Practical guide · October 9, 2026
Payment terminal receipt settings: a checkout checklist
A receipt setup that works during installation can still slow a busy checkout. The customer may want paper, the printer may run out, or a cashier may need to find yesterday’s transaction. Before choosing or changing a payment terminal, test the complete receipt routine: customer choice, merchant records, reprints and the connection to your till receipt.
This checklist is for owners and shift supervisors comparing terminals or training staff. It does not assume that every terminal offers email, text messages or the same menus. Ask the processor to demonstrate the exact model and software version in your quote. For broader hardware and contract questions, start with our debit machine rental guide.
Separate the payment receipt from the till receipt
Decide which document staff give the customer at each stage. In a standalone setup, the till may list the purchased items while the terminal produces a separate payment receipt. In an integrated setup, the documents and printer route depend on the point-of-sale configuration. A single receipt should not be assumed from the word “integrated.”
During a demonstration, ask staff to identify the transaction amount, transaction reference and customer copy without help. Check whether the itemized receipt and payment record can be connected by an order number or another approved reference. If two documents print, give the team a simple instruction about which copy goes to the customer and which is retained under your record policy.
Use this receipt configuration worksheet
| Setting or task | What to demonstrate | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Customer receipt choice | The actual options offered after a purchase | Available choices and the default selection |
| Merchant copy | Where the business copy appears | Printer, report location and responsible person |
| Paper sequence | Customer and merchant printing during a busy sale | Copy labels and any pause between copies |
| Receipt header | The business information shown on a sample | Who can correct an outdated label |
| Reprint | Finding an earlier completed transaction | Search method and permitted staff role |
| Printer interruption | The provider’s recovery procedure | How to confirm the transaction before taking another payment |
| Till connection | Matching the payment with the itemized order | Reference field and reconciliation method |
Fill in the worksheet using observed behaviour. Leave a field marked “not demonstrated” if the provider has not shown it. A feature on a brochure is a question to verify, rather than a completed checkout test.
A documented example: Moneris Go receipts
Moneris’s Go receipt documentation describes customer receipt options that depend on configuration, a merchant-copy setting, and reprinting from an existing transaction in Reports. It also documents masking card numbers on printed receipts. These are examples for the documented application, not a promise about every PBH quote or device.
Use that distinction when comparing suppliers. Ask whether the quoted device has the same functions, which require configuration, and which are unavailable. Do not follow a menu sequence from a different model merely because both terminals carry the same processor’s name.
Train for a printer problem without duplicating a sale
A missing paper receipt is not enough information to decide whether a payment completed. Teach staff to check the transaction record using the processor’s instructions before starting another purchase. If the result remains uncertain, stop and involve the supervisor or provider support. Record the time, terminal and permitted transaction reference so the enquiry can be traced.
Ask for a demonstration of paper replacement and reprinting, using the provider’s approved training method. Keep spare rolls of the specified size near checkout, with a named person responsible for replenishment. Do not collect a full card number in a training worksheet or ordinary shift notes.
Test the routine with the people who use it
Run through a standard purchase receipt, a customer requesting another copy, and a printer interruption. Where the provider supports a safe demonstration environment, have a cashier perform the steps while a supervisor observes. Agree on any charges or live transaction implications before conducting a real payment test.
For each scenario, record whether the cashier found the correct transaction, selected the correct copy and knew when to escalate. Review the results alongside the end-of-day reconciliation checklist, which covers matching terminal totals with other business records.
Questions to ask before accepting a quote
Who can change receipt settings? Does a replacement terminal retain the configuration? Is the receipt printer built in or supplied separately? Which customer receipt options are available on this particular account? Where does the merchant record remain accessible, and what happens if the printer stops working?
Take your completed worksheet to PBH Canada’s sign-up page when asking about terminal options. Describe your till, expected receipt volume and the situations staff must handle. Request confirmation of the exact configuration and support procedure before rollout; this checklist does not establish pricing, approval or service inclusions.