If you ever need the definition for a certain term or phrase, check out this glossary. We've compiled some of our most common terms into one place, alphabetically. Use a search function on your device (e.g., Command-F on a keyboard) to quickly find a word or phrase.
Term: This is the K Series terminology.
Definition: This is what the term means.
Where: This is where the term is found in K Series.
| Term | Definition | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting group | Product or item category. | Back Office |
| Actions | Button on top of the order view while on the Register screen; this button can be best thought of as order actions because the actions apply to the entire order. After selecting the actions button, you can complete various options for the order, like: Fire course, transfer table, transfer user, rename the order, or print a check. | POS |
| Actions | This modal appears after tapping the Actions button on the Register screen. | POS |
| Active device | iPad(s) using Lightspeed Restaurant POS (K); otherwise known as a host or primary device. See passive devices. | Back Office and POS |
| Active production center | Enabled, linked production centers. See production centers. | POS |
|
Add Tip |
Payment screen actions; if ever needed, you can add a tip when processing a payment. Select a percentage or flat amount from the pop-up. You can also add a tip from the Payments list (via the Settings menu) when the transaction has already been processed. | POS |
| Assign customer | Button on Register screen where you can add a customer to an order; after tapping the button, you're brought back to the Customers screen. From the Customers screen, search for an existing customer by name or add a new customer profile. | POS |
| By course | A more granular ordering method while in Table Service mode. While ordering by course, the logic of the order is defined by item coursing. You can also apply seating for each course. | POS |
| By seat | A more granular ordering method while in Table Service mode. While ordering by seat, the order logic is defined as order items sorted by seat. You can also apply coursing to each seat. | POS |
| Capture payment | Capture is the process by which payments are secured once a payment has been authorized. | POS |
| Cash | Button beside the keypad on the Register screen that applies a full cash payment on the selected Order. Useful for when you need to quickly process a cash payment. | Back Office and POS |
| Cash drawer | Cash drawer refers to the concept of (or actual device) storing and tracking cash flow. The cash drawer holds your cash. | Back Office and POS |
| Cash drop | Add cash to the cash drawer. | Back Office and POS |
| Cash lift | Remove cash from the cash drawer (for example, to pay an invoice). | Back Office and POS |
| Check | Draft receipt; a physical document of an unpaid, printed receipt. Seen on the Register screen with the Print check button. | POS |
| Clock in/out | The action of applying a start or end time to a user shift. | POS |
| Clock in/out screen | The page where users can start or end a user shift. | POS |
| Combo | A defined combination of items on the POS, according to what has been set up on the Back Office. For instance, a latte combo could involve the latte size (small), milk type (oat milk), and prep instructions (extra hot). | Back Office and POS |
| Connection code | Code (QR and numerical) generated in the Back Office used to securely connect to the POS app when accessing the app for the first time after download. | Back Office and POS |
| Counter service | Term used to refer to pay-at-order workflows. | POS |
| Covers | Covers can be thought of as another way to organize an order. In the context of payments, the amount of covers determines how many times the check is split. | POS |
| Customer | Patron of the business; a profile on the POS that can be added to orders. | Back Office and POS |
| Customer profile | The collected information on the POS representing a customer; this can include their name, phone number, and email address. | POS |
| Customers screen | Where you can search for existing customers, add a new customer profile or add a customer to an order. Accessed by tapping the Customers tab on the navigation bar. | POS |
| Customers | Tab on navigation bar that leads to the Customers screen, from where you can search for or add a customer profile. | POS |
| Device | Physical hardware component; a POS device refers to your iPad, but a device can also be hardware such as a printer, payment terminal or scale. | Back Office and POS |
| Device configuration | A profile of settings configured for the POS device; when settings have been updated from the Back Office, you can resync the device configuration by navigating to Settings > Reload. | Back Office and POS |
| Direct Sale mode | Default ordering mode when entering the Register screen. | POS |
| Discount | Order actions; when you apply a reduction to an order item or the entire ticket; there are a few discount types you can create from the Back Office. Discounts can be set as a rate (percentage) or flat currency amount. Additionally, discounts can be made at item level (see Item Actions) or for the entire order (see Actions). Note that the whole list of discounts may not be available for all POS users, as the ability to process discounts depends on user settings configured from the Back Office. | Back Office and POS |
| Draft receipt | Otherwise known as a check or an unpaid, printed receipt. | POS |
| Drawer report | A POS report tracking cash flow during a sales period on a cash drawer. | POS |
| Edit mode | After selecting Edit order on the POS Register screen, a user enters Edit mode for the entire order. Different from the order actions, this is where a user can review or edit the order. Entering Edit mode also collapses the keypad so you can better view the entire order at once. | POS |
| Edit order | Button on the POS Register screen that allows you to enter Edit mode. | POS |
| Employee | A person who works at a business. | Back Office |
| Finalize | To process a payment on an order; sometimes known as closing a check. | POS |
| Fire | This is the associated action after selecting the Fire course button. If you had entered all the order items at the same time and specified their coursing number, you'll need to tap this button each time the prep station needs to begin preparing the next course. Tapping this button will print a ticket to the linked printer reminding them of the next course to prepare. | POS |
| Fire course | Button name on the Register screen and an order Actions option. | POS |
| Floor plan | Otherwise known as the Tables screen, the Floor plan is where a user can select a table for an order or gain a visual snapshot of open orders in the restaurant. | Back Office and POS |
| Home screen | After a sales period has been started, this is the default lock screen where users can clock in or out, navigate to the Ordering screens, view the floor plan or scan a QR code. | POS |
| iOS device | Hardware with Apple's mobile operating system (eg. iPhone, iPad, iPod). | POS |
| Item | Refers to a product that can be added to an order. | Back Office and POS |
| Item actions | Actions for the selected order item. | POS |
| Keypad | Numbers pad; this shows up on the POS both on the Register screen (below the order summary) or on the Payment screen, when manually applying a payment or tip amount. | POS |
| Lightspeed Restaurant Back Office | The administration component of the Lightspeed Restaurant (K Series) product. This is where items, settings, and users are managed. | Back Office |
| Lightspeed Restaurant POS (K) app | The point-of-sale (POS) mobile app that users access to process orders, clock in/out, and view receipts. | POS |
| Link to another table | Order actions; If you're ever in a situation where one table of friends are sitting at multiple tables, you can always link tables to each other on the POS to indicate that the order is together. Note that it is only possible to link a table if the second table is empty. Specify which table to link to the order by selecting a table number or browsing the floor plan. A linked table includes a chain icon to the right of the table number or order name. Selecting the empty linked table will automatically bring you to the original order. | POS |
| Log in | The action of entering the Ordering screens (for clocked-in users and sales staff who process orders). | POS |
| Log out | Button on the Register screen that a user can select to leave the order view and navigate back to the Home screen. | POS |
| Main screens | The buttons on the center of the POS Register screen. Selecting buttons on the main screen will open order item buttons or additional sub-screens representing item categories. | Back Office and POS |
| Modifier | Otherwise known as a production instruction, a modifier is an item addition or preparation note added to an order. | Back Office and POS |
| Navigation bar | Collection of tabs at the bottom of the Ordering screens for moving around the POS: composed of the Register tab (Register screen), Tables tab (Floor plan/Tables screen), Order tab (Order management screen), Customers tab (Customers screen), Receipts tab (Receipts screen), and Settings (Settings menu for the logged-in user). | POS |
| Network | A network is a collection of devices linked together using LAN, WAN, CAN, or HAN. A network is used for Lightspeed Restaurant POS (K) devices (such as an iOS device, printers, and payment terminals) to communicate with one another. | POS |
| No sharing mode | This is displayed on the loading screen of the POS to show when the device is not in sharing mode. | POS |
| Occupied table | There is an order that has been opened, or in progress, on the selected table. | POS |
| Order | To place an order. | POS |
| Order line | Individual order item displayed on the order summary; you can tap an order line to open item actions. | POS |
| Order mode | The function of being on the Register screen; comprised of either Direct Sale or Table Service mode | POS |
| Order summary | Left-hand side of the Payment screen, provides an overview of the check. | POS |
| Order tag | A tag is a group of settings you can apply to an order. Adding a Happy Hour tag could automatically apply discounts for items on the order. Order tags are configured from the Back Office. | Back Office and POS |
| Order view | The order overview (or receipt preview) on the left-handed side of the Register screen. Expand by tapping the Edit order button to review entire order. | POS |
| Ordering screens | The navigational components of the interface while in Order mode. | POS |
| Orders list | An overview of all open orders in list format; accessed by tapping the Orders tab on the navigation bar. | POS |
| Orders | Tab on navigation bar that leads to the Orders list. | POS |
| Passive device | An iPad mini or iPod used as a remote to create or access orders on the primary device. Passive devices do not have the same access or permissions as a primary, active device. | POS |
| Passive production center | A production center that has been disabled. | POS |
| Pay | A button on the Register screen that leads to the Payment screen for processing a transaction. | POS |
| Pay by covers | Organize and split the check according to the assigned covers. See Covers. | POS |
| Pay by items | Organize and split the check by order items. | POS |
| Pay by seats | Organize and split the check by seats. | POS |
| Pay in full | Pay for the order in full, without splitting by covers, items, or seats. | POS |
| Pay-at-order | A hospitality workflow where you process the customer's order and payment at the same time; best suited for counter or quick-service restaurants. | POS |
| Payment | The funds used to process a transaction. | POS |
| Payment screen | Accessed via the Register screen; after tapping Pay for an order, you're brought to the Payment screen to process the transaction. From the Payment screen, you can split the check, apply a payment method, specify the payment amount and add a tip. | POS |
| Payments | Button on the Settings menu that leads to the Payments list. | POS |
| Payments list | Accessed via the user's Settings menu; a list of payments for the user. This is also where a tip amount can be added after payment. | |
| Period report | Report on the POS for the selected sales period; it contains all of the sales and payments made during the sales period. See Sales period. | POS |
| Print check | Button on the POS that prints a draft receipt. | POS |
| Print job | This is a view within the Printing center on the POS. From here you can view printing operations for the logged-in user. | POS |
| Printing center | Accessed via the Settings menu, the Printing center screen gives you a real-time status of configured printers, print jobs, and production centers. | POS |
| Printing target | Accessed via the Settings menu > Printing center > Printers. A printing target displays connected printers and their linked printing template(s). | POS |
| Production center | A production center represents where an order item is prepared. On the POS, a production center represents that prep station's printer. For instance, you may have bar, receipt, and kitchen production centers. Production centers can be viewed on the POS via the Settings menu > Printing center. They are configured on the Back Office. | Back Office and POS |
| Production instruction | A production instruction represents a prep note or item modifier linked to another order item. For instance, a production instruction for a burger combo could be fries (modifier) and cooked medium-rare (prep note). | Back Office and POS |
| QR code | Custom, random generated code used to clock in to a user shift or log in to the Register screen; Connection codes (used to access the POS app for the first time after download) are also generated in QR code format. | Back Office and POS |
| Quick Service | Pay-at-order workflows | POS |
| Receipt | This refers to a physical, printed document showing the payment details for a transaction; the term is also used to refer to a paid transaction record on the POS. | Back Office and POS |
| Receipts | Tab on navigation bar that leads to the Receipts screen. | POS |
| Receipts screen | Where a user can view a list of paid transactions or select a receipt for additional actions (such as for emailing a copy to the customer, voiding a payment, refunding or voiding the receipt, changing payment type, or reprinting). | POS |
| Register | Tab on navigation bar that leads you to the Register screen. | POS |
| Register screen | The main screen for processing orders; accessed by logging in or tapping the Register button on the navigation bar. | POS |
| Rename order |
An order action that allows you to change the name assigned to an order. Be aware that changing the name of a Table Service order will unassign the order from that table. If no name is assigned to an order, this action will instead be labeled Tab name. See the Tab name entry for more information. |
POS |
| Report | A collection of information for the specified report type (e.g. User, Shift, Drawer, or Period). | Back Office and POS |
| Reports | Option on Settings menu that leads to the Reports screen. | POS |
| Reports screen | The screen where users can access their User, Shift, Drawer, or Period reports, according to their permissions. | POS |
| Sales period | POS session determined when a POS admin user manually starts/ends a POS session. If you do not manually close a sales period, the period will auto-close. | POS |
| Sales staff | POS users who access the POS to clock in or out and who can also access the Register screen for processing transactions. | POS |
| Sales summary | Otherwise known as the user report, a sales summary is generated after a sales employee clocks out. Their sales summary displays the orders and transactions for that user. | POS |
| Seat | A physical place at a table and way to organize orders on the POS. | POS |
| Session | General concept used to describe a collection of time, whether the session is referring to a user shift, working shift, or time on the Register screen. | POS |
| Settings menu | The menu that opens after selecting the Settings tab from the navigation bar. The settings menu differs according to your designated user group permissions. For instance, all users can specify their display preference (Light or Dark mode, Left or Right-handed interface), while only elevated user groups can access cash drop actions. User groups are configured on the Back Office. | POS |
| Settings tab | This tab on the navigation bar leads to the user's Settings menu. | POS |
| Shift (period) | A period of time at the business, as defined in the Back Office. Used for reporting purposes. Shifts are always at the same, set time. | Back Office and POS |
| Shift manager | A user group with the permission to open or close a POS sales period. | POS |
| Shift report | POS report displaying sales and payments information for a shift period, as determined from the Back Office. See Shift. | POS |
| Start screen | The very first or default screen on the POS that a user accesses before starting a sales period. From here, shift managers can start a sales period, or time-track users can clock in. Once a sales period has been started, the default lock screen will be the Home screen - where users can clock in/out or log in to the Register screen. | POS |
| Status preview | Tapping the three dots on your navigation bar opens the connection status view. The icons represent your network and printer connections, and from here, you also can resync your device to the Back Office. | POS |
| Status | This tab on the navigation bar leads you to your Status preview, where you can view the status of various connections such as network, device configuration, and printing. | POS |
| Sub-item | An item or item modifier that is automatically attached to a main order item within a combo. | Back Office and POS |
| Subscreen | A sub-category of the main menu screens, containing additional item buttons. See main screens. | Back Office and POS |
| Tab | A tab is another name for an order; a tab is often used in counter-service workflows to track an open order, such as at a bar. Rather than assign the customer to a table or seat, their order has a custom name. The word "tab" is also used generally to refer to a button on the navigation bar (e.g., Register tab, Customers tab, etc.). | POS |
| Tab name |
An order action that allows you to assign a name to an order. This allows you to keep an order open without assigning it to a specific table from the floor plan and is helpful for running one-off customer tabs. If a name is already assigned to an order, this action will instead be labeled Rename order. See the Rename order entry for more information. |
POS |
| Table Service mode | This ordering mode allows for coursing, seating, and splitting a check. You're in Table Service mode whenever you apply a table number or give the order a name (see Tab name). | POS |
| Table status | Setting on the floor plan (Tables screen) that can show various table status types: filter by covers, total order amount, time elapsed, or coursing status. | POS |
| Tables screen | Otherwise known as the Floor plan, the Tables screen is where you can select a table for an order or have a snapshot of open orders in the restaurant. | POS |
| Tables | This tab on the navigation bar leads to the Floor plan (Tables screen). | POS |
| Takings | Net sales. | POS |
| Ticket/order ticket | The record of order items sent to your prep station, either printed on paper or digitally displayed on a Kitchen Display System. | POS |
| Time-track users | POS users who only access the POS to clock in or out, and do not access the other POS screens (such as a cook or dishwasher). | POS |
| Tip | An extra sum of money voluntarily added to a transaction by the customer. | POS |
| Transaction | A general term used to refer to processing a payment. | POS |
| Transfer table | Order actions; Select this action to move the entire order to another table and enter the new table number or browse the floor plan. Transferring will send send a ticket to the prep station where the order was previously sent notifying of the table transfer. | POS |
| Transfer user | Order actions; Select this action to transfer the order to another user. A list of the available staff members will pop up - select a name for the transfer. | POS |
| User | A person who interacts with the Lightspeed Restaurant POS app. | POS |
| User permissions | Settings applied from the Back Office for user groups defining what actions the associated users can perform on the POS; for instance, some users are configured as time-track users, some are sales staff, and others are shift managers. Each of these user groups have permissions that can be adjusted from the Back Office. | POS |
| User report | User sales summary report; displays all order and payments information for the selected user during their shift. | POS |
| User shift | The time from when a user clocks in to the POS and then clocks out; if the user performs sales on the POS, their user report will includes sales data from the duration of their user shift. | POS |
| User tag | This small icon displays beside occupied tables on the floor plan (Tables screen), showing which user is assigned to that order. | POS |