> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sailia-mintlify-5b02008a.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# POS setup and daily use

> Open a terminal, build your item grid, take sales, and close the till at the end of the day.

This guide walks you through the day-to-day flow of running the Sailia [point of sale](/point-of-sale/overview) — from opening a terminal to closing the till. For configuration and permissions, see the [POS overview](/point-of-sale/overview).

## Opening the POS

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the POS">
    Go to **POS** in the Sailia navigation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select your terminal">
    Choose the terminal you're working on. Terminals are tied to a location and an optional [card reader](/point-of-sale/card-readers).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open a cash drawer (if you take cash)">
    Enter your **opening float** (for example, £100) and select **Open Drawer**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Sailia now knows how much cash you started with and how much should be in the drawer at any point during the shift.

## Adding items to a sale

There are three ways to add items, in roughly increasing complexity:

### 1. Item grid (fastest)

The grid is designed for speed — tap a tile to add the item instantly. Use it for cafés, retail, popular courses, and anything you sell repeatedly.

You can:

* Rearrange tiles
* Group tiles into folders (`Drinks`, `Merch`, `Courses`)
* Put your most popular items front and centre

See [POS overview → grid layout](/point-of-sale/overview#pos-grid-layout) for the tile types and customisation options.

### 2. Library search

Use the **Library** to find anything in Sailia — activities, products, memberships, gift cards, and passes. Search, select, add to basket.

### 3. Custom amounts

For one-off or ad-hoc charges, enter an amount and add it to the order. Useful for miscellaneous charges, damage fees, or manual adjustments. See [custom pricing](/point-of-sale/custom-pricing) for products with editable prices.

## Selling activities, memberships, and passes

When you add an activity, course, membership, or activity pass, the POS prompts you to **select or create a customer** (these items can't be sold as walk-ins).

Sailia then walks you through:

* Who's attending
* Dates or sessions
* Any required details (waivers, qualifications, etc.)

Once complete, the item is added to the basket like any other.

## Walk-in sales

For simple sales — food, drinks, retail — no customer account is needed. Add items, charge, done. This makes the POS fast enough for queues and busy days. See [walk-in sales](/point-of-sale/overview#walk-in-sales) for the items that support this.

## Taking payment

Once the basket is ready, select **Charge** and pick a payment method:

| Method           | How it works                                                                           |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Card**         | Charges through a connected [card reader](/point-of-sale/card-readers) or manual entry |
| **Payment link** | Emails or texts a link to the customer to pay online                                   |
| **Invoice**      | Generates an invoice with a due date (defaults to 30 days)                             |
| **Cash**         | Enter the amount received; Sailia calculates change and updates the till               |
| **Other**        | Records the payment as received through an external method                             |

For details on each method, see [POS overview → payment methods](/point-of-sale/overview#payment-methods).

## Closing the cash drawer

At the end of the day or shift:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the cash drawer">
    Select the cash drawer from the POS.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Count the physical cash">
    Count what's actually in the drawer.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the actual amount">
    Sailia compares this to the expected amount and shows any variance.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add notes (optional)">
    Record any context — staff handover, cash drops, refunds outside the system.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Close the drawer">
    The shift is closed and added to your till history for auditing.
  </Step>
</Steps>

You can view past cash drawers at any time from the POS for reconciliation or audit.

## What you can sell through the POS

The Sailia POS brings everything you sell into one place:

* Activities and courses
* Shop products (with [variants](/point-of-sale/product-variants))
* Memberships
* Gift cards
* Activity passes
* One-off / custom payments
* Cash, card, invoice, and payment links

If you can sell it in Sailia, you can sell it through the POS.

## When to use the POS

Use the POS when:

* A customer walks up to the desk
* You're selling food, drinks, or retail
* You need to take a quick payment
* You're booking someone onto a course in person
* You want a single till for the whole operation

## Related guides

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="POS overview" icon="cash-register" href="/point-of-sale/overview">
    Terminal setup, grid customisation, and permissions.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Card readers" icon="credit-card" href="/point-of-sale/card-readers">
    Pair and manage a Stripe card reader.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Product variants" icon="boxes-stacked" href="/point-of-sale/product-variants">
    Sell sizes, colours, and other variations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Custom pricing" icon="calculator" href="/point-of-sale/custom-pricing">
    Override prices at the till.
  </Card>
</Columns>