Pairing the first time
The owner or a manager does this. On the counter computer itself, sign in to Hensa Dashboard, go to Settings › POS devices and press "Use this computer as a POS". Hensa asks you to confirm once more, then opens Hensa POS in a new tab with the pairing code filled in ("Pairing code received from the Dashboard.").
Give it a "Register name" if you like, e.g. "Counter 1"; left empty it is called "Counter computer". Press "Pair" and you are done.
If the Dashboard is open on another device, such as a phone, press "Pair a new device" → "Create pairing code". On the computer, open Hensa POS and type the 8-character code into "Pairing code" (with or without the dash). The code works once and expires after 10 minutes.
Every day after: pick a name, enter the PIN
Open Hensa POS and you see "Who's selling?". The cashier taps their name and enters a 6-digit PIN; it opens as soon as the last digit is in. Anyone marked "No PIN yet" needs a PIN from the owner in the Dashboard first.
On a computer, picking a person and entering the PIN need a connection. If the connection drops while selling you can carry on, cash only, but once locked it can only be unlocked when you are back online. Closing the tab or reloading the page takes you back to the name list.
The register locks itself after 5 minutes with no one touching it, or when the tab has been hidden for over a minute. To change the minutes go to Dashboard › Settings › POS devices › POS settings, "Lock computers after" (1 to 30 minutes). While offline it doesn’t lock itself – lock it when you leave the counter.
Installing it as an app
In Chrome or Edge: after opening the shift, press the gear icon ("Register settings") and under "App" press "Install Hensa POS". You get a Hensa POS icon on the desktop; it opens in its own window, apart from other tabs, and sales data is kept more safely. Once installed, that section says "Running as the Hensa POS app."
Safari and Firefox don’t have this button – just use Hensa POS in a normal tab.
Going offline, and new versions
Once a computer has opened Hensa POS, it opens again without a connection – no browser error page – and unsent orders are still on it. Picking a seller and entering a PIN do need a connection, though: the name screen says "Offline – pick a seller once you're back online. Sales stay on this register." So if the connection drops while you are selling, keep selling and don’t close the tab or reload the page.
When Hensa has a new version, the register updates itself at a quiet moment: an empty cart, no dialog open, and the register locked or untouched for two minutes. In the middle of an order a band says "A new version is ready – it applies when this order is done." with an "Update now" button that only works once the cart is empty. The version running is shown in Register settings under "Web build".
Don’t use a private window
The pairing key and any unsent orders live in the browser. A private (incognito) window wipes them when it closes, so next time you have to pair again and unsent orders are lost. The pairing screen warns "Data will be lost when this window closes – use a normal window." when it sees you are in one.
Best is a separate browser profile just for the counter. Only one tab can sell at a time: open another and it says "The POS is open in another tab. This tab is view-only – close the other one and this tab takes over selling."
If the computer runs out of space, the POS says "Browser storage is full – the POS cannot save more orders." and pauses taking payments until there is room. Delete downloads or unused apps and keep it online so waiting orders are sent; don’t clear the POS site data – unsent orders would be lost.
When you have to pair again
You pair again after clearing the browsing data of the Hensa POS site, after closing a private window, or when you switch to another browser or browser profile. Hensa POS then opens straight on the pairing screen. The re-paired computer is a new device in the POS devices list; the old one is still there, so the owner should press "Revoke" on it.
Clearing browser data while orders are still unsent loses those orders. Before cleaning up the browser, wait until it is online and everything has been sent.
When the owner revokes the device in the Dashboard, the computer shows "This register was removed from the shop". If orders are still unsent it keeps sending them for 72 hours; only then can you press "Pair again with a new code".