Procedure for recovering an EFTPOS transaction after a Tower POS crash or system freeze.

 

Tower POS may freeze or crash while an EFTPOS transaction is processing. When this happens, staff need to determine whether:

• The customer has been charged.
• The sale has been recorded in Tower.
• Further action is required.

Never ask the customer to pay a second time until both the EFTPOS terminal and Tower have been checked. Processing a customer's card twice may require a refund through the bank, which can take up to 10 business days to appear in the customer's account. Taking a few minutes to confirm whether the payment was successful is much quicker than fixing a duplicate charge.

 

Step 1 – Restart Tower POS

1. If Tower has frozen, press Ctrl + Alt + Delete and close Tower if required.
2. Allow approximately 2 minutes for Tower to reset.
3. Reopen Tower.

While Tower is restarting, complete Step 2 below.

Step 2 – Check the EFTPOS Terminal

While waiting for Tower to reopen:

1. Press Function.
2. Select Batch
3. Review batch
4. Scroll to the last transaction, write the amount down

Step 3 – Check Tower

Once Tower has reopened:

1. Open Sales History.
2. Look at the last transaction

Outcome 1 – Sale Recorded Correctly

Tower ✅ Last sale is the transaction you were processing.

EFTPOS✅ Last transaction matches the same amount.

No further action is required.

 

Outcome 2 – Sale in Tower, No EFTPOS Payment

Tower ✅ Last sale is the transaction you were processing.

EFTPOS ❌ Transaction for that amount is not shown.

1. Process a new sale by entering the total amount as a Misc Item.
2. Take payment via EFTPOS.
3. Print:
• The Misc Item receipt.
• The original sale showing the product details.
4. Write "System crashed - payment recovered" on both receipts.
5. Place both receipts in the till.
6. Open Previous Sales.
7. Delete the Misc Item transaction.
• Enter the manager password.
• Enter your initials.

Result:

• Tower contains one correct sale with the original products.
• EFTPOS contains one matching payment.

 

Outcome 3 – EFTPOS Payment Taken, Sale Missing from Tower

Tower ❌ Sale is missing.

EFTPOS✅ Customer has been charged.

1. Rescan all items.
2. Complete the sale as Cash.
3. Open Previous Sales.
4. Change the payment type from Cash to EFTPOS.
• Enter the password.
• Enter your initials.

Result:

• Tower now matches the EFTPOS transaction.
• The customer is not charged twice.

 

Outcome 4 – Transaction Missing from Both

Tower❌ No sale.

EFTPOS❌ No payment.

Restart the sale and process it as normal.

 

 

 

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