Orders, KDS, Billing, And Refunds
Run staff orders, public QR orders, kitchen status, billing, payments, receipts, refunds, and shift close.
Orders are the center of table and QR service. One order record connects the table, customer phone, items, kitchen status, bill, payments, receipt, and end-of-day reports.
On web, the main workspaces use the Action Desk layout: a queue on the left (or top on small screens) and details plus actions on the right. You never lose sight of what else is waiting.
Before most service actions, an operational shift must be open. See Operational shift.
The four main workspaces
Orders
Who uses it: floor staff, managers, anyone handling live tickets.
What you see
- Live queue of open orders
- Filters in the page header: view, source, date, search
- Selected order: items, notes, table, status, lifecycle actions
Typical actions
- Accept or reject new tickets
- Add items or notes
- Send updates to kitchen
- Move toward billing when food is ready
Tip: Keep one person responsible for watching the incoming queue during busy hours.
Kitchen (KDS Board)
Who uses it: kitchen staff, expeditors.
What you see
Three columns (names may vary slightly by setup):
| Column | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Incoming | New tickets waiting for kitchen attention |
| Cooking now | Actively being prepared |
| Ready for handoff | Food ready for waiter or customer pickup |
Typical flow
- Accept or start preparing when the ticket is real
- Mark cooking when work begins
- Mark ready when plated or packed
- Hand off to floor staff (they may mark served in Orders)
Tip: Agree as a team whether every step is tapped or only key steps—consistency makes reports readable.
Billing
Who uses it: cashiers, managers with billing permission.
What you see
- Queue of orders needing payment or receipt actions
- One clear primary action per order (collect now, bill and collect, etc.)
- Paid orders open a receipt canvas with print, share, and UPI QR
What you can do
- Apply tax, discounts, tips, surcharges
- Split payment across cash, UPI, and provider methods
- Record manual UPI when customer pays outside the app
- Request manager approval for sensitive adjustments
- Issue refunds (with notes)
Tip: If Razorpay or another provider shows a different status than Zesty, reconcile in the provider dashboard before taking payment again.
New Order
Who uses it: staff taking phone or counter dine-in orders (not POS-only outlets).
What you see
- Menu categories and image-backed item tiles
- Quantity steppers (+ / −)
- Running cart and place-order action
Tip: Confirm table number and order type (dine-in vs takeaway) before submitting.
Order entry channels
| Channel | How it starts | Where staff see it |
|---|---|---|
| Staff (New Order / Orders) | Staff builds cart | Orders queue, KDS |
| Table QR | Customer scans QR, orders in browser | Orders queue, KDS |
| Marketplace | External platform inbox (if connected) | Inbox → Orders → KDS |
All channels use the same order lifecycle so status and totals stay consistent. See Order lifecycle.
Billing and payments (step by step)
- Confirm all items and quantities on the order
- Generate or review the bill
- Apply discounts only with proper approval if your policy requires it
- Choose payment method: cash, UPI, card/provider, or split
- Complete collection—order moves to paid state
- Print or share receipt
- Order leaves the actionable billing queue
Split tender example: ₹500 cash + ₹300 UPI on one bill—record both parts so Shift Desk reconciliation matches reality.
Refunds and corrections
Refunds need a clear reason. Managers should verify:
- Original payment method and amount
- Provider settlement status (for online payments)
- Whether inventory or kitchen already consumed items
Partial refunds and full refunds are supported where your permissions allow. Keep notes for audit and Shift Desk review.
Receipts
- Digital receipts go through approved customer channels only
- Printed receipts use configured printers
- Paid receipts show a restrained paid stamp
- UPI QR on receipts should be large enough for customers to scan easily
Tables and dine-in sessions
When Tables is enabled, each order can link to a table session. This keeps QR orders tied to the correct table and helps floor staff find open bills.
Do not share one QR code across multiple tables.
At the end of the day
Billing totals feed into Shift Desk. Managers compare:
- Cash counted vs system cash
- Manual UPI entries vs system UPI
- Refunds and voids
- Open orders that should have been closed
Common questions
Why can't I create an order?
Check operational shift, permissions, and whether Orders is enabled for your branch.
Why is an order stuck?
Look at lifecycle state, KDS column, and billing status. Complete the next valid action rather than editing fields manually.
QR order not appearing?
Confirm table QR, menu availability, and that the shift is open.