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Selling at the till

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Selling at the till

Layaway: hold items while a customer pays over time

Hold goods for a customer who pays over time: a deposit today, more payments later, each item handed over once enough is paid. The last payment makes it a normal sale.

How-toBy default: Owner · Administrator · Manager · SellerWhere: New SaleChecked 16 Oct 2026

Owners can change what each role may do.

A layaway is one sale paid for in parts. It starts at the till with a deposit, lives under BACKOFFICE › Layaway while it is open, and becomes a normal invoice when the last payment is taken.

When to use it

When the customer pays in parts and collects later. Taking back a finished sale is a different job: Refund a sale.

On this page

Before you start

  • A named customer: the till won't start a layaway without one (Find a customer).
  • A deposit above zero, and no more than the ticket total.
  • Gift cards can't pay any part of a layaway.

The till in layaway mode with a customer attached and a deposit entered

With Layaway sale ticked, the payment is the deposit and the rest stays owed.

Steps

Start it at the till

  1. Step 1

    On New Sale, build the cart and add the customer.

  2. Step 2

    Select Layaway sale under the totals. The button changes to Start layaway.

  3. Step 3

    Select a payment method and type the deposit the customer pays today.

    • The totals show Paid now and Balance due.
  4. Step 4

    Tap Start layaway and print the Layaway receipt.

    • Nothing leaves the shop yet: the goods stay in stock.

Take a payment

  1. Step 5

    Open BACKOFFICE › Layaway and tap Collect payment on the customer's row.

    • Any seller can take it, whoever started the layaway and at any shop in the region.
  2. Step 6

    Choose the Method, then type the amount.

  3. Step 7

    Tap Collect instalment.

    • Paid so far and Balance due update straight away.

Hand items over

  1. Step 8

    On the layaway's page, find the item under Products — hand over when paid enough.

  2. Step 9

    Tap Hand over +1 for each unit the customer takes today.

    • It works once payments cover the item's minimum price. Handover budget shows how much can leave.
  3. Step 10

    Give the customer the item; its line now counts it as handed over.

Give the customer a copy

  1. Step 11

    Open BACKOFFICE › Layaway and tap Collect payment on the customer's row.

  2. Step 12

    Under Layaway receipt, tap Print receipt (80mm), Print to thermal printer with an Epson, or Print at … with a cloud bridge.

    • The receipt shows Paid so far and Balance due.
  3. Step 13

    To email it, check the address under Email receipt to and tap Send receipt.

    • The emailed copy shows Paid so far and Balance due too.

Finish

  1. Step 14

    For the last payment, choose the Method and tap Pay full balance (…).

  2. Step 15

    The layaway completes itself: anything not yet handed over is handed over, and it becomes a normal invoice.

  3. Step 16

    To end it without completing, an owner or manager taps Cancel layaway and confirms.

    • It reverses every payment on the books and restocks anything already handed over.
    • Give the customer back by hand what they paid in cash, by card or any other way. A layaway with any store credit paid towards it can't be cancelled: it is only ever finished, by taking the rest of the payments.

What happens next

  • Stock: nothing leaves at the start. Each hand-over takes one unit off, and completing takes off the rest.
  • Money: each payment counts in that day's close under the method used, and only what was paid (Close the day). The Payments report counts it on the same day.
  • Sales: the whole layaway counts once, on the day it is completed, in Sales and the other sales figures (The Sales report: sales, refunds, VAT and margin).
  • Commission: the sellers on the ticket earn on each payment, on the day it is taken.
  • Customers who still owe on a layaway show up in Worth a call: who to phone this week.

Questions

A colleague started the layaway. Can I take the payment?
Yes. Every seller sees every open layaway in the region and can take a payment or hand an item over, whoever started it.
The customer wants to stop. What do I do?
An owner or manager uses Cancel layaway on its page (sellers can't by default). The refund screen is not for layaways. A layaway with any store credit paid towards it can't be cancelled: take the rest of the payments to finish it.
Why can't I hand an item over?
Payments so far don't cover that item's minimum price yet. Take another payment first.
Can the customer pay with a gift card?
No. On a layaway the till hides Gift card, and a later payment can't be taken with one either (Gift cards).

If you see this…

  • On screen

    A customer is required for layaway sales.

    What to do

    Pick or add the customer before you tap Start layaway.

  • On screen

    Enter a deposit before starting the layaway.

    What to do

    Type a deposit above zero in the payment method's amount.

  • On screen

    Deposit cannot exceed the ticket total.

    What to do

    Lower the deposit. If the customer is paying everything today, clear Layaway sale and sell it normally.

  • On screen

    A layaway can't be paid with a gift card. Take the deposit another way.

    What to do

    Use another payment method for the deposit or the instalment.

  • On screen

    Not enough has been paid to hand over that product yet (minimum price rule).

    What to do

    Take another payment, then hand the item over.

  • On screen

    Amount exceeds the remaining balance.

    What to do

    Type no more than the Balance due, or tap Pay full balance (…).

Good to know

  • Suggest half (…) fills in half of what is still due.
  • Choose the Method before tapping Pay full balance (…): that button takes the payment at once.

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