Any way to print the Order Number Once?

Hello, everyone.

I’m doing some last minute printer template tweaks before we open (of course) and need some help.

I setup a Bar printer to print out new drink orders only if a server needs help. I created an Automated Command button that only prints new orders and closes the ticket immediately. That part is working great!

What I’m having trouble with is getting the Order number to only print once as part of the “header”, if you will. When I use the {ORDER NO} tag, the only way I can get the number to print is if it follows {ORDERS} and [ORDERS] in the template and then it prints every time as it loops through every order item. Is there a way to print the Order Number outside of the Order Item looping that appears to be happening? I want it in the header so that our bartenders can watch out for accidental duplicate orders or so they can distinguish between a real order and what they think may be a duplicate order.

Here’s the template I’m using.

[LAYOUT]
<T>Order
-- <L00>Date:{TICKET DATE}
<L00>{TIME}
<L00>{USER NAME}
<L00>Table:{ENTITY NAME:Table}
<L00>Customer:{ENTITY NAME:Customer}
<L00>Ticket No:{TICKET NO}
<F>-
{ORDERS}

[ORDERS]
<L00>- {ORDER NO}
<L00>- {QUANTITY} {NAME}
{ORDER TAGS}
<F>-
<BEEP>
[ORDERS:Void]
<J00>- {QUANTITY} {NAME}|**Void**

{ORDER TAGS}

[ORDER TAGS]

-- Format for order tags
<L00>     * {ORDER TAG NAME}

Thanks again in advance!

Sure your not trying to have Ticket number rather than order number?
If you only want it once in ‘header’ i expect your wanting ticket number rather than order number

I already have ticket number in there, but that’s not as relevant to the workflow I’m trying to accomplish as order number.

Basically, our bartenders also work the floor. We all work together as a team. When one of us goes out on the floor to take orders at a table, I want the person taking the orders to be able to press a button that will print the orders for the bartender who’s behind the bar to pour.

The button I setup closes the ticket automatically and only prints the new order so I’m only every printing out one order at a time, not the whole ticket. I want the order number on there in case the bartender is wondering if an order was a duplicate.

It’s not critical, by any means, I just think it will be helpful.

If you had an order level button of say ‘Print to Bar’ that set a Order state of say BarPrint=Print and a put that state in a new print action and following action to update BarPrint=Print to BarPrint=Printed it would mimic normal kitchen flow but only printing selected orders to the bar.
Would also mean you could order multiple drinks from the bar rather than one at a time?
Sound like might be any use?
The state flow for BarPrint=Print and Printed would mean it would only ever print once similar to kitchen orders.

That’s probably what I’ll end up doing. Something similar to that. The more we work with it, the more tweaks I can make to it as we see how it works in action.

One change I know I’ll make is to not auto close the ticket screen when the print order button is pressed. I’m going to change it so that it leaves the ticket screen open, but it closes that order and creates a new one.

The way it is now, my staff is inclined to wait to print the order until all drinks are ordered, but I don’t want them to do that. I want them pumping those drinks out to the printer one at a time so we’re not waiting for the whole table’s order to pour them.

People love when we walk out with a drink while the server is still taking other people’s orders at the table. It’s giving us a great reputation.

Cheers!

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