Open and run a bar tab

A bar tab lets a guest order round after round and pay once at the end. When the tab opens, the guest taps their card on the reader and an amount is held on it. Nothing is charged until you close the tab. If the guest walks away, the tab is charged automatically before the hold runs out.

Before you start

• Verimly Payments must be set up and the location needs a card reader. See Set up Verimly Payments and Register a card reader.
• The reader must be connected Through Verimly's server (recommended). Tabs do not work with a reader connected directly from the POS or over Bluetooth. See How a card reader connects.
• Turn on the Bar tabs feature for the location under Settings › Features. It is included in every plan.
• Staff need Open bar tabs to open tabs and add rounds, and Close bar tabs to charge or release them. The Cashier role has both; the Waiter role can open tabs but not close them.
• Tabs are opened on a till, a device that takes payments.

Choose the tab settings

In the back office, go to Settings › Bar tabs and set:

Open a tab

1. 1On the POS, open the Bar tabs tab and tap New tab.
2. 2Enter a Guest name, for example "Sam at the bar". You can leave it empty; the tab is then named after its number or the card.
3. 3Tap Start tab on reader. If several readers are available, pick the one the guest is at.
4. 4Ask the guest to tap or insert their card. The reader may ask for the PIN.
5. 5When you see Tab opened, the hold is in place and the tab's order opens.

If the card is declined, the tab shows Card declined. Tap Try again to send it to the reader again, ask for another card, or Release hold to remove the empty tab.

Add rounds

1. 1On Bar tabs, tap Add round on the tab (or tap the tab to open its order).
2. 2Add drinks and food as on any order, and tap Send to kitchen for items that need preparing.
3. 3Use Repeat last round to add the last sent round again.

Each tab shows its total, how long it has been open and the hold, for example "Hold €50.00".

When the bill grows past the hold

Once the bill passes 80% of the amount held, Verimly raises the hold by itself to the bill plus the pre-authorisation amount. You do not need to do anything.

If the card refuses the higher hold, the tab is flagged, for example "The card declined a higher hold". A banner on the order offers Raise hold to try again. See A bar tab can't be charged.

Close a tab

1. 1Open the tab and tap Close tab (or Close on the tab in the list).
2. 2Check the Bill and the Hold.
3. 3Choose a tip: None, 5%, 10%, 15%, or Other amount.
4. 4Tap Charge card · {amount}.

The card is charged for the bill plus tip, and the receipt screen opens. Only the amount you charged leaves the guest's account; the rest of the hold is released.

If the total is above the hold, the POS warns "The total is above the card hold. The card is asked for the difference; if it refuses, take payment another way."

Pay another way

If the guest wants to pay cash or with another card, tap Take payment another way and use the normal payment screen. Once the order is paid, the hold on the card is released automatically.

Release an empty tab

If nothing was ordered, open the tab and tap Release tab, then Release hold. The hold is cancelled and the tab closes. A tab with items or payments cannot be released; close it instead.

Automatic closing

An open tab is charged automatically one hour before its hold runs out. The hold runs out at the Auto-close after (hours) limit, or earlier if the card network's own limit is shorter. The Automatic tip is added. Tabs close to that point show "Closes by itself at {time}".

What you see in the back office

Orders › Bar tabs lists open tabs with the card, hold, total, when the hold ends and any warnings. Tabs are settled on the POS. An empty tab can be cancelled there with Cancel card hold.

Common questions

What does the guest see on their statement?

A pending amount for the hold, then the final charge. See What a card hold means for the guest.

Can I put an existing order on a tab?

No. A tab is always started from Bar tabs with the card on the reader.

Is service charge added to tabs?

No. Tabs count as takeaway orders. See Service charge and order numbers.