Sales Terminal Interface Methods

The Sales Terminal Interface is a direct communication link between Berg Company™ liquor dispensers and sales terminals.

Sales terminal companies that support Berg LDS do so via a serial data interface with two way communication using one of three methods: Direct Ring-Up, Pre-Checking or File Posting.

A flow chart is available which shows how the equipment interacts using these three models.

Direct Ring-Up (Cash Sales)

In this method, the sequence of operational events is:

Items are ordered directly from the bartender (by customers or Wait Staff.)
A check is either opened by the bartender or pouring a drink triggers a check to automatically open.
Bartender dispenses items which automatically ring in the POS Terminal.
Items are paid for and the check (transaction) is closed.

NOTE: The bartender does not need to ring up the items.

Assuming the bartender is using any Berg dispenser the sequence of Interface events behind the scenes is as follows:

Bartender presses button on the Laser gun, Tap 2 draft dispenser or pours with the All Bottle ring.
Berg sends a packet containing PLU information to the POS Terminal
The POS Terminal looks up the PLU, and if it is valid, rings up the item and may open a check if the feature is enabled in the POS Terminal software.
The POS Terminal sends Berg an ACK (acknowledge.)
The item is dispensed.

With this level of interface sophistication there is no need for the bartender to first ring up the items on the POS and then dispense as it is done automatically with the interface in a few milliseconds. The Berg dispenser automatically tells the POS Terminal what it is pouring. It is time consuming and redundant for the bartender to do the same thing manually.

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Pre-Checking (Debit and Credit)

In this method, the sequence of operational events is:

Items are ordered directly from the bartender by customers or from a remote terminal by the Wait Staff.
Wait Staff orders are displayed on a printer or screen for bartender’s easy reference.
Bartender dispenses the items ordered.
As the Wait Staff ordered items are dispensed they are indicated as such by removal from the screen (redlined on a printer) or some other method obvious to the bartender. The Wait Staff drinks are not recorded as a sale in the bartender’s interfaced POS Terminal.

NOTES: As the bartender dispenses the items ordered (rung) by the Wait Staff they are credited against what has been previously rung-up by the Wait Staff. If the bartender pours an item that has not been pre rung by a server a check is automatically opened and the sale pour recorded as in the “The Direct Ring-up Method” above.

If using the All Bottle (ring) system the recipe is stored in the POS Terminal so that the ingredients that the bartender dispenses are properly “credited” as in the following example:

Wait Staff orders a “Black Russian” that is displayed on the bartender’s screen or printer.
Bartender’s display reads Black Russian.
- All Bottle only “credits” the POS Terminal programmed recipe - a regular House Vodka (PLU 675) & small Kahlua (PLU 933).

If a using only a Laser gun dispenser the cocktail automatically dispenses both items and the “terminal programmed recipe” display is not needed.

If using a combination of All Bottle (ring) and Laser (gun) the “cocktail display feature” is employed for any cocktails ordered using either the All Bottle (ring) System and any cocktails that require ingredients from both Berg dispensers. An example is as follows:

Alabama Slammer:

Vodka, Southern Comfort & Amaretto off the Gun as a preprogrammed cocktail (PLU 229)
Small portion of Slo Gin off the All Bottle (ring) System (PLU 199)

The best systems will display the stored recipe (approved PLUs) for the bartenders convenience so an inexperienced bartender will know what to pour to make any stored cocktail.

The advantages of pre-checking are:

With table servers, items are rung-up only once.
Bartenders can know and fill orders as they are presented to him, often before the server returns to the bar
Mistakes are reduced, as items are rung on either the Bartender’s check or the Server’s check.
There is no limit on multiple ingredient items

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File Posting

In this method, the POS Terminal still controls the dispenser, as the dispenser will not dispense without the ACK from the POS Terminal.

However, instead of items directly ringing up, or being pre-checked, they are instead logged in a file on the POS system. After the shift ends, a difference report between that file and what was rung-up that shift is printed. All "missing" items are then rung-up.

File posting and the difference report are implemented by the POS sales terminal.

Check with your Berg dealer and with your sales terminal representative to see if the product in which you are interested is supported by the sales terminal and interface method that you have in mind. (Berg dealers can view current list in the dealer area.)

If you are interested in developing an interface with Berg equipment, you may use one of our published specifications: Berg Basic POS Interface Driver Specification - (174 kb) or Berg Generic POS Interface Driver Specification - (188 kb). See download instructions. There is also a test program that can help you develop such an interface with the Berg Basic driver.