1 Features and Updates

This page describes new features and updates in 19.6 and patches to 19.6.

Sections that describe features and updates in a patch also have links to Customer Support Portal documents that describe documentation updates and issues fixed in the patch.

See Oracle MICROS Simphony Transaction Services Gen 2 (STSG2) Fixed Issues (DOC3542) for information on Simphony STSG2 fixed issues.

Releases:

• People Management
  
• 19.6.2
  
• 19.6.1
  
• 19.6
  

People Management

Enterprise Back Office 20.1.15 introduces People Management for adding and managing employees through Simphony Home. Starting with Simphony 19.7, you can no longer use Employee Maintenance to add and manage employees. See the Enterprise Back Office Release Notes for more information.

19.6.2

There are no new features in this patch.

Oracle MICROS Simphony 19.6 Documentation Updates (DOC12039) describes documentation updates to support the patch.

Oracle MICROS Simphony 19.6.x Fixed Issues (DOC11916) lists issues fixed in the patch.

Oracle MICROS Simphony Transaction Services Gen 2 (STSG2) Fixed Issues (DOC3542) lists issues fixed in Simphony STS Gen 2.

19.6.1

This section describes new features and updates in the patch.

Oracle MICROS Simphony 19.6 Documentation Updates (DOC12039) describes documentation updates to support the patch.

Oracle MICROS Simphony 19.6.x Fixed Issues (DOC11916) lists issues fixed in the patch.

Oracle MICROS Simphony Transaction Services Gen 2 (STSG2) Fixed Issues (DOC3542) lists issues fixed in Simphony STS Gen 2.

• Enterprise Management Console (EMC)
  

Enterprise Management Console (EMC)

Warnings for Unsupported Components

The Device Information tab now reports the following as unsupported (or nearly so). Review all of the information on the tab and take corrective actions to prepare for upgrading.

• Workstation operating systems: Microsoft Windows 8.1

• Microsoft Windows 10 (2015, builds 10240 and 10586): Beginning with Simphony 19.6.1, this operating system is still temporarily supported (Microsoft support ends on October 14, 2025). Until further notice, you can still deploy the 19.6.1 CAL ServiceHost package to workstations.

• Workstation databases: Microsoft SQL Server Express 2008 and 2012

• Hardware: Oracle MICROS Workstation 5a (Oracle Linux for MICROS)

See the Food and Beverage Compatibility Matrix for more information.

Audit Trail Includes Changes Made through Configuration and Content, Frontline Manager, and People Management

Changes made through Configuration and Content, Frontline Manager, and People Management are now included in the Audit Trail. In addition, the application selection list in the Audit Trail Standard Search includes those applications. This allows users to search for configuration changes made through those applications.

See the Auditing chapter in the Simphony Configuration Guide for more information.

19.6

This section describes the features and updates contained in the release.

• Deployment
  
• Transaction Services
  
• Enterprise Cash Management (ECM)
  
• Enterprise Management Console (EMC)
  
• Extensibility
  
• Workstation Operations
  
• Payments
  
• Loyalty and Gift Cards
  
• Customer Facing Display (CFD)
  
• Printing
  
• Simphony Web Portal (SWP)
  

Deployment

Enhancement to Windows Service Host Application

The ServiceHost.exe application is now built with the LargeAddressAware option enabled. On Microsoft Windows platforms, this extends the amount of memory usage to 4 GB on the 64-bit operating system and to 2 GB on the 32-bit operating system.

Workstation Database Platform is Changed from Microsoft SQL Server Express to MySQL version 8.0

MySQL version 8.0 is now installed for new Microsoft Windows workstations instead of Microsoft SQL Server Express. If you want to continue to run Microsoft SQL Server Express on your workstations, you have to manually install the Microsoft SQL Server 2014 or 2016 database (using the correct database CAL package) on your devices. Once the ServiceHost Prereqs and the ServiceHost is configured in the Simphony EMC, and the CAL process is completed on workstations, the devices become operational.

See the Deploying Microsoft SQL Server Express on Microsoft Windows Devices chapter in the Client Deployment Guide for more information about obtaining and installing CAL Packages.

Transaction Services

Monitoring Simphony Transaction Services (STS) Gen2 API Performance

You can now use the STS Gen2 Cloud API activity dashboard to monitor API performance and to troubleshoot API issues. The dashboard shows details for an API call such as the endpoint and the API response code.

See the Simphony Transaction Services Gen2 API Guide for more information.

Simphony Transaction Services (STS) Gen2 Barcode Endpoint

You can now get barcode configurations for menu items.

See the Simphony Transaction Services Gen2 API Guide for more information.

Enterprise Cash Management (ECM)

Support for Depositing Cash without Performing a Count

The new option 30 – Allow Deposit without Count has been added to the Employee Classes module under the Operator Options tab. When enabled, this option allows privileged employees to perform a cash deposit from either a Till or a Server Bank without the need to perform a count after a transaction.

See Allowing Assigned Receptacle Access and Counts for configuration information.

See Depositing Cash for manager information.

Enterprise Management Console (EMC)

Support for Manual Page Template Sizing

When you manually change template field heights and widths in the Page Design module, the settings are supported with the HTML5 UI that is used for Linux workstations and Android devices, in addition to Windows devices. This enhancement allows you to use the same Page Design templates when you have a variety of device platforms. Page templates only need to be configured once and can then be used on Windows and Linux workstations, and Android devices.

See Page Design for more information.

Support for Full Width Check Detail Page Template with Handheld Devices

You can now configure page templates that have full width check detail and configurable buttons for use with Android handheld devices. Two new handheld page templates have been added to the Page Design module:

• HHT Full Width Check Detail and Simple Button Grid
• HHT Full Width Check Detail and Tabbed Button Grid

Handheld devices configured with these templates have a check detail area that expands the width of the screen. Servers can see items on the check detail without changing the page, enhancing the overall usability and resulting in faster service.

See Mobile Handheld Page Templates with Full Width Check Detail Area for more information.

Support for Transaction Table Service Page Template

A transaction table service page template is now available in the Page Design module through the Internal Templates list. This new template has a navigation bar that lets you configure the tabs within the template.

Entering Text in the Title (Image Alternate Text) Fields is Required for Consumer Facing Images

For Simphony Transaction Services Gen 2 (STS Gen 2) users, the field name for image names has been changed from Title to Title (Image Alternate Text).

Access the EMC, navigate to the enterprise, property, or revenue center level, and the updated field name can be found in each of the following modules:

• Configuration tab, Menu Item Maintenance, Menu Item Definition - Images tab (using form view only)

• Configuration tab, Family Groups - General tab

• Descriptors tab, Menu Item under SLU Names - Images tab

The Title (Image Alternate Text) field’s name change is meant to better communicate the text entered there is used for the following two purposes:

1. This text field is used to name the uploaded image to your Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) account to run in conjunction with an Object Storage device.

2. This text field’s content is passed along to customers via the API and should not be left blank. This text is the description of the image for customers who use assistive technology. Enter an image name (or label) which customers can access while placing a mobile order. Properly naming images helps customers better identify items and improves their chances of successfully accessing and adding items to their order.

See the Configuring Menu Item Definitions, Family Groups, and Condiment Group Names Consumer-Facing Settings and Associating Images to Menu Item SLUs topics for more information about associating images to menu items, family groups, and SLUs.

Combo Meal Group Items can now be Managed with Effectivity Groups

You can now assign combo meal group items to an effectivity group. Effectivity groups allow you to make combo meal group items:

• Available for a limited time

• Available for a future date

• Disabled

Disabling an item lets you make it unavailable as a combo meal group item without deleting the item from the configuration. This allows you to make the item available again more easily.

See Creating Combo Meal Groups for more information.

Combo Meal Group Item Prices can now be Overridden

Beginning with the Simphony 19.6 release, combo meal group item prices can be overridden. This allows business owners to manage their prices independently of a corporate office. To help accomplish this, there are now separate role privileges to access Combo Meal Groups and Combo Meal Group Item Prices. After upgrading to Simphony 19.6, by default, roles with previous access to combo meal groups are given permissions to access combo meal group item prices. Going forward, any roles created after the upgrade, must have the combo meal group item prices access privilege set explicitly.

See Combo Meal Group Pricing for more information.

Support for Order Channels

Administrators can now configure order channels (for example, kiosk, drive thru, phone-in, or delivery aggregator) in the Simphony Enterprise Management Console (EMC), and workstation operators can assign order channels to checks in the POS. Default order channels can be set for workstations and revenue centers. Order channel information appears on Revenue Center, Property, and Employee Financial Reports.

See Order Channels for more information about configuring order channels, and Changing the Order Channel for information about changing the order channel on the POS workstation.

Manage Effectivity Group Status

Effectivity Groups now have an optional start by date allowing locations the flexibility to determine when an effectivity group is active. A new Effectivity Group Status option controls this feature. The status can be overridden at the location allowing the effectivity group to be managed independently.

See Configuring Effectivity Groups for more information.

Dynamic Tip Support

Simphony now supports the ability for restaurants and businesses to define their suggested tip rates. For instance a standard 20% tip on a 5.00 purchase would amount to an employee receiving only 1.00. With dynamic tip configuration, customers have the option to set a threshold for tips, changing the option from percentage-based to amount-based, allowing employees who receive tips to earn more on smaller purchases.

See Configuring Dynamic Tipping for more information.

Secure Port Column Added for Service Hosts

A Secure Port column is now available in several EMC modules where ServiceHosts can be assigned. ServiceHosts now listen on separate HTTP and HTTPS ports for peer communications.

The Secure Port number column is non-configurable by design. You should expect (and allow) increased network traffic from any ServiceHosts assigned to these secure ports.

The Property Management Console (PMC) has also been updated to include changes to the Support tab.

See the Property Ports topic in the Security Guide for more detailed information.

See the Reviewing Workstation Services Security topic in the Manager User Guide for more information about the new PMC functionality.

Extensibility

Support for Order Confirmation Board (OCB)

You can now configure an Order Confirmation Board (OCB) which displays the order to the customer as it is being created on the POS workstation. This is useful in drive thru operations and counter ordering to improve communication between the customer and the workstation operator entering the order.

To configure an OCB, you need to add an extension application, change the extension application settings as needed, and add touchscreen buttons to invoke the OCB operations.

See Order Confirmation Board (OCB) for more information about this feature and how to configure an OCB.

Workstation Operations

Enhanced Battery Indicator Warnings for Mobile Devices

Battery indicator warning messages appear on Android mobile phone devices if the battery percentage is 15% or less, advising the server to recharge the device. If the battery percentage is 5% or less, servers cannot use a function that opens a check. Servers need to confirm the battery warning message, and these entries are logged in the Employee Journal Report. The warning messages appear by default and cannot be switched off.

See Battery Indicator Warning Messages for more information.

Support for Unsent Transaction Warnings

Warning messages appear on Windows and Linux workstations and Android mobile devices when the POS client is disconnected from the Check and Posting Service (CAPS) and there are unsent checks. The messages appear as a yellow banner at the top of all pages outside a transaction. They do not appear when a transaction is in progress so as not to distract from, or slow down, the order taking process.

After posting a transaction, there is a 30-second delay to enable checks to send before a warning message appears. The warnings make the server aware of an issue so that they can either move the device back into network range or alert a manager that there is a connection issue.

The warning messages show the number of unsent transactions on the device, so that when a solution is found, servers can see the number decrease and know that the issue has been resolved. Warnings appear by default and cannot be switched off. There is no configuration for this feature.

See Warning Messages for Unsent Checks for examples of the warning messages.

Support to Acknowledge Employee Time Card Adjustments

Employees can be notified about Time Card Adjustments to provide greater transparency about changes which impact their pay. They can agree or disagree with the adjustment. The Reporting and Analytics report called Adjusted Time Card Report shows managers the acknowledgement status on the time card adjustments. This acknowledgement status is required by some labor authorities.

Employees are notified during clock-in, clock-out, or when clicking Time Card Adjustment Notification. Notifications are made for changes to the following:

• Clock In Date

• Clock In Time

• Clock Out Time

• Direct Tips

• Indirect Tips

• Job

See Employee Time Cards for more information about configuring the Time Card Adjustment Notification Button, and Clocking In and Out for information about acknowledging time card adjustments on the POS workstation.

Manage Menu Item Availability

Starting with Simphony 19.6, menu items can be disabled by the franchisor. Disabled menu items cannot be sold. Effectivity groups can now be assigned to a menu item by the franchisee. Menu items set as core menu items cannot be managed by effectivity groups.

See Menu Item Availability for more information.

Discount Constraint Type

Quantity threshold and total price threshold discounts can use a constraint type which requires the trigger and award to be the same. This makes managing discounts like buy one, get one (BOGO) free easier.

There are three Constraint Types. They are:

• Menu Item

• Family Group

• Major Group

See Discount Constraint Types for more information.

Payments

Value Included in ModificationPSPReference Field of Payment Reports

Credit Card transactions posted through the Simphony Payment Interface (SPI) now include a value in the ModificationPSPReference field of the LOCATION_ACTIVITY_DB.NON_OPP_PAYMENT table (if sent by the payment service provider (PSP)) and the LOCATION_ACTIVITY_DB.OPP_PAYMENT table (if sent through Oracle MICROS Payment Cloud Service). The purpose of the ModificationPSPReference value is to track various stages of a transaction.

Support for Multiple Service Charges — Charity Donations and Credit Card Fees

The Simphony Payment Interface (SPI) allows for payment service providers (PSPs) to post more than one service charge – in addition to the payment tender and tip – to a check prior to processing a payment. The Control Parameters options 75 – Enable Charity Donations Support and 76 – Enable a Surcharge to be added to a payment card tender by payment service provider enable this feature for customers who want to allow charges like charitable donations and credit card processing fees to be added to the same payment tender on a check.

See Configuring Multiple Service Charges for more information.

Loyalty and Gift Cards

Use Loyalty Account for Stored Value

You can now use the guest loyalty account as the stored value applied against a guest check. This eliminates the need to swipe a guest's loyalty card once to issue points to their account and then swipe the card again to redeem or pay with points.

See Setting Loyalty Options for configuration information.

The Generic SVC Processor (Givex) and SVS Processor XProcessor Plug-ins have been Enhanced to Allow for the Batch Issue of Multiple Gift Cards

You can now activate multiple gift cards in batches for the Generic SVC Processor (Givex) and SVS Processor XProcessor plug-ins. Batch Activate functionality allows users to sell and activate multiple gift cards like this:

You are selling 20 gift cards at 10.00 each

1. Select the Batch Activate button.

2. Use the number keypad on the workstation to enter the quantity of gift cards (20)

3. Select the appropriate activation method:

   1. For Givex, this would be either Activate or Reload.

   2. For SVS, this would be either Activate or Issue.

4. Enter the amount (10.00).

5. Swipe each card consecutively until completed.

See the following topics for more information:

• Creating Givex Processor Operations Buttons

• Creating SVS Operations Buttons

• Add XProcessor Configuration File to the Content Module

Customer Facing Display (CFD)

Email of Digital Receipts to Guests

The CFD lets guests receive a digital copy of their receipt by entering their email address. This lets you offer paper free receipts, reducing waste.

Adding a Customer Facing Display (CFD) provides configuration information for administrators. Emailing Check Receipts to Guests provides user information for workstation operators.

Printing

Support for Bixolon Q302 Thermal Printer

The Bixolon Q302 thermal Ethernet printer (both Microsoft Windows and Oracle Linux for MICROS) is now approved for use with Simphony versions 18.x and 19.x as both an Ethernet/network connected printer and an OPOS printer connected via USB (devices running Microsoft Windows only). Oracle Linux for MICROS does not support OPOS.

The Q302 is supported for use with the following Oracle MICROS workstations:

• Workstation 820

• Workstation 6 Series

• Workstation Compact Workstation 310

• Express Station 400 and 410

The Ethernet Q302 does not work with Simphony’s network printer discovery tools, and needs to be manually configured using the Bixolon utility (the same as Bixolon 350 models). The Q302 does not support multi-lingual printing or IDN over USB printing.

Simphony Web Portal (SWP)

Support to Export Integrated Employee Objects Larger than 1 GB

You can now download Integrated Employee Export objects which are greater than 1 GB. When the data exceeds 1 GB, the export file is created in compressed format.