Audience:
Technical Teams, Customer Success Team, and Client's Database Administrator
Description:
The article below provides a perspective pertaining to Olo's integration into NCR's BSL solution and links out to other articles found on Olo's Help Center. These links dive further into each topic. For additional context, "NCR Cloud" is Olo’s static term for what is currently branded as BSL (Business Service Layer) on the NCR side and was formerly referred to as the following: OmniChannel, ODSP, BSP.
Table of Contents
- Introduction to Olo's NCR Cloud POS Integration
- Network Requirements
- Order Management Benefits with Expo (Companion Mode)
- Connecting NCR Cloud POS to Olo
- Handoff Modes
- Tenders
- Menu Management
- Discounts/Coupons
- Custom Fees
- Loyalty Requirements
- FAQs
- Testing Functionality Requirements
- Troubleshooting
Introduction to Olo's NCR Cloud/BSL Integration
The NCR Cloud integration utilizes NCR’s BSL order service to place orders into the locally installed agent on the BOH server of the location; this is most commonly the Aloha Takeout. BSL also hosts the catalog service which Olo leverages to pull POS menu data for use in menu mapping via our Menu Admin Tool. Additionally, Olo automatically performs menu pricing updates twice daily from the catalog service.
BSL is NCR’s set of API endpoints that allow for above-store centralized management of the menu database and supports 3rd party integrators such as online ordering. The Olo integration routes orders for products from direct Olo ordering, marketplaces, and partners to NCR’s BSL Order Service which routes the orders (most commonly) into the store’s local instance of ATO.
Overview of the ordering process flow:
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Network Requirements
Since this integration is considered a “cloud” integration, there are no additional network requirements outside of the NCR standards to operate the Aloha FOH and BOH software.
Order Management Benefits with Expo (Companion Mode)
Expo is our tablet-based software solution focused on enhancing the front-of-house (FOH) workflow in restaurants. Expo's Companion Mode works with already integrated POS Systems, such as NCR Cloud, and helps simplify online ordering operations in-store. Expo can be installed on any tablet and linked to your restaurant location. It will allow your in-store teams to effortlessly manage online orders without leaving the front of house operations.
Connecting NCR Cloud to Olo
For the purposes of Olo, the NCR Cloud integration is considered a Cloud POS. This integration does not require an Olo agent to run on the BOH, but does require a local agent to be installed (i.e., Aloha TakeOut) on Aloha BOH and configured to work with BSL. Additional POS records may need to be configured in CFC depending on the desired behavior and interaction with the interfacing software. However, since Olo communicates to the API within BSL in the cloud, Olo considers this a Cloud POS.
Handoff Modes
Olo has support for various Handoff Modes (pickup, dispatch, Rails, delivery, etc.) and can communicate different details, customer options and other data per Handoff Mode. Each handoff mode can be mapped to what is known as an Order Mode in Aloha POS for simple recognition, reporting and Order Mode controlled in-store behavior. Additional set up will need to be performed in ATO to map the Aloha Order Modes to ATO order types. Please consult with NCR about “source and destination” configuration and Order Mode linking. The “external reference” from the ATO configuration is used by Olo in the body of the order which is sent by ATO to the desired Order Mode in Aloha.
Tenders
Along with Dining Options, Olo has the ability to send a unique Aloha Tender ID for each accepted Credit Card Type that is processed through Olo Direct ordering. This requires set up in CFC for both Aloha and ATO. In ATO Settings, external tender types are mapped to Aloha tender ID’s. Olo sends the “external tender” name which ATO then translates to the Aloha tender ID.
Olo also has the ability to send an individual Aloha Tender ID for transactions that are processed through Rails Marketplaces, these are also mapped in ATO to their “external tender” names.
Refer to the tender section of the Aloha POS Configuration article for instructions on how to set up the tenders in Aloha so that they can be linked by Olo. Additional tender mapping will also need to be completed in ATO.
Menu Management
The front end that a customer sees contains menu items that are built using the Olo Dashboard's Menu Admin tool. This is a customer-friendly tool used to help the user visualize the menu they are mapping: this prevents the difficulty with understanding raw menu data that is pulled directly from the BSL catalog service. Please refer to the Menu Training Article for guidance on how to use the Menu Admin Tool.
Once a Product structure is built within the Menu Admin tool, the item and the modifiers can be mapped according to data that is pulled from the BSL catalog service. This data is pulled by location either during the twice daily Price Update Process that runs automatically or may be run manually from the Olo Dashboard.
Here is an article to assist with mapping the menu for Aloha/NCR Cloud. Please be aware that some entity types are not available for the NCR Cloud integration, but the mapping instructions are the same for Aloha POS and NCR Cloud:
Aloha Menu Mapping Instructions
Discounts/Coupons
Olo's Coupon tool will send down a Discount Code on orders that have an Olo Coupon applied. To learn more, here is an article on the Olo Coupon Manager.
The NCR Cloud integration supports all possible Coupon types that are available within Olo Coupon Manager. The Olo recommendation is that the discount set up within Aloha should be an Open Dollar Comp. With this setup, Olo will calculate the amount to be discounted and then send that calculated amount to BSL ordering within the order, along with the configured Comp ID.
The Aloha Discount Setup Article provides the recommended setup, and how to link Discounts for the NCR Cloud integration.
Custom Fees
Custom Fees are used to apply add-on fees to certain qualifying baskets at select stores. Examples of such fees might be Service Fees or Packaging Fees. For flexibility, a brand can set any desired fee label for use with the fee.
Via the Olo Dashboard, a brand may create a fee, a label and tooltip to show the end consumer, and may choose qualifying criteria to trigger the fee. Fee amounts and taxability can be configured for each store at the time of enablement. Enablement/disablement of fees can be done for individual, many or all stores at once. Once enabled, customers with qualifying baskets will see the fees on their baskets and order summaries. Fees charged to end customers are transmitted in the order to Aloha via an open-priced menu item or as an open dollar amount service charge.
For full setup and instructions, please reference the NCR Cloud POS: Custom Fees Article
Loyalty Requirements
POS systems have different requirements for Loyalty integrations to work with Olo and the loyalty provider. Currently, to apply rewards using a Loyalty integration, it is required that there be an active Comp set up in CFC for use by Olo.
Refer to the Aloha Discount Setup Article on how to set up a Comp in Aloha for Olo use.
FAQs
Is there a topic that is not covered in this article? Check out the NCR Cloud FAQs.
Testing Functionality Requirements
This Basic Menu Testing article provides a checklist for testing all of Olo's features where applicable.
Troubleshooting
This Help Center page displays all of the NCR Cloud troubleshooting and information articles. Errors or issues that are localized to the in store environment will need to be directed to NCR’s support team support@alohaenterprise.com.
Use this as a template to submit the necessary information when creating a ticket with NCR Enterprise Support.
- Name of 3rd party business partner: Olo
- Name of the client 3rd party business partner is working with:
- Integration Type: Cloud Connect/API? Business Service Platform (BSP)? SDK/COM?
- Site HASP Key#: (cloud connect store identifier)
- Site EUID:
- Date /Time issue occurs:
- Detailed description of the issue: (Including any API call or payload from Sumo, any POS error message, etc)
- Point of contact name & Email/Phone:
Have a recommendation on an article you think would be beneficial to Olo brands? Please email the recommendation to help@olo.com and we will review it.
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