments?
Online Ordering: No, online orders require card payment.
Kiosk: Depends on terminal. Most kiosks are card-only.
In-House: Yes, through your POS system.
How do refunds work?
- Go to Transactions
- Find the order
- Click Refund
- Choose full or partial refund
- Refund processes through Stripe/Square
Timeline: Refunds typically appear in 5-10 business days.
How do I send my invoices to customers?
Use the Invoice Collection page. It lists business customers who placed orders with the Invoice payment method (these orders are left unpaid/open until billed):
- Open Invoice Collection and go to the Open tab.
- Find the customer (shows open-orders count, oldest order date, total outstanding).
- Click Send, set Days Until Due (default 14, up to 90), and confirm.
All of that customer's open orders are combined into one invoice, issued via Stripe and emailed to them. Track it on the Sent tab; once paid it moves to Paid.
Note: This is different from Billing, which is where Upvendo invoices you for your subscription. The Invoice payment method must be enabled under Online Ordering → Checkout (Mplus locations) for orders to appear here.
How do I let customers pay by invoice for online orders?
Enable the Invoice payment method for online ordering:
- Go to Online Ordering settings → Checkout → Payment methods.
- Turn on Invoice and save.
Business customers can then choose Invoice at checkout instead of paying online; those orders come through as unpaid/open and you bill them later from the Invoice Collection page. The Invoice option is available on Mplus locations only. (Card / Bancontact remain the standard online payment methods; Cash on Delivery is not currently available.)
How do I add a card terminal to a kiosk or device?
Terminals are paired to a device, not to the payment profile:
- Go to Device Management → Devices and open the device (e.g. your kiosk).
- In the Card Reader / Terminal section, click Add Terminal (shown as Pair Reader for Stripe).
- Pair using your in-person provider:
- Viva Wallet — select the terminal from your Viva terminal list and save
- Stripe (in-person) — enter the reader's registration code (+ optional label) and pair
- Square — pair the Square Terminal using the device code shown
After pairing, the section shows the terminal ID and status. Each device has one paired reader at a time. (Requires the edit-devices permission.)
Order Capacity
How do I prevent kitchen overload?
- Enable Limit Orders Per Time Slot
- Set a reasonable limit (e.g., 10 orders per 15 minutes)
- Optionally enable Category Limits for slow-prep items
- Add Time Specific Rules for known busy periods
What's the best time slot duration?
| Restaurant Type | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Fast food | 10-15 minutes |
| Quick service | 15-20 minutes |
| Casual dining | 30 minutes |
| Fine dining | 45-60 minutes |
Rule of thumb: Match your average order prep time.
How does flexible ordering work?
Flexible ordering allows extra orders if their value is low:
- Normal limit: 10 orders per slot
- Flexible limit: Allow up to 15 orders
- Value threshold: €20
Result: If someone orders just a coffee (€3), they can still order even if 10 orders exist, up to 15 total.
Loyalty & Marketing
How do loyalty points work?
Earning: Customer earns points based on spend (e.g., 1 point per €1)
Redeeming: Customer uses points for discount (e.g., 100 points = €1 off)
Example: Customer spends €50, earns 50 points. Later redeems 100 points for €1 off.
Can customers combine offers?
Default: No, only one offer per order.
Exceptions: Some offers can be marked as "stackable" in settings.
How do I create a "Buy 10 Get 1 Free" offer?
- Go to Marketing → Loyalty
- Enable loyalty program
- Create a reward: "Free [Item] after 10 purchases"
- Set points required (e.g., 1000 points if 100 points per purchase)
Alternative: Use stamp cards if available in your plan.
Can I use discount codes, and where is the coupons page?
Yes. Go to Marketing → Coupons to create and manage discount codes. There you can create a code, set the discount type and value, and control when it's valid. Customers enter the code at checkout to apply the discount. For automatic discounts (no code needed), use Marketing → Offers instead.
Devices
My kiosk shows "No Menu Available"
Causes:
- No menu assigned to kiosk
- Menu has no items
- All items are unavailable/out of stock
Solution: Go to Devices → Kiosks → [Your Kiosk] and assign a menu.
KDS is not receiving orders
Check:
- KDS is paired and online
- Order source filter includes the channel (Online, Kiosk)
- Category filter includes ordered items
- Network connection is stable
How do I connect a receipt printer?
- Go to Devices → Printers
- Click Add Printer
- Select connection type (USB, Network, Bluetooth)
- Enter printer details
- Test print
Supported: Most ESC/POS compatible printers.
How do I set up and manage a kiosk?
- Go to Device Management → Devices and add/pair your kiosk device.
- Assign a menu so the kiosk has products to show.
- Assign a device profile to control the kiosk's look and behaviour — theme, languages, idle timeout, image display, tip options, and dine-in/takeaway choices. Manage profiles under Device Management → Profiles.
- To take card payments, pair a terminal in the device's Card Reader section (see "How do I add a card terminal to a kiosk or device?").
You can manage multiple kiosks, each linked to a location. If a kiosk shows "No Menu Available", assign a menu to it.
How do I set up a screensaver on the kiosk?
The screensaver is part of the device profile's Idle settings:
- Go to Device Management → Profiles and edit the profile.
- Open Idle settings and turn on Idle Screensaver.
- Set the minutes of inactivity before it appears, and upload the screensaver image.
- Save.
The screensaver shows your image when the kiosk is idle; touching the screen returns to ordering. It's separate from the Idle Timeout, which resets an in-progress order back to the welcome screen.
Integrations
Does connecting Square replace Stripe?
Yes. When Square POS is connected:
- Online Ordering uses Square Payments (not Stripe)
- Kiosk uses Square Terminal (not Viva Wallet)
- All payments unified in Square
Can I use Deliveroo and Uber Eats at the same time?
Yes. Each integration is independent. Orders from each platform appear in your transactions and KDS.
How do I sync my menu to Deliveroo/Uber Eats?
- Connect the integration
- Enable "Menu Sync"
- Click "Sync Now" or wait for automatic sync
Note: Some items may need adjustment for platform requirements.
Account & Billing
How do I add team members?
- Go to Settings → Team
- Click Add Member
- Enter email and name
- Select role (Admin, Manager, Staff)
- They'll receive an invitation email
What's the difference between roles?
| Role | Permissions |
|---|---|
| Owner | Everything |
| Admin | Everything except billing |
| Manager | Operations, no settings |
| Staff | View only, limited actions |
How do I change my subscription?
- Go to Settings → Billing
- Click "Change Plan"
- Select new plan
- Confirm changes
Note: Upgrades are immediate, downgrades apply at next billing cycle.
Settings, Navigation & Stock
What can I see on the Settings page? What's important?
The Settings page groups your account-level configuration:
- Payments — payment profiles and providers (Stripe for online ordering, Viva Wallet for kiosk/in-person, or Square)
- Billing — billing profiles for your Upvendo subscription
- Team — Users and Roles (who has access and their permissions)
- Locations — your venues, addresses, hours, prep times, and map pin
- Receipts — receipt configuration
- Localizations — Languages and Translations
- Brand — branding profiles (logo, colours) for online ordering and kiosk
- Domains — custom domains for online ordering
- Activity Log — a record of what changed, by whom, and when
- Compliance — data/compliance settings
Set up Payments, Locations, and Team first. You'll only see the sections your role has permission to access.
How do I set up a new location?
- Go to Settings → Locations and click Add Location.
- Select the Payment, Billing, and Branding profiles.
- Enter the location name and contact details.
- Fill in the address and set the map pin.
- Configure operating hours and preparation time.
- Click Save.
Where are my payment settings?
Go to Settings → Payments. There you create and manage payment profiles and set up their providers — Stripe (online-ordering payments) and Viva Wallet (kiosk/in-person), or Square when connected — choose payment methods, and assign profiles to locations.
Where do I configure delivery settings?
Open Pickup & Delivery → Delivery Settings for the location. You can set delivery fees, minimum order amounts, timing and scheduling, delivery hours, and driver instructions. Delivery areas are configured separately under Delivery Zones.
What do primary and secondary colour mean (branding)?
These are set in a branding profile under Settings → Branding. The primary colour is the main accent used for prominent elements like buttons and highlights in your online ordering and kiosk. The secondary colour is a complementary colour for less prominent elements such as backgrounds or secondary buttons.
How do I check my connection with my POS?
Open the integration page for your POS (e.g. Hendrickx, Vanhoutte/Kassanet, MplusKassa) and click Test Connection. The system verifies connectivity with your POS; a successful test also re-checks the webshop payment type and updates the connection status. If the connection is restored, orders that previously failed due to a disconnection are automatically requeued.
How do I manage stock / inventory?
Stock lets you track available quantities so customers see what's in stock and items sell out automatically. Open Inventory / Stock Management to view and adjust stock levels, and set an item's stock to 0 to mark it Sold Out. Tell me whether you want to adjust stock, view stock, or set low-stock alerts and I'll point you to the right place.
Do I need Stripe to take customer payments?
No. In Upvendo, Stripe is used only for subscription billing (kiosk, KDS, and online-ordering subscriptions) and for issuing customer invoices via Invoice Collection — it does not process customer-facing order payments. Customer order payments are handled by Viva Wallet (or Square when connected). To accept customer payments, set up a Viva Wallet (or Square) payment profile under Settings → Payments.
Troubleshooting
Where can I see what changed?
Go to Settings → Activity Log. Shows all changes with:
- What was changed
- Who changed it
- When it was changed
- Old and new values
How do I contact support?
- Emily: Ask your assistant (that's me!)
- Help Center: docs.upvendo.com
- Email: support@upvendo.com
- Chat: In-app chat during business hours
I get the error "Location not found" when saving
When you see the error "Location not found" while saving, first check that your location is correctly filled in and verified on the Settings page.
You can verify this by checking whether the details were automatically populated in the Payment Profile section. If they were not, it usually means the Payment Profile has not been validated yet.
Solution: Complete the Payment Profile validation in Settings → Payments before trying again.
Something broke after I changed a setting
- Go to Activity Log
- Find the recent change
- Note the old value
- Revert the setting manually
Tip: Test changes during quiet periods, not during rush hour.