Configuring Your Till Keyboard

What you’ll learn#

After reading this guide, you’ll be able to:

• Set up a custom till keyboard with buttons for your products and payment methods
• Create different keyboard layouts for different product categories (drinks, food, retail, etc.)
• Configure which keyboard appears on each of your tills

What you’ll need#

Before you start, make sure you have:

• Access to the HQ (Head Office system)
• Manager or admin permissions
• Your device screen measurements or aspect ratio (like 16:9 for widescreen, 4:3 for iPad)
• A plan for how you want to organize your products (by category, by meal type, etc.)
• Products already created in your system

Understanding till keyboards#

Your till keyboard is the touchscreen interface your team uses to take orders and process sales. It’s made up of buttons for products, payment methods, functions like “void item” or “open table,” and displays for the order summary and number pad.

The three-level keyboard structure#

Keyboards in Paimnt are organized into three levels that work together:

Each till is assigned:

• One screen - matches the device shape
• One template - the permanent interface elements
• One home layout - the default page when the till starts or a staff member logs in

Staff can freely switch between different layouts using navigation buttons, but the screen and template stay fixed unless changed in settings.

Step 1: Create a screen#

The screen defines your device’s shape so buttons display correctly without distortion.

Why screens matter#

You’ll want a separate screen for each different device shape you use as a till. If you have a widescreen monitor and an iPad with a 4:3 screen, create two screens to take advantage of each shape.

Example

A 4:3 keyboard in the keyboard designer.

The same 4:3 keyboard on a 16:9 screen.

Example

For a 4:3 iPad, to use it in landscape orientation:

To use it in portrait orientation:

Common screen ratios#

How to create a screen#

1. Go to Site → Keyboard

2. Click the + button in the Screens section

3. Enter screen details:

• Name: Something descriptive like “Widescreen Monitor” or “iPad Landscape”
• Width and Height: Enter your screen ratio

Example

If you know your screen has the 16:9 ratio, set width to 16 and height to 9.

If you know your screen resolution is 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels, set the width to 1920 and the height to 1080.

4. Click Save

Editing a screen#

To edit a screen:

1. Click the 3 vertical dots next to the screen
2. Select Edit

1. Make your changes
2. Click Save

Deleting a screen#

To delete a screen:

1. Click the 3 vertical dots next to the screen
2. Select Delete

1. Confirm deletion

Step 2: Create a template#

The template holds the permanent buttons that are always visible - your order view, number pad, and core functions.

Understanding templates#

Templates are attached to a specific screen. To view templates, click on a screen in the Keyboard page - the templates for that screen appear below.

Templates define the grid size (rows and columns) used to position all keyboard items. This grid is shared with layouts.

How to create a template#

1. Go to Site → Keyboard

2. Click on the screen you want to add a template to

3. Click the + button in the Templates section

4. Enter template details:

• Name: Like “Main Template” or “Standard Layout”
• Rows: How many rows in your grid
• Columns: How many columns in your grid

5. Click Save

Understanding the grid#

The grid is an invisible set of boxes you use to position buttons. Higher numbers (like 30x40) give more flexibility but require more precision. Lower numbers (like 12x6) make it easier to keep buttons uniform but limit your options.

Example 1

A widescreen keyboard with 30 rows and 34 columns.

• This allows greater range in size and shape of buttons depending on the text/image to display on the button and the frequency of usage of the button.

Example 2

A keyboard made for a mobile phone with 12 rows and 6 columns.

• This makes it easier to ensure that buttons aren’t too small to press on the smaller screen and keeps the smaller buttons easier to read with regular sizes but allows less items on screen and less variety in sizes.

How templates and layouts share the grid#

The template and all its layouts use the same grid:

• Items on the template appear on all layouts and use up grid space that layouts cannot use
• Items on a layout use grid space that the template cannot use (appears as black in template editor)
• Template items show as black in previews, layout items show as brown

Example

“Main Template” and its linked layouts. The area of the grid used by the template items is black in the preview. The area used by the buttons in each layout is brown.

Editing “Main Template.” The area in green is not used by any of the linked layouts and can be used. The area in black is used by at least one of the layouts and can’t be used in the template.

Changing the grid size#

You can change the grid size by editing the template:

1. Click the 3 dots next to the template (or double-click it)
2. On the left side, change the Rows and Columns fields

Editing a template#

To edit a template:

1. Click the 3 dots next to the template, or double-click it

1. Make changes in the editor
2. Click Save

Deleting a template#

To delete a template:

1. Click the 3 dots next to the template
2. Select Delete

1. Confirm deletion

Step 3: Add permanent buttons to your template#

Now add the buttons and displays that should always be visible.

How to add items to the grid#

Keyboard items are added from the toolbar on the right side of the template editor.

To add an item:

1. Expand a category in the right toolbar (Products, Functions, Displays, etc.)

   More details on the keyboard components and items available

2. Find the item you want (use the search box if needed)

3. Drag the item onto the green grid space and release

The grid box you drop it into becomes the top-left corner of the button.

Resizing and customizing items#

To resize an item:

1. Click the item to select it
2. In the right sidebar, change Row Span (height) and Column Span (width)

To customize appearance:

While the item is selected, use the right sidebar to change:

• Font size
• Background color
• Border color
• Button text (if applicable)

1. Click away to deselect and apply changes

Common button properties#

Moving items#

To move an item, click and drag it to a new green space. If the border turns red, there’s not enough room - it will snap back to the original position.

Deleting items#

To delete an item:

• Select it and click Delete Item in the right sidebar, OR
• Select it and press the Delete key on your keyboard

Copying and pasting items#

You can copy buttons between templates and layouts using keyboard shortcuts:

To copy: Select the button, then press Ctrl+C

To paste: Click on the target template/layout, then press Ctrl+V

Step 4: Create layouts for your products#

Layouts fill the empty space left by your template with product buttons and category-specific functions.

Understanding layouts#

Layouts are attached to a specific template. To view layouts, click the screen, then the template - layouts appear below.

You can create multiple layouts for each template (drinks, food, desserts, functions, etc.) and navigate between them during sales.

How to create a layout#

1. Go to Site → Keyboard

2. Click your screen, then your template

3. Click the + button in the Layouts section

4. Enter a name (like “Hot Drinks” or “Mains” or “Functions”)

5. Click Save

6. Double-click the layout to open the editor

You’ll see your template items in the background (grayed out - you can’t edit them from here). The green space is available for your layout buttons.

Adding buttons to layouts#

Use the same process as adding buttons to the template:

1. Expand a category in the right sidebar
2. Find your product or function
3. Drag it onto the green space
4. Resize and customize as needed

Don’t forget navigation buttons so staff can switch between layouts:

• Expand Functions → Navigation
• Drag “Navigate to Layout” buttons onto the grid
• Select which layout each one navigates to
• Label them clearly (“Drinks”, “Food”, etc.)

Editing a layout#

To edit a layout:

1. Click the 3 dots next to the layout, or double-click it

1. Make changes in the editor
2. Click Save

Deleting a layout#

To delete a layout:

1. Click the 3 dots next to the layout
2. Select Delete

1. Confirm deletion

Step 5: Assign the keyboard to your till#

Now connect your keyboard to a specific till device.

Settings hierarchy levels#

You can assign keyboards at three levels:

Finding the keyboard settings#

Organisation Keyboard Settings

1. Open the HQ
2. Click the circle with your initials at the top of the left navigation bar

1. Click Organisation Settings

1. Scroll to the Keyboard section

Location Keyboard Settings

1. Open the HQ
2. Click Site → Locations

1. Find the location and click the 3 vertical dots
2. Select Location Settings
3. Scroll to the Keyboard section

Till Keyboard Settings

You can change till settings in the HQ or on the till itself. Changes sync automatically.

Option A: In the HQ

1. Open the HQ
2. Click Site → Devices

1. Find your till and double-click it
2. Click Settings

1. Scroll to the Keyboard section

Option B: On the till

1. Open the till app
2. Tap the three horizontal lines (☰) in the top left

1. Select Settings
2. Select Keyboard from the left menu

Configuring the keyboard#

Once you’ve found the keyboard settings, you’ll see three dropdown lists:

1. Select your Screen (like “Widescreen Monitor”)

2. Select your Template (shows only templates from the chosen screen)

3. Select your Home Layout (shows only layouts from the chosen template)

4. Click Save

Common questions#

Q: Do I need a different screen for each till?

Only if your tills have different aspect ratios. Three widescreen monitors can share one 16:9 screen. An iPad needs a separate 4:3 screen.

Q: How many layouts should I create?

As many as you need to organize products logically. Most businesses use 3-8 layouts. Too many makes navigation tedious.

Q: Can I have different keyboards on different tills?

Yes. Assign different screens, templates, and layouts in each till’s device settings. Useful for bar vs kitchen tills.

Q: What’s the difference between template and layout?

The template is permanent and always visible (order view, number pad, payments). Layouts are changeable product button pages. You switch between layouts during sales but can’t switch templates without going into settings.

Q: Can I test my keyboard before using it live?

Yes. Assign it to a test till or use the preview in the keyboard editor (though preview doesn’t let you interact).

Q: What grid size should I use?

Start with 24x30 for widescreen, 20x15 for tablets. Gives good flexibility without being too complex.

Q: Can I use the same keyboard on devices with slightly different screen ratios?

You can if the difference is small and buttons remain legible. But for best results, create separate screens for each ratio.

Next steps#

Now that your keyboard is set up, you’re ready to:

1. Train your team on navigating between layouts
2. Test the keyboard during slow periods to ensure buttons are easy to tap
3. Gather feedback from staff and adjust button sizes or positions
4. Create additional layouts as you add new products or seasonal items