Offline mode and sync — Paloma POS 2

This article is about Paloma POS 2 — the new register app in the Paloma line (a touch app for a tablet, POS terminal, or Windows device). If you're not sure which product you have, start with How to tell you have Paloma POS 2. Here you'll learn how the register works without internet, how to read the sync indicator, what happens when several registers are linked over a local network, and what to do if sync gets stuck or data differs between registers.

Overview: the register works without internet

• Paloma POS 2 keeps orders and payments on the device itself. If the internet drops, the register keeps selling and nothing is lost. As soon as the connection returns, data uploads to the cloud automatically.
• You don't have to press anything: the register checks the connection periodically and resumes the exchange in the background.
• What flows where: menu, items, prices, discounts, and settings come from the back-office (web dashboard) to the register; orders, payments, shifts, and warehouse operations go from the register up to the cloud.
• Sync state is always visible in the sync-status strip at the top of the screen — on the home menu and inside an order. Calm state: a green mark with the time of the last exchange; a problem: a colored banner at the top.
• A few operations still need the internet right now (some online payments, part of the cloud reports) — the register will say so separately. Ordinary sales are always available offline.

How to read the sync indicator

The sync-status strip shows how fresh the data is and whether everything reached the cloud.

1. All good — a quiet badge. The top strip shows a small mark with the time of the last exchange: «Just now», «5 min ago», «2 hr ago», «Yesterday», «2 days ago». While an exchange is running, a small spinner replaces the mark, with the hint «Syncing...». On narrow screens only the icon stays — tap it to see the time in the tooltip. The detailed status reads «Synced from server».
2. No cloud connection — a wide band. A full-width band appears at the top: «No connection to the server — running on local data.», when possible with the reason (for example «Server is not reachable» or «Server is taking too long to respond»). This is not an error: the register keeps working and data uploads later on its own. You can hide the band with «Dismiss» — it reappears if the connection drops again. The real-time indicator shows «Offline» and explains: «Real-time sync offline · periodic sync active».
3. Connected but slow — a self-hiding badge. The top strip may show a badge with the server response time (for example «820 ms») and the hint «Slow connection to the server — operations may take longer.» It explains why saves feel sluggish. On a healthy connection the badge is not shown at all — it appears only when the link is slow.
4. Something didn't upload — a card in the notifications drawer. The top strip shows a «Sync error» mark, and the notifications drawer shows a «Couldn't sync with the server» card with a message like «2 sync operations haven't reached the server. Tap Retry to resend.» and a «Retry» button: it resends the stuck operations and refreshes data from the cloud. This means the cloud hasn't accepted some data yet — see Common problems.

After a payment, the register confirms the fate of the check separately: «Saved and synced to cloud» (all uploaded), «Pending sync (offline) — will retry automatically» (will upload later on its own), or «Saved locally — cloud sync failed» (needs attention).

Syncing manually

Usually you don't need to intervene, but you can start the exchange yourself:

1. Make sure the device has internet (open any website in a browser on a Windows device, or check the Wi-Fi icon).
2. To refresh data from the back-office, many lists (employees, items, discounts, customers) support pull down to refresh — the register pulls the fresh catalog from the cloud. If a list is empty, the register prompts directly: «Refresh from cloud (Sync)…».
3. In the management section there's a «Sync» button that starts a full exchange with the cloud.
4. Wait until the top indicator shows a fresh time again («Just now») and the detailed status «Synced from server».

Closing the app on Windows

When you close the app on a Windows device, unsent operations do not wait to upload: the register closes right away. Nothing is lost — the data is saved locally and uploads to the cloud on the register's next launch, but until then it won't be visible in the back-office or on other devices. So at the end of a shift, close the register only after the sync badge shows everything is sent: a fresh time («Just now») and no «Sync error» mark.

Several registers: local network and management device

If a venue has several Paloma POS 2 registers, they exchange orders directly over the local network (Wi-Fi/LAN) — even with no internet at the venue. That way a waiter's tablet and the front-counter register see the same open tables and orders.

• An order created on one register and received by another over the local network is marked «Local» in the order list. The tooltip explains: «Created on another device and received over the local network. That device handles the cloud upload — its real status is shown there.» So the cloud upload is done by the register where the order was rung up — that's where its true cloud status is visible.
• To check that registers see each other, open «Settings → Hardware» and the «Monitoring» section («Check that POS devices and network printers see each other»). Turn monitoring on and tap «Refresh». Each register shows one of: «On local network» (seen directly and fast), «Via cloud only» (seen only through the internet), or «Not visible» (currently unreachable). Next to it is the «Cloud connection» status for that device.
• A register can be switched to Management device mode — then it shows only reports and warehouse from the cloud, with no sales. Handy for a manager's tablet. Switch it in «Settings → Devices»; sales stay unavailable on that device until you turn the mode off.

For registers to see each other over the local network, keep them on the same Wi-Fi network (the same access point/router, without guest isolation). If a tablet drops to mobile data while the counter register stays on Wi-Fi, they won't see each other locally and will exchange only through the cloud.

One check from two registers: per-line merge

When the same check is edited from two registers at once (say, a waiter adds items from a tablet while the counter changes the same order on its register), the edits are now merged line by line: the register reconciles changes per item, so what was added on both registers is kept. Previously the last full write of the check won, and lines added from the other register could be lost.

• Per-line merge works by default — there is nothing to turn on.
• Paloma support can turn it off at the account level (for example, while investigating an issue) — then all of the account's registers go back to the previous behavior.
• «Settings → Diagnostics» has a «Per-line check merge (pilot)» switch with the subtitle «Merge concurrent edits of one check line by line on this device. Staged-rollout pilot — enable only per rollout instruction.» It force-enables the merge on this particular device and exists for staged rollout. Don't touch it without a direct instruction from Paloma support.

Common problems

• "Нет интернета или сервер недоступен", "Причину определить не удалось", "Код ошибки ОС: {code}" — the outcome of the connection self-check. Start with the device itself: does any website open?
• "Не удалось установить защищённое соединение — проблема с сертификатом" / "Неверный адрес сервера" — there is a connection but it cannot be established: the server address or the certificate. Do not change the address yourself — message us here.
• "Не удалось подключиться: {reason}", "хост недоступен", "ошибка TLS / сертификата" — the same causes when the API address is checked in the settings.
• "Не удалось сохранить URL API" / "Не удалось сбросить URL API" — the setting did not save; retry.
• "Будут удалены все локально сохранённые заказы, сотрудники, настройки и секреты сессии на этом устройстве" — this is the confirmation of a full device wipe. Orders not yet uploaded will be lost: wait for sync first.
• "Не удалось очистить локальные данные" / "Сессия сброшена, но базу данных не удалось открыть" — the wipe was incomplete; message us here instead of continuing to work on that device. On-screen messages below are quoted «verbatim».

What you see	What to do
«No connection to the server — running on local data.»	This is normal offline mode. Keep working — data uploads on its own. To speed it up, check the device's internet (Wi-Fi, cable, router).
Real-time indicator: «Offline», «Real-time sync offline · periodic sync active»	Instant updates between registers are paused, but regular sync still works — data exchanges with a small delay. Restore internet and real-time mode turns itself back on.
In the notifications drawer: a «Couldn't sync with the server» card	Check the device's internet. Tap «Retry» on the card — the register resends the stuck operations and refreshes data. If websites open but the card stays, wait a couple of minutes (the register retries on its own) or tap «Sync» in the management section.
The indicator won't show a fresh time / stays «Never synced»	Check internet and run «Sync». If the last-exchange time doesn't update for more than 15–30 minutes with working internet, restart the app, then message us here — a specialist will join.
An order shows «Sync error»	Open the order and read «Last sync error: …». The order detail has a Retry sync action — tap it with live internet. If the error repeats, message us here — a specialist will join with the exact text.
Management section: «Not synced: N»	That many operations haven't reached the cloud yet. With working internet the number drops on its own. If it's stuck, check the connection, tap «Sync», then message us here — a specialist will join.
After payment: «Pending sync (offline) — will retry automatically»	All good: the check is saved on the register and uploads by itself once the connection returns. Nothing to do.
After payment: «Saved locally — cloud sync failed», «Cloud sync failed — needs manual resolution»	Check internet and retry the order's sync from its detail. If that doesn't help, message us here — a specialist will join: the check is safe on the register but needs a manual upload.
Data differs between registers (one has the order, the other doesn't)	Make sure both registers are on the same Wi-Fi and both show «On local network» in Monitoring. Give them 1–2 minutes to exchange. Remember: an order's cloud status shows on the register where it was rung up (the «Local» mark on the other register is normal).
Registers don't see each other: Monitoring shows «Not visible» or «Via cloud only»	Check that both devices are on the same Wi-Fi (one router, no guest isolation). Restart the router, reconnect the registers, tap «Refresh» in monitoring.

The full sync diagnostics (operation queue, error log) live in «Settings → Diagnostics» → «Sync inspector» or from the management section → «Sync diagnostics». Usually you only need this together with a support specialist.

When to message us here — a specialist will join

Contact support if, with working internet (websites open in a browser):

• the «Couldn't sync with the server» card in the notifications drawer stays for more than 30 minutes and the last-exchange time won't update;
• the «Not synced: N» counter won't go down;
• an order keeps showing «Sync error» after several Retry sync attempts;
• two registers stay out of sync even though both are on the same network and see each other in monitoring.

Tell support: account and trading-point name, the exact on-screen message (a photo is best), how many registers the venue has and how they're linked (shared Wi-Fi or not), what you already checked (internet, restart, «Sync»), and when the problem started.

FAQ

The internet dropped mid-shift — will sales be lost?

No. Orders and payments are saved on the register itself and upload automatically once the connection returns. Keep selling.

Do I need to press anything after the internet comes back?

No, the register resumes the exchange on its own. You can confirm via the status strip at the top: a fresh time appears («Just now») and the status «Synced from server».

Are all operations available without internet?

Ordinary sales, opening and closing orders, printing receipts, and exchanging orders between registers over the local network — yes. Some online payments and certain cloud reports need the internet right now — the register will say so separately.

Do several registers work together if the venue has no internet at all?

Yes, if they're on the same Wi-Fi. Registers exchange orders directly over the local network, so waiters and the counter see shared tables and orders. Everything uploads to the cloud once the venue is back online.

What does the «Local» mark on an order mean?

The order was created on another register and received by this one over the local network. The cloud upload is done by the register where it was rung up — that's where its true cloud status shows. On this register the «Local» mark is normal, not an error. More about the order list in Order list.

A network printer prints slowly or won't respond — is that a sync issue?

No, that's a separate topic — the printer's network connection, not the cloud data exchange. Printing in Paloma POS 2 doesn't block a sale. See Printers.