Route each item to the right kitchen printer
KOT Mapping decides which kitchen printer gets each item on an order. Set it up once and one table's order splits itself into a bar ticket, a grill ticket and a dessert ticket.
Kitchen printer routing in SeroPOS
Map by category
Send a whole category, such as Beer or Cocktails, to the bar printer in one step.
Map by product
Pick individual products when one item is made somewhere unusual, like a dessert plated at the bar.
Map by food type
Route by Veg, Non Veg, Eggitarian or General when separate kitchens cook each.
Named stations
Each mapping has a unique KOT name, such as Grill or Cold Line, and one printer.
Select all or clear
Pickers have Select all and Clear, so a big menu takes minutes, not an afternoon.
Per location
Mappings are set per location in the back office, so each store matches its own kitchen.
One order, the right tickets
In most restaurants the person pouring drinks is not the person on the grill. Without routing, every ticket prints in one place and someone has to tear it up and carry pieces around. KOT Mapping fixes that. Each mapping links a printer to a set of categories, products or food types. When an order is held or paid, SeroPOS checks each line and prints it on the printer it belongs to.
A table ordering two pints, a burger and a salad gets a bar ticket with the pints and a kitchen ticket with the food, from the same HOLD. Nobody has to sort tickets by hand, and each station sees only the items it is responsible for, which cuts mistakes when the kitchen is under pressure.
Setting up KOT Mapping in the app
Open the side drawer and choose KOT Mapping, described in the app as the place to route ordered items to the right kitchen printer. Press ADD KOT, give it a unique name, choose the printer, then pick categories, products or food types. The pickers have Select all and Clear buttons. Save it, then repeat for each station.
You can edit a mapping later or delete it after a confirmation. A printer that is part of a mapping cannot be deleted from Printer Management until the mapping is changed, which stops a station going quiet by accident. If you replace a printer, point the mapping at the new one and the station keeps working.
- Drawer › KOT Mapping › ADD KOT
- Name the station and choose its printer
- Pick categories, products or food types
- Save, then add the next station
Routing from the web back office
The same routing can be managed in the back office under Settings › KOT. Each entry has a name, a business location, a printer and the categories or products it covers. Because it is per location, a second store with a different kitchen layout keeps its own mappings. Changes made there reach the tills on their next sync.
Printers themselves are added on the till under Add/Edit Printer, with network, Bluetooth, USB or Windows connections and an Auto-detect button. Network printers on port 9100 are the usual choice for a kitchen, because they sit away from the till and do not need a cable run. Bluetooth and USB suit a printer that sits beside the till.
Works with the kitchen display too
If some stations use a screen instead of paper, KOT Mapping still matters. The in-app kitchen display filters tickets by station, and those stations come from your KOT setup. The Print KDS setting checks it in three steps: Enable KOT first, configure KOT, then map KOT. Set up routing once and it serves both paper and screens.
Routing is a restaurant feature, so KOT Mapping is hidden on tills running in Retail Mode. A shop that sells hot food and groceries can keep Retail Mode off on the counter that sends orders to the kitchen. Other tills, such as a retail shelf counter, can still use Retail Mode.
Frequently asked questions
How do I send drinks to the bar printer and food to the kitchen?
Create two mappings in KOT Mapping. Name one Bar, choose the bar printer and select your drink categories. Name the other Kitchen, choose the kitchen printer and select your food categories. Each order then prints its drinks at the bar and its food in the kitchen.
Can one product go to a different printer from its category?
Yes. Mappings can include individual products as well as whole categories, so you can send one item, such as a dessert plated at the bar, to a different station from the rest of its category. Product mappings sit alongside category mappings in the same setup.
What does mapping by food type do?
Products can be tagged Veg, Non Veg, Eggitarian or General. A mapping can route by those tags, which suits kitchens that keep separate prep areas for vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. It also works for a separate egg-free station, using the Eggitarian tag.
Why can't I delete a kitchen printer?
A printer that is used in a KOT mapping is blocked from deletion in Printer Management. Edit or delete the mapping first, then remove the printer. This stops a station losing its tickets by mistake. It is a small safeguard that saves a quiet station in the middle of service.
Is KOT routing set per store?
Yes. In the back office, KOT entries under Settings › KOT belong to a business location, so each store can route items to its own printers and stations. A second store with a different kitchen layout keeps its own routing without affecting the first.