Online and Offline Communication Modes

A workstation that can communicate with the database to post transactions is online. Conversely, a workstation that cannot communicate with the database is offline. While online, workstations contact the database for a variety of activities, including:

Beginning a check
Ending the current service round of a check
Paying a check
Running a report
Performing a function on the Property Management Console (PMC)

When a workstation attempts to perform one of these actions but cannot contact the application server, the workstation enters offline mode. The POS client can only distinguish between online and offline modes, but a workstation that is offline can still communicate with other workstations or services. Therefore, Simphony further categorizes offline mode as yellow mode and red mode. The following table explains the offline modes and describes how workstations handle transaction and timekeeping information when offline.

Table 1-1 Workstation Offline Modes and Transaction Handling

Offline Mode	Description	Transaction and Timekeeping Handling	Reporting Limitations
Yellow Mode	The workstation can communicate with other workstations and services. In this environment, the local Transaction Cache is able to provide reporting and labor information. In the simplest situation, yellow mode refers to a property that has lost contact with the central database or application servers, usually because the wide area network (WAN) is no longer available. In this environment, the workstations and other services within the property can communicate, but no direct communications to the database are available.	The workstation directs transaction information and timekeeping information to the Offline Cache.	When a workstation is offline (yellow mode or red mode) you can only generate offline reports from the workstation. While in offline mode, the offline financial reports do not show data for the following: Returns Void Total Training Total Checks Carried Over Checks Begun Checks Paid Checks Outstanding Check Error Corrections #TBLS $AV #TRNS $AV Total Net Sales
Red Mode	The workstation cannot communicate with other workstations or services. In general, a red mode workstation is a workstation without network communication. A workstation can enter red mode intentionally (remote concession stand) or unintentionally (bad network port on a router or hub).	The workstation stores all transaction and timekeeping information in its local DataStore.

Offline Mode

Description

Transaction and Timekeeping Handling

Reporting Limitations

Yellow Mode

The workstation can communicate with other workstations and services. In this environment, the local Transaction Cache is able to provide reporting and labor information. In the simplest situation, yellow mode refers to a property that has lost contact with the central database or application servers, usually because the wide area network (WAN) is no longer available.

In this environment, the workstations and other services within the property can communicate, but no direct communications to the database are available.

The workstation directs transaction information and timekeeping information to the Offline Cache.

When a workstation is offline (yellow mode or red mode) you can only generate offline reports from the workstation.

While in offline mode, the offline financial reports do not show data for the following:

Returns
Void Total
Training Total
Checks Carried Over
Checks Begun
Checks Paid
Checks Outstanding
Check Error Corrections
#TBLS $AV
#TRNS $AV
Total Net Sales

Red Mode

The workstation cannot communicate with other workstations or services. In general, a red mode workstation is a workstation without network communication. A workstation can enter red mode intentionally (remote concession stand) or unintentionally (bad network port on a router or hub).

The workstation stores all transaction and timekeeping information in its local DataStore.

When an offline workstation detects a connection to the database, it attempts to replay transactions to the central database automatically. While replaying transactions, the workstation is still considered offline. A workstation only attempts to return to online mode when the replay queue has no transactions remaining. Depending on the configuration of the workstation, the workstation returns online automatically or prompts you for confirmation to return online.

Determining Whether a Workstation is Online or Offline

Depending on how the workstations in the revenue center are set up, you can use either of these methods to determine whether a workstation is online or offline, and which offline mode is occurring:

Check the status bar in the lower area of the screen. The following table describes what the Enterprise Connection Status and the Check and Posting Service (CAPS) Connection Status elements in the status bar show when the workstation is online and offline.

Table 1-2 Workstation Communication Mode Indicators in the Workstation Status Bar

If...	Enterprise Connection Status Shows ...	CAPS Connection Status Shows...	Offline Mode
The workstation is online	Online	Online	N/A
The workstation cannot connect to the central database	Offline	Online	Yellow Mode
The workstation does not have network communication	Offline	Offline	Red Mode

If you are a manager, select the Launch PMC function key, and on the General tab, check the status of the Check and Posting Status and Database Sync Status lines. The following table describes what each line shows when the workstation is online and offline.

Table 1-3 Workstation Communication Mode Indicators in the Property Management Console

If...	Database Sync Status Shows...	Check and Posting Status Shows...	Offline Mode
The workstation is online	Online	Online	N/A
The workstation cannot connect to the central database	Offline	Online	Yellow Mode
The workstation does not have network communication	Offline	Offline	Red Mode

Related Topics

Parent topic: Basic Workstation Operations