Numerous KDS Enhancements are Available
The Oracle Hospitality Simphony Configuration Guide and the Oracle Hospitality Simphony User Guide contain more information about the features described below.
Added Support for Oracle MICROS Kitchen Display Controller 210
Simphony version 2.9 and later is now compatible with the Oracle MICROS Kitchen Display Controller 210 running Microsoft Windows 10.
New functions available for the toolbar and bump bar:
Mark the first order on the display with a single button press.
Mark and bump an order using a single keystroke
Review a previously bumped order
Recall a previously bumped order and restart the timer
Navigate split screens on the KDS Display
Select the next order that is not yet started
Select the first order that is not yet started
Start the current order and select the next order
Mark the first order as complete and select the next order
Re-position KDS toolbar buttons from the KDS Client Display
You can now re-position or re-order the function buttons on the KDS toolbar by clicking the position number of the function and either moving it up or down using the arrow keys on the keyboard.
Color Customization
The new Layout Colors Override tab in the KDS Controllers module allows you to customize KDS Displays by applying colors to elements in the screen layout.
Distinguish Combo Meal Items from the Combo Meal Name
When a combo meal’s name appears in an order, KDS Displays now show the menu items that make up the combo meal indented beneath the combo meal name. This allows kitchen staff to clearly differentiate between the combo meal name and its menu items. This feature is supported in both chit and list mode.
Indicate Previous Course Menu Items
You can now configure non-Dynamic Order Mode (DOM) KDS Displays to indicate whether an order has menu items ordered in the previous course. This feature is only available when using the KDS Coursing feature with KDS Controllers option 2 - Display Next Course after Previous Course Complete. When you select Order Devices option 20 - Show Previous Course Indicator, order chits from any course other than the first show an icon on the header indicating that a previous course exists, allowing the kitchen staff to prioritize the orders.
View Items by Status
You can now view orders sorted by status through the new Cook Summary window, which you can access using the Cook Summary toolbar and bump bar function. This window shows kitchen managers a summary of items currently being prepared. On Prep Displays, Fired items appear first followed by Started items. On Expo displays, Sent items appear first, followed by Fired items, then Started items, and finally Done items.
Remotely View Orders
Remote View List
Remote View Next
Remote View Specific
If the remote device is offline, the Device is Offline message appears when attempting to connect.
Order Selection Interval (Perpetual Selection)
Simphony now allows you to enter the amount of time in seconds an order remains selected on a KDS Display. When a workstation operator selects the order, no new orders are updated in the KDS. This ensures that the selected order is not repositioned or replaced by a new order. After pressing Done, the order is bumped from the KDS Display. The workstation operator can deselect an order by double-clicking on the screen, and the display is updated with new checks. If the Time Interval is set to 0 in the KDS, the order remains selected until the workstation operator manually deselects or bumps the order. With perpetual selection, Simphony always updates the KDS Display with new orders.
Send Menu Item Components to Prep Stations
Simphony now allows workstation operators to send individual menu item components to separate Prep Stations when using prep timing. This ensures that all menu item components are ready at the same time for serving and prevents items from spoiling while waiting for other items to complete. This feature is only supported on non-Dynamic Order Mode (DOM) KDS Displays.
Prevent Bumping Orders from Prep Displays until Check is Paid
The new Order Devices KDS option 19 - No Prep Done Before Paid prevents kitchen staff from bumping orders from Prep Displays until the check is paid. This feature is only supported with revenue centers that use DOM.
Prioritize Orders
Kitchen managers can now assign priority levels 1 through 8 to orders as they flow through Expo Displays. When orders have the same priority level, the application sorts the orders on the Prep Stations based on their arrival time at the KDS. This allows head chefs to manage different Prep Stations from the Expo Display.
To alert the kitchen staff of order prioritization, you can assign Beep On Prioritize that causes Prep Stations to emit a sound when a priority is assigned to an order, and also when the priority of an order increases. This feature is supported in both chit mode and list mode.
Disable Double-Touch Order Bumping
New Order Devices option 21 - Disable Double Touch Bump now allows you to prevent kitchen staff from bumping orders from the KDS Display by double-touching or double-clicking the chit. When this option is set, workstation operators must use the Done function on the KDS toolbar or bump bar to bump an order. This ensures that hurried workstation operators do not accidentally remove the wrong order from the display.
Configure where Recalled Orders Appear
The new KDS Controllers setting Expo Recall Action allows you to determine where orders appear when they are recalled from an Expo or Speed of Service (SOS) Display.
Remove Orders from Prep Stations Once Started
A new option named 10 - Start Hides Other Preps is available in the KDS Controllers module. When set, starting an order on one Prep Station removes that order from all other Prep Stations. The order is not removed from the Expo or Speed of Service (SOS) Display. This ensures that orders that appear on multiple displays are not prepared twice. This feature only works when a kitchen staff member marks an order as Started using the Order Start or Order Start First functions on the KDS bump bar and tool bar.
Manually Send Items on Hold to Prep Stations
Workstation operators can now manually send items on hold because of item prep timing to Prep Stations before they automatically fire. Two new functions named Fire All and Fire Item are available on the KDS toolbar and bump bar. Workstation operators can perform these functions only from Expo Displays.
Prevent Rushing Orders
You can now configure the target completion time for dining courses. When an Initial Course Min Prep Time is configured in the KDS/Dining Courses module, Simphony now sends items in the current course to Prep Stations in relation to this time. This feature only works with menu items that have prep times. For example, if you enter 10 minutes for the Initial Course Min Prep Time and an item with a 6 minute prep time is sent to the kitchen, it fires to Prep Stations after 4 minutes elapse. If an item with a prep time of more than 10 minutes or without any prep time is sent to the kitchen, it fires immediately. This ensures that Simphony does not rush the presentation of menu items.
Parent topic: Features and Updates