# Product Catalogue Module — User Guide ## Table of Contents 1. [Overview](#1-overview) 2. [Key Features](#2-key-features) 3. [Getting Started](#3-getting-started) 4. [QR Code Generation](#4-qr-code-generation) 5. [Catalogue Settings](#5-catalogue-settings) 6. [Public Catalogue (Customer View)](#6-public-catalogue-customer-view) 7. [Product Search](#7-product-search) 8. [Shopping Cart & Ordering](#8-shopping-cart--ordering) 9. [Order Types & Customer Info](#9-order-types--customer-info) 10. [Table Selection (Restaurant)](#10-table-selection-restaurant) 11. [Analytics Dashboard](#11-analytics-dashboard) 12. [Order Notes](#12-order-notes) 13. [Announcement Banner](#13-announcement-banner) 14. [Social Sharing & WhatsApp](#14-social-sharing--whatsapp) 15. [Appearance & Branding](#15-appearance--branding) 16. [Permissions & Roles](#16-permissions--roles) 17. [Notifications](#17-notifications) 18. [Best Practices](#18-best-practices) 19. [Troubleshooting](#19-troubleshooting) 20. [FAQ](#20-faq) --- ## 1. Overview The **Product Catalogue** module turns your BitorePOS product inventory into a beautiful, customer-facing digital catalogue accessible via a simple QR code scan. Customers browse products, view details, add items to cart, and place orders directly from their smartphones — no app installation required. **Use Cases:** - **Restaurants & Cafés** — Digital menus with table-specific QR codes - **Retail Stores** — Product showcase for in-store or window display - **Food Trucks & Pop-ups** — Quick contactless ordering - **Wholesale** — Share product catalogue links with B2B customers - **Events & Exhibitions** — Temporary product displays with QR ordering --- ## 2. Key Features | Feature | Description | |---------|-------------| | **QR Code Generator** | Generate customisable QR codes per location and per table | | **Responsive Catalogue** | Mobile-first product grid with category navigation | | **Shopping Cart** | Easy cart with quantity management — items stay saved even if customers refresh the page | | **QR Ordering** | Customers place orders → new orders appear on your screen automatically | | **Table Billing** | Link QR codes to restaurant tables for dine-in ordering | | **Product Search** | Instant product search within the catalogue | | **Analytics Dashboard** | Track page views, product views, add-to-cart, orders, conversion rate | | **Order Notes** | Capture customer name, phone, special instructions, order type | | **Announcement Banner** | Display promotions or alerts on the catalogue | | **Branding Controls** | Customise colours, logo, title, product display options | | **Social Sharing** | Share catalogue via WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, or copy link | | **Stock Awareness** | Automatically shows out-of-stock badges; optionally hide OOS products | | **Multi-location** | Separate catalogues per business location | | **Discount Display** | Brand/category discounts shown as badges on products | | **Notification** | Staff receive real-time notifications when QR orders are placed | --- ## 3. Getting Started ### Prerequisites - BitorePOS installed and configured - At least one business location created - Products added to inventory with images and prices - Product Catalogue module installed and activated ### Quick Setup (5 Minutes) 1. **Navigate to:** Sidebar → **Product Catalogue** → **Generate QR** 2. Select your **Business Location** 3. (Optional) Select a **Table** if using restaurant tables 4. Click **Generate QR Code** 5. Download the QR image and print/display it 6. Done! Customers can scan and browse immediately --- ## 4. QR Code Generation ### How to Generate 1. Go to **Product Catalogue → Generate QR** 2. **Select Location** — Choose the business location (products shown will match this location) 3. **Select Table** (if tables are enabled) — Each table gets a unique QR code with table auto-linked 4. **QR Code Color** — Pick a colour using the colour picker 5. **Title** — Defaults to your business name; customise as needed 6. **Subtitle** — Auto-fills with table name if selected; or add custom text 7. **Show Logo** — Check to embed your business logo in the QR code centre 8. Click **Generate QR Code** ### Download & Share - Click **Download Image** to save as PNG - Print QR codes on table tents, receipts, flyers, or stickers - QR links can also be shared digitally via messaging apps ### Per-Table QR Codes When the Restaurant/Tables module is enabled: - Each table gets its own unique QR code - Orders placed via table QR are automatically linked to that table - Kitchen staff can see which table the order belongs to --- ## 5. Catalogue Settings Navigate to **Product Catalogue → Settings** to configure the full catalogue behaviour. ### General Settings | Setting | Description | |---------|-------------| | **Catalogue Title** | Custom title shown on the catalogue page | | **Catalogue Description** | Brief text displayed below the title | | **Out of Stock Products** | Show or Hide — hide removes OOS items from catalogue entirely | | **Show SKU** | Toggle SKU display on product cards | | **Show Description** | Toggle product description visibility | | **Products Per Row** | 2, 3, 4, or 6 columns on desktop | ### Ordering Features | Setting | Description | |---------|-------------| | **Enable QR Ordering** | Turn on/off the ability for customers to place orders | | **Collect Customer Info** | When enabled, checkout asks for name and phone | | **Enable Search** | Show/hide the search bar on the catalogue | ### Social & Sharing | Setting | Description | |---------|-------------| | **Social Share Buttons** | Enable WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter share buttons | | **WhatsApp Number** | Your business WhatsApp number for direct ordering | ### Announcement Banner | Setting | Description | |---------|-------------| | **Enable Announcement** | Toggle the banner on/off | | **Announcement Text** | e.g. "Free delivery on orders over $50!" | --- ## 6. Public Catalogue (Customer View) When customers scan the QR code, they are taken to your catalogue page automatically. ### What Customers See 1. **Hero Header** — Business logo, name, location name, and address 2. **Category Navbar** — Sticky navigation with horizontal category tabs 3. **Product Grid** — Cards showing image, name, price, SKU, and Add to Cart 4. **Discount Badges** — Percentage badges for active brand/category discounts 5. **Out of Stock Badges** — Visual OOS indicator on unavailable items 6. **Floating Cart Button** — Shows item count and running total 7. **Announcement Banner** — Promotional text (when enabled) ### Product Detail Modal Click any product to see: - Full-size product image - Price (including tax) - SKU, category, sub-category, brand - Custom fields - Product description - Variable product options with per-variation images - Combo product components - Add to Cart button --- ## 7. Product Search When enabled in settings, customers see a search bar above the product grid. - **Minimum 2 characters** to trigger search - Searches product **name** and **SKU** - Returns up to 20 matching products - Respects out-of-stock visibility settings - Results include image, name, price, and Add to Cart action --- ## 8. Shopping Cart & Ordering ### Adding Items - Click **Add to Cart** on any single/combo product - For variable products, click **View Options** → select variation → Add - Cart items are saved automatically (they remain even if the customer refreshes the page) ### Cart Management - **Floating button** (bottom-right) shows count and total - Click to open **Cart Modal**: - See all items with quantities - Increment/decrement quantities with +/- buttons - Remove items with × button - Running total updates in real-time ### Placing an Order 1. Review items in cart modal 2. (If required) Enter customer name, phone, special instructions 3. Click **Place Order** 4. System creates a **Draft sell transaction** 5. Stock is automatically decreased 6. Staff receive real-time notification 7. Cart clears automatically on success --- ## 9. Order Types & Customer Info When **Collect Customer Info** is enabled in settings: | Field | Description | |-------|-------------| | **Customer Name** | Optional name field | | **Customer Phone** | Optional phone number | | **Order Type** | Dine In, Takeaway, or Delivery | | **Special Instructions** | Free-text notes (e.g. "No onions, extra sauce") | This data is saved to the **Order Notes** section for staff to review. --- ## 10. Table Selection (Restaurant) When BitorePOS restaurant tables module is enabled: 1. QR Generation page shows a **Table** dropdown 2. Each table gets its own unique QR code 3. Customer scans table QR → table is automatically detected 4. Order is linked to that specific table 5. Table status shows as occupied after order placement 6. Staff can see table assignments in order notifications ### Table Status - **Free** — No active draft/final orders - **Occupied** — Has pending orders (not yet served) --- ## 11. Analytics Dashboard Navigate to **Product Catalogue → Analytics** to see performance data. ### KPI Cards | Metric | Description | |--------|-------------| | **Page Views** | Total catalogue page loads | | **Unique Visitors** | Distinct sessions | | **Product Views** | Times product detail modals were opened | | **Add to Cart** | Times Add to Cart was clicked | | **Orders Placed** | Completed QR orders | | **Conversion Rate** | Orders ÷ Page Views × 100 | ### Filters - **Business Location** — Filter by specific location or view all - **Date Range** — Custom from/to date selection ### Charts & Tables - **Daily Page Views** — Line chart showing traffic over time - **Top 10 Viewed Products** — Ranked table of most popular products ### What Gets Tracked Automatically The system automatically records the following actions for your analytics: - When the catalogue page is opened - When a customer views a product's details - When a customer adds an item to their cart - When an order is placed - When a QR code is scanned --- ## 12. Order Notes Navigate to **Product Catalogue → Order Notes** to review customer-submitted information. ### Table Columns | Column | Description | |--------|-------------| | **Invoice / Ref** | Linked transaction reference number | | **Customer Name** | Name provided by customer | | **Customer Phone** | Phone number provided | | **Order Type** | Dine In / Takeaway / Delivery badge | | **Special Instructions** | Customer's notes | | **Total** | Order amount | | **Status** | Transaction status (draft/final) | | **Date** | When the order was placed | Orders display 25 per page with pagination. --- ## 13. Announcement Banner Use the announcement feature to communicate with catalogue visitors: ### Examples - "🎉 Happy Hour — 20% off all beverages until 6 PM!" - "📦 Free delivery on orders above $50" - "⚠️ Kitchen closes at 10 PM" - "🆕 Try our new seasonal menu items!" ### Setup 1. Go to **Catalogue Settings** 2. Enable **Show Announcement on Catalogue** 3. Enter your **Announcement Text** 4. Save The banner appears at the top of the customer catalogue page. --- ## 14. Social Sharing & WhatsApp ### Social Share Buttons When enabled, customers see share icons on the catalogue: - **WhatsApp** — Opens WhatsApp with catalogue link - **Facebook** — Share to Facebook - **Twitter** — Tweet the catalogue link - **Copy Link** — Copies URL to clipboard ### WhatsApp Ordering Enter your WhatsApp business number in settings (with country code). Customers can: - Tap WhatsApp button to open a chat with your business - Share the catalogue with friends/family --- ## 15. Appearance & Branding ### Customisable Elements | Element | Control | |---------|---------| | **Header Gradient** | Primary + Secondary colour | | **Category Bar** | Follows primary colour | | **Product Cards** | Clean white with shadow | | **Add to Cart Button** | Uses primary colour gradient | | **Discount Badge** | Gold/amber gradient | | **Cart FAB Button** | Green gradient | | **QR Code** | Custom colour selection | ### Logo Display - Logo appears in catalogue header - Can be embedded in QR center - Shown in category navigation bar ### Mobile Responsive The catalogue is fully responsive: - **Desktop** — 4 products per row (configurable) - **Tablet** — 3 products per row - **Mobile** — 2 products per row - Floating cart button spans full width on mobile --- ## 16. Permissions & Roles ### Available Permissions | Permission | Description | |-----------|-------------| | **Catalogue Settings** | Access to configure catalogue settings | | **Catalogue Analytics** | View analytics dashboard | | **Catalogue Order Notes** | View customer order notes | ### Assigning Permissions 1. Go to **User Management → Roles** 2. Edit a role 3. Under module permissions, find **Product Catalogue** 4. Toggle desired permissions 5. Save **Note:** The catalogue public pages (customer-facing) do not require any authentication. Only the admin sections (QR generation, settings, analytics, order notes) require login. --- ## 17. Notifications ### QR Order Notification When a customer places an order through the catalogue: 1. All users of the business receive a database notification 2. Notification shows: - "New QR order draft received" - Table name (if applicable) - Invoice/reference number 3. Clicking the notification goes to the **Drafts** page 4. Staff can then finalize the order ### Notification Example You will see a message like: "New QR order received — Table 5 (INV-001234)" --- ## 18. Best Practices ### Product Setup - ✅ Add high-quality product images (400×400px minimum) - ✅ Write clear, concise product names - ✅ Set accurate prices including tax - ✅ Categorise all products for easy navigation - ✅ Keep stock levels updated for accurate availability - ✅ Add product descriptions for detail view ### QR Code Placement - ✅ Print on table tents for restaurants - ✅ Add to receipts for repeat customers - ✅ Display on storefront windows - ✅ Include in marketing materials and social media - ✅ Use per-table QR codes for table service ### Ordering Workflow - ✅ Process QR orders promptly from the Drafts section - ✅ Enable notifications for all staff - ✅ Review Order Notes for special instructions - ✅ Regularly check Analytics for insights - ✅ Finalize draft orders to update stock ### Performance - ✅ Monitor conversion rate in Analytics - ✅ Track top-viewed products to inform promotions - ✅ Use Announcement Banner for time-sensitive offers - ✅ Update catalogue settings seasonally --- ## 19. Troubleshooting ### QR Code Not Working | Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | QR code not scanning | Ensure sufficient contrast between QR colour and background | | QR leads to error page | Verify the business location exists and has products | | QR shows wrong products | Check that products are assigned to the correct location | ### Ordering Issues | Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | "Product not available" error | Product may be inactive, not for selling, or not assigned to location | | "Walk-in customer not configured" | Create a Walk-in customer in Contacts | | Stock quantity errors | Check stock levels in inventory management | | Order not appearing | Check Drafts section; verify staff notifications are enabled | ### Display Issues | Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | No products showing | Verify products exist at the selected location | | Out of stock showing | Enable stock management or update stock quantities | | Images not loading | Ensure product images are uploaded and accessible | | Styles broken | Contact your system administrator to refresh the module files | ### Settings Not Saving | Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | Permission denied | Ensure the user's role has the **Catalogue Settings** permission enabled | | Settings reverting | Clear browser cache and try again | | System error | Contact your system administrator to check the error logs | --- ## 20. FAQ **Q: Can customers pay through the catalogue?** A: Currently, the catalogue creates draft orders. Payment is handled when staff finalize the order through the POS. Online payment integration is planned for future versions. **Q: Can I use this without restaurant tables?** A: Absolutely! The table feature is optional. You can generate simple location-based QR codes without any table selection. **Q: Does the catalogue work offline?** A: The cart uses localStorage and persists between visits. However, browsing products and placing orders requires an internet connection. **Q: Can I have different catalogues for different locations?** A: Yes! Each QR code is location-specific. Products, prices, and stock levels are filtered per location. **Q: How do customers know their order was placed?** A: After clicking Place Order, a success message is displayed. Staff receive a real-time notification and can confirm via the Drafts page. **Q: Can I customize the catalogue design beyond color settings?** A: The settings page covers the most common branding needs (colours, logo, layout). For further customisation, contact your system administrator. **Q: Is the catalogue SEO-friendly?** A: The catalogue pages include proper HTML structure, meta titles, and responsive design. For better SEO, consider adding meta descriptions in the catalogue settings. **Q: How do I track which QR code performs best?** A: The Analytics dashboard shows views per location. Generate per-table QR codes to track specific placement performance. **Q: Can I disable ordering and use it as a view-only catalogue?** A: Yes! Disable "Enable QR Ordering" in settings. The Add to Cart buttons and cart will be hidden. Customers can still browse products. **Q: What happens if a product goes out of stock while it's in someone's cart?** A: When the order is placed, the system validates stock availability. If insufficient stock is available, an error message lists the affected products and the order is not placed. --- *Last updated: June 2025*