EasyRMS Tips & Tricks: Boost Efficiency with These Hidden FeaturesEasyRMS is a point-of-sale and restaurant management system designed to streamline daily operations, reduce errors, and give managers better control over staff and inventory. While many users get comfortable with the basic POS flow — taking orders, printing checks, and closing out shifts — EasyRMS contains lesser-known features and workflow tweaks that can significantly increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve the guest experience. This article walks through practical tips and tricks, organized by role (manager, server, kitchen) and by function (setup, front-of-house, back-of-house, reporting). Each suggestion includes the why, how, and expected impact so you can implement changes quickly.
Quick list of what you’ll learn
- How to reduce order-entry time with product and modifier shortcuts
- Ways to speed up table turns using built-in floorplan tools
- Inventory and recipe features that cut waste and control costs
- Reporting tricks for faster, clearer analytics
- Employee and permission settings to reduce mistakes and fraud
- Kitchen display and printer setup to eliminate bottlenecks
Manager-focused setup and configuration
1) Use role-based permissions to prevent costly errors
Why: Giving everyone broad access can lead to accidental voids, price overrides, or unauthorized discounts.
How: Create distinct role profiles (e.g., Server, Supervisor, Manager) with granular permissions for voids, refunds, price changes, and reporting access. Assign staff to roles rather than giving individual permissions whenever possible.
Impact: Reduces accidental financial discrepancies and limits fraud risk.
2) Configure automated tasks and alerts
Why: Manual inventory checks, prep lists, and low-stock notifications are time-consuming and easily missed.
How: Set automated alerts for low stock thresholds, schedule daily prep lists to print for the kitchen, and enable nightly sales report emails to managers. Use the system’s scheduled tasks to run end-of-day processes automatically.
Impact: Saves time on routine tasks and prevents out-of-stock surprises.
3) Optimize menu hierarchy and pricing adjustments
Why: A cluttered menu increases order time and mistakes.
How: Group items logically (Starters, Mains, Sides, Drinks), use modifiers instead of separate SKUs for minor variations, and enable happy-hour pricing schedules rather than manual overrides. Use item-level costs to power food-cost reporting.
Impact: Faster order entry and more accurate cost tracking.
Front-of-house (server) efficiency hacks
4) Implement item and modifier shortcuts
Why: Typing or scrolling through long menus slows down order entry during rushes.
How: Create commonly used items as quick-access buttons and build modifier sets (e.g., “No Onion”, “Extra Sauce”) that can be tapped in one go. If EasyRMS supports keyboard shortcuts or barcode-entered menu items, map them for handheld or counter systems.
Impact: Speeds ticket creation and reduces queue times.
5) Train staff on order routing and seat-level ordering
Why: Incorrect seat ordering leads to wrong plates delivered, customer dissatisfaction, and wasted food.
How: Use seat-level order entry; train servers to assign each item to a seat and use send-to-kitchen options for in-progress items. Standardize order-taking language (e.g., “Seat 1 — Burger, Seat 2 — Salad”) to reduce ambiguity.
Impact: Fewer order errors and smoother table service.
6) Use open checks and timed table reminders
Why: Servers forget long-open checks, slowing table turns and reducing throughput.
How: Use the open-check feature for guests still dining and set reminder timers for tables that have been inactive for a configurable period (e.g., 20–30 minutes). Integrate prompts for servers to offer desserts or the check after a set time.
Impact: Improves table turnover and increases average spend.
Kitchen & back-of-house optimizations
7) Leverage Kitchen Display System (KDS) settings
Why: Kitchen miscommunication causes delays and remakes.
How: Customize KDS views by station (grill, fryer, expo), set priority flags for time-sensitive items, and enable color coding for order status (new, in progress, ready). If EasyRMS supports timers per dish, use them to highlight overdue items.
Impact: Faster ticket throughput and fewer remakes.
8) Print routing and kitchen printer grouping
Why: Wrong ticket routing slows prep and creates confusion.
How: Assign printers by station and group similar printers (e.g., all fryers) under single routing rules. For combo orders, enable multi-printer prints so each station receives only the relevant portion. Test printers for reliability and paper alignment during slow shifts.
Impact: Reduces misrouted orders and speeds up prep times.
9) Use recipe linking for inventory accuracy
Why: Without recipes linked to inventory, counts won’t reflect actual usage.
How: Build recipes in EasyRMS that tie ingredient quantities to menu items. When an item sells, the system decrements inventory automatically based on the recipe. Review yield settings and portion sizes to match real-world prep.
Impact: More accurate food-cost reporting and less waste.
Reporting, analytics, and decision-making
10) Customize dashboards for KPIs that matter
Why: Generic reports hide the metrics most important to your operation.
How: Create dashboard widgets for daily sales, average check, table turns, voids, and top-selling items. Set date-range presets for shifts and week-to-date reporting. Export automations for scheduled management review.
Impact: Clearer insights and faster decisions.
11) Use variance and audit reports to find shrinkage
Why: Theft and waste erode margins slowly and are often unnoticed.
How: Run periodic variance reports comparing expected inventory (based on sales/recipes) to counted inventory. Investigate large or recurring variances by reviewing transaction-level details (voids, discounts, comps).
Impact: Helps identify training needs, theft, and process gaps.
12) Leverage price-sensitivity testing
Why: Small pricing changes can affect margins and volume differently.
How: Use EasyRMS to run short-term price changes on limited items or time windows (e.g., weekday lunch special) and compare unit sales and revenue before rolling out broadly.
Impact: Data-driven pricing that protects margins.
Employee management and POS behavior
13) Use shift templates and labor forecasting
Why: Overstaffing or understaffing affects labor cost and service quality.
How: Create shift templates for typical days (weekday lunch, weekend dinner) and use historical sales to forecast labor needs. Sync schedules with the POS to track clock-ins/outs and late punches.
Impact: Reduced labor costs and better coverage during peaks.
14) Configure forced modifiers and mandatory notes
Why: Missing required order choices (e.g., protein for bowls) causes remakes.
How: Set modifiers as required fields where necessary, and use mandatory note fields for allergy alerts or special prep instructions. This enforces complete order capture.
Impact: Fewer remakes and improved guest satisfaction.
15) Track and review voids/discounts daily
Why: Voids and comping are normal but can be abused.
How: Require manager approval for voids beyond a set amount and review daily void/discount logs in pre-shift meetings. Use the POS’s reason-code requirement for each void/comp to build accountability.
Impact: Reduces misuse and increases transparency.
Maintenance, backups, and troubleshooting
16) Schedule daily and weekly backups
Why: Data loss disrupts operations and hampers reporting.
How: Enable automatic backups to secure cloud storage if available, and export critical reports weekly (sales, inventory, payroll) to an external drive or backup location. Test restores quarterly.
Impact: Protects historical data and reduces recovery time after incidents.
17) Keep software and firmware up to date
Why: Updates patch bugs and improve performance.
How: Schedule update windows during closed hours, test updates on a single terminal before full rollout, and keep firmware current on printers and KDS hardware.
Impact: Fewer technical disruptions and improved reliability.
Advanced workflows and integrations
18) Integrate with accounting and payroll
Why: Manual entry equals errors and wasted admin time.
How: Connect EasyRMS to your accounting software (QuickBooks, Xero, etc.) and payroll provider to sync sales, tip distribution, and labor hours automatically. Reconcile monthly with the POS sales summary.
Impact: Saves bookkeeping time and reduces reconciliation errors.
19) Use guest data and loyalty integrations
Why: Repeat customers drive most profitable growth.
How: Enable loyalty features to capture guest visits and spending, integrate SMS/email marketing for targeted offers, and segment customers by behavior for promotions. Respect privacy and opt-in rules.
Impact: Increases repeat visits and average check via targeted promotions.
20) Automate delivery and third-party routing
Why: Manually entering third-party orders duplicates effort and increases error risk.
How: Use integrations to route orders from delivery marketplaces directly into EasyRMS, or employ middleware that consolidates channels into a single flow. Map delivery fees and commissions correctly for accurate reporting.
Impact: Reduces double-entry and missed orders.
Quick checklist to implement in 30 days
- Set role-based permissions and require reason codes for voids.
- Create quick-access buttons for top 20 menu items and build modifier sets.
- Link recipes to inventory for high-cost items.
- Configure KDS views and printer routing by station.
- Schedule automated low-stock alerts and nightly sales emails.
- Create dashboard widgets for daily sales and voids.
- Enable loyalty capture and connect accounting export.
Final notes
Small configuration changes and a little staff training often produce outsized gains in speed and accuracy. Start with high-impact, low-effort items (shortcuts, required modifiers, printer routing), measure the results, and iterate. The combination of well-configured software and disciplined processes turns EasyRMS from a basic POS into a productivity engine for your restaurant.
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