Systematic cancellation and loss management

Cancellations are unavoidable in everyday life - whether due to input errors, change requests or complaints. It is therefore essential for a professional POS system not only to offer the option of cancellation, but also to retain full control over it. Hypersoft goes further than other systems: with clearly defined cancellation categories, flexible authorisations and meaningful evaluations, all of which can be tailored to your business in a practical way.

The aim is to:

Handle cancellation situations in a differentiated and efficient manner
To specifically authorise employees depending on their role
Minimise risks, increase transparency
to work correctly in terms of tax and business management

If you use Hypersoft correctly, you can recoup many "lost euros" and at the same time boost confidence in the team.

The three main categories for cancellations

Category 1: Cancellation before order

Typical scenarios: Typing error, incorrect selection, guest changes their mind before the transaction has been booked.

The article has been entered but not booked.
No balance was generated, no internal order was triggered.
Fraud is virtually impossible here, as the operator is the only one who knows the information.

Special features:

mPOS: Items can be earmarked - by holding for a longer period or cancelling (e.g. by cancelling the query), the item is removed without the operator still seeing this booking and the cancellation. (However, the booking and the cancellation are saved for checking purposes)
POS with queries: Same behaviour - if a query is cancelled, the article is removed without the user still seeing this booking and the cancellation. (However, the booking and the cancellation are also saved for checks)

Category 2: Cancellation after order

Typical scenarios: change request after internal order, error recognised, reorder, guest complains, goods not available.

Article has been posted, a new balance has been created, internal order has been triggered.
No invoice closing yet - cancellation is possible as part of the open process.

Risks and requirements:

The kitchen/bar may have already produced the goods.

The cancellation must be communicated to all affected production sites.

If goods have nevertheless been issued, this must be clarified and documented.

Special focus:

The greatest potential for fraud arises in this phase. If the goods are issued but not correctly invoiced, there may be a tax evasion - whether intentional or not.

Category 3: Cancellation after completion

Typical scenarios: Incorrect item discovered after printing invoice, guest complains after payment, goods are returned.

Item has been booked, ordered internally and invoiced (invoice has been created).
Cancellation is only possible under clear rules and with authorisations.

Significance:

Very sensitive, as the guest may have already paid for and received the goods.
A subsequent cancellation without clear documentation quickly leads to legal problems.

Tip:

Use specially designed cancellation and loss reasons as well as the Hypersoft fraud evaluations in the Report Manager to keep track.

Further functions and outlook

Other cancellation types are available for more complex requirements:

correction cancellation
return cancellation

We deal with these special cases separately: Cancellation bookings in practice

Best practice: Classify cancellations correctly - informative or with loss of goods

background

Not all cancellations are the same. While some merely correct minor input errors, others lead to real losses - whether through returns, expiry or, unfortunately, fraud.

What is often overlooked in practice is that many companies invest an enormous amount of time in cancellation control, cancellation lists, authorisation approvals and training - without ever realising what is actually important: recognising the crucial difference between "harmless" cancellations and those with real economic or tax consequences.

This is precisely the decisive advantage of the Hypersoft system: it is (probably) the only POS system on the market that offers the option of differentiating cancellations not only technically, but also logically - through clearly definable reasons for cancellation that can be specifically classified as informational or loss-relevant. This means that the majority of cancellations can be classified automatically and processed without further attention - while you can focus on the few, really relevant cases.

"This turns your cancellation control into an intelligent management tool - instead of an endless to-do list."

target

This differentiation allows you to professionalise your processes and act correctly and transparently from both a business and tax perspective. They retain control, train their employees in a targeted manner and reduce misuse without losing flexibility.

Hypersoft solution: Categorisation with added value

You can provide each cancellation category (before order, after order, after completion, etc.) with its own reasons for cancellation. These in turn you can:

mark as informative cancellation → no storage effect, purely documentary
provided as cancellation with loss posting → affects warehouse / cost of goods sold

For example, you can define

cancellation reason	Type
"Typo"	Informative
"Eaten, but complained about"	With loss posting
"False order informative"	Informative
"Wrong order with loss"	With loss posting

You can also freely formulate reasons for losses and use them for evaluation.

Best practice recommendation

Implement all cancellations correctly - based on your processes and taking into account the goods movements.
Avoid blanket cancellations without context - these lead to incorrect evaluations and damage transparency.
Work actively with reasons for cancellation: they are valuable indicators for improvements, consultations or even audits.
Use regular meetings to discuss the reasons with the service and kitchen team and adjust them if necessary.

Special case 1: Abuse due to cancellation after order

A particularly sensitive area is cancellations after an order has been placed, i.e. when the kitchen has already produced. The following situation can arise in problematic companies:

The guest gets his meal. The goods are out. But the item is "subsequently cancelled" - the money ends up in the operator's till, not in the invoice. The chef may receive an extra "coffee" - and thus inadvertently becomes a confidant.

This is more than just a loss of goods: it is a massive breach of trust in the team and highly problematic from a legal perspective.

Hence our guiding principle:

If an operator receives goods without a receipt, it is not the operator who is the problem - it is the output.

A system that allows this must be restructured.

Special case 2: Misuse due to cancellation after conclusion

The most critical time for any cancellation is after the invoice has been issued. After all, if a process has already been completed - i.e. the goods have been produced, handed over and the invoice issued - any subsequent change is a particularly risky process.

What can happen:

An operator collects the table as normal. The bill is ready, the guests have left. Only then is the item "cancelled". It then disappears from the account - even though the money has long since ended up in the operator's till.

Some businesses only notice this practice at a late stage - for example due to irregularities in the cancellation figures, suspiciously high losses or irritated regular guests. In individual cases, cancellations after completion are even used to deliberately disguise sales.

Such transactions are not only a financial loss, but in case of doubt a tax evasion - with correspondingly high legal risks for the company.

Our guiding principle:

If items are cancelled after payment, extreme caution is required - and consistent monitoring is mandatory.

With the reasons for cancellation, the distinction between loss cancellation and informative cancellation as well as comprehensive authorisation models, Hypersoft offers a tool that specifically mitigates these processes - without blocking the service. This protects your team, your turnover and your legal security in a sensitive area.

Monitor reversal after completionFurther topics:

Further topics:

Cancellation bookings in practice

Monitor reversal after completion

Loss management in practice

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