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In-Store: Discounts

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Written by EPOS Support

Overview

EPOS 360 provides flexible discounting capabilities at both the item and order level. Understanding when and how to apply each type ensures accurate pricing, proper reporting, and customer satisfaction. Discounts can be strategically applied to specific items or to an entire order based on promotions, customer loyalty, or operational needs.

Who is this guide for?

  • Store Managers & Supervisors overseeing pricing strategies and promotions.

  • Front-of-House Staff (Cashiers, Servers) applying day-to-day discounts and promotions.

  • Merchants running marketing campaigns and special offers.

Before You Begin

  • Permissions: Your user role must have permissions to apply discounts. Standard staff may require manager authorization for certain types.

  • Set Up Campaigns: Create and manage discounts from the Marketing tab to ensure consistency and easy access for staff.

Understanding Discount Calculation

EPOS 360 follows a specific calculation hierarchy that determines how discounts interact with taxes and service charges. Understanding this sequence is crucial for accurate pricing and financial reporting.

Calculation Hierarchy:

  1. Item-Level Discounts are applied first to individual items.

  2. Order-Level Discounts are applied to the subtotal after item discounts.

  3. Service Charge (if applicable) is calculated on the original pre-discount amount.

  4. Tax is calculated on the discounted total, before the service charge is added.

How to Apply a Discount to a Specific Item

Use Case: Discounting a single product (e.g., a happy hour drink, a clearance item, a damaged product).

  1. Build or Locate Your Order

    1. For a new order: Add items to your cart from the Sell screen.

    2. For an existing order: Go to the Sales screen, find the order, tap it, and select Edit.

    3. Access the Cart Details

  2. Access the Cart Details

    1. Tap the order summary bar at the bottom of the Sell screen to expand the cart.

  3. Open Item Modification

    1. Tap directly on the name of the item you wish to discount.

    2. Select Discount Type & Amount

  4. Select Discount Type & Amount

    1. In the item menu, tap Edit.

    2. Tap Select Discount Type.

    3. Option A: Preset Discount

      1. Choose from your pre-configured discount list

    4. Option B: Manual/Custom Discount

      1. Tap Custom.

      2. Choose format:

        1. Percentage: Enter the discount percentage (e.g., 25 for 25% off).

        2. Fixed Amount: Enter the exact dollar amount to deduct (e.g., 5.00).

  5. Select a Reason (Optional but Recommended)

    1. Choose a preset reason (e.g., "Promotion", "Loyalty") or tap Custom to enter a specific note for reporting.

  6. Permission Verification

    1. If you have permission: The discount applies immediately.

    2. If authorization is required: Select an authorized manager account and enter their security PIN.

  7. Confirm the Discount

    1. Tap Add to Cart to return to the cart view. The discounted price will be shown for that item.

How to Apply a Discount to the Entire Order

Use Case: Applying a blanket promotion (e.g., "10% Off Your Entire Bill"), loyalty reward, or manager-approved discount.

  1. Build or Locate Your Order

    1. Follow Step 1 from the item discount process.

  2. Access Order-Level Actions

    1. Expand your cart and tap Actions.

  3. Apply Order Discount

    1. From the actions menu, tap Discount.

  4. Select Discount Type & Amount

    1. Option A: Preset Discount

      1. Choose from your list of order-level preset discounts.

    2. Option B: Manual/Custom Discount

      1. Tap Custom and choose either Percentage or Fixed Amount format, then enter the value. The discount will be calculated against the order subtotal.

  5. Select a Reason

    1. Choose or enter a reason for the order-level discount.

  6. Permission Verification

    1. Complete the authorization step if required. The discount will appear as a separate line item at the bottom of the cart, reducing the order total.

⚠️ Important System Restriction: Editing Lock with Order-Level DiscountsWhen an order-level discount is applied, the ability to edit individual items (price, modifiers, item-level discounts) becomes locked. This prevents calculation conflicts and pricing errors. To modify an item, you must first remove the order-level discount.

Best Practices

• Apply item-level discounts for specific promotions or corrections.
• Apply order-level discounts for overall promotions or customer goodwill.
• Use descriptive reasons for discounts to maintain reporting accuracy.
• Verify permissions before applying discounts.
• Avoid combining item-level edits while an order-level discount is active.

Troubleshooting

  1. Discount not applying

    1. Verify user permission and authorization.

    2. Check if order-level discount locks item editing.

  2. Incorrect discount calculation

    1. Confirm calculation hierarchy: item → order → service charge → tax.

    2. Review discount format (percentage vs fixed).

Recommendations

• Train staff on item vs order-level discounts

• Use discounts strategically to drive sales and customer satisfaction
• Review discount reports regularly for trends and adjustments

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