Marking codes and NKT — Paloma POS 2

This article is about Paloma POS 2 — the new Paloma register app (touch interface, PIN login). If you are not sure this is your product, check «How to tell you have Paloma POS 2». Here we cover how the register asks for a marking code when you add an item to a check, and how to create an item card from a scan using the National Catalog (NKT, Kazakhstan).

Overview

An item gets the «Require marking code» flag. After that, every time you add such an item to a check the register opens the «Scan marking code» dialog and will not let the line be sold until a code is captured. You can scan the code with a 2D scanner or type it by hand; the register converts it to Latin and warns you if the code doesn't look like a marking code or belongs to a different item.

Separately, the register can create an item card from a scan: if a scanned barcode is unknown, it looks the product up in the National Catalog (NKT) and offers to create it right at the register.

Turning on the marking request for an item

1. Open the item card in the items editor.
2. Turn on the «Require marking code» switch (hint — «IS MPT / GS1 — ask for the code at sale»).
3. Fill in the «NTIN / NKT code» field if needed.
4. Save the item.

From now on the item is treated as marked: the register asks for a code at every sale.

Scanning a marking code at sale

1. Add the marked item to the check as usual — by menu tile, search or barcode scan (see Quick sale).
2. The «Scan marking code» dialog opens with the prompt «Scan or enter the marking code for «[item name]».».
3. Scan the code with a 2D scanner — the scanner acts as a keyboard: the code characters «type» into the «Marking code» field and end with Enter, which confirms the entry immediately. You can also type the code by hand — a required fallback when no scanner is available.
4. Tap «Add» — the line lands in the check together with the code. The button is disabled while the field is empty, so an empty code can never be submitted.

Things to know:

• Latin normalization. If the scanner «types» under a Russian keyboard layout and the code arrives in Cyrillic, the register converts it to Latin on confirm. An already-Latin or manually typed code is left unchanged.
• Cancel = nothing is added. «Cancel» or a tap outside the dialog closes it, and the line is not added.
• Warnings don't block the sale. If the code doesn't match the item's barcode, «This code belongs to a different product» appears under the field; if the text doesn't look like a marking code — «This doesn't look like a marking code». These are hints only: «Add» stays enabled, and the warning itself does not alter the code (the only transformation is the Latin-layout conversion on confirm).
• You can only pay once all codes are captured. While any marked line has no code, the register shows «Scan the marking code for all marked items first».

Payment and receipt printing then proceed as usual — see Payments. A return of a marked item is handled through Returns.

Creating an item card from a scan (NKT)

The National Catalog (NKT) is a Kazakhstan reference the register can use to pull an item's name and code by barcode.

1. In Settings (the «Shift operations» section), turn on «Create item from scan (НКТ)» (hint — «When a scanned barcode is unknown, look it up in the National Catalog (НКТ) and create the product»).
2. Scan the barcode of an item not yet in the menu.
3. The register shows «Searching the National Catalog…». If several cards match the barcode, the «Select a product» dialog opens, with «NTIN: [code]» under each row.
4. The «New item from scan» dialog opens with the «Barcode», «Name» and «NTIN / NKT code» fields pre-filled. Enter the «Price» and tap «Create and add» — the item is created and goes straight into the check (or into a warehouse document).

You can also pull catalog data from the item card — with the «Fill from НКТ» button. Enter a barcode first, otherwise the register shows «Enter a barcode first.».

The register is offline-first: if the catalog is unreachable or the item isn't found, the «New item from scan» dialog opens with empty fields so the card can be filled in by hand — the sale is never blocked.

Creating an item during a warehouse receipt

The same flow works in the warehouse — in the «Goods receipt» document editor:

1. Open a receipt document and scan the item's barcode with a scanner — or tap «Scan with camera» and point the camera at the barcode.
2. If an item with this barcode already exists in the catalog, a document line appears with the confirmation «Added: [item]».
3. If the barcode is unknown and the «Create item from scan (НКТ)» switch is on, the register offers the same flow: a National Catalog lookup and the «New item from scan» dialog. After «Create and add» the new item immediately becomes a receipt line, and re-scanning the same barcode finds the created card.
4. The dialog asks for the item's selling price; adjust the purchase cost in the receipt line by hand if needed.

Cancelling the dialog simply returns to the document — no line is added, and the register shows «Item not found: [code]». Create-from-scan is offered only in receipts: in write-off, movement and stocktake documents an unknown barcode only shows «Item not found: [code]».

Common problems

• Cyrillic letters appear in the marking-code field. The scanner runs in keyboard-emulation mode and «types» under a Russian layout. The register converts the code to Latin on confirm; if it keeps happening, check the scanner settings.
• «This doesn't look like a marking code». The entered text doesn't look like a marking code (Честный Знак / GS1). Make sure you are scanning the marking code (DataMatrix), not a plain barcode. The warning doesn't block — you can still add the line if needed.
• «This code belongs to a different product». The marking code belongs to another item: its built-in barcode doesn't match the barcode of the line in the check. Make sure you scan the mark of this exact item.
• «Scan the marking code for all marked items first». The check has a marked line with no code. Scan a code for every such line — only then does payment become available.
• «Not found in the National Catalog (НКТ).» There is no card for this barcode in the catalog. Create the item by hand in the «New item from scan» dialog.
• «Could not create the item.» The card didn't save. Try again; if the error persists, message us here — a specialist will join.

FAQ

Can I type the marking code by hand?

Yes. The «Marking code» field accepts manual keyboard entry — a fallback for when a scanner isn't at hand.

What happens if I close the marking dialog without scanning?

The line is not added. «Cancel» and a tap outside the dialog cancel adding the item.

Why does the register switch the code to Latin?

The marking code is stored and transmitted in Latin. A keyboard-style scanner under a Russian layout sends Cyrillic, so the register converts the code to Latin on confirm. A manually typed Latin code is left unchanged.

Do I have to enable NKT to sell marked items?

No. The marking request («Require marking code») and creating an item from a scan («Create item from scan (НКТ)») are independent features. You can request marking without NKT, and NKT just helps you create a card for a new item quickly.