Getting Started - iPad POS app

This guide walks you through setting up the Zavo POS app on a new iPad — from finding your device in the Dashboard, to entering its registration code on the iPad, to opening the register and taking your first order.

The iPads you bought are already provisioned in your Dashboard — you don’t create them. You just open each one, set its operation modes, copy the registration code, and type it into the iPad.

What you need

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• An iPad running iPadOS 18.0 or later (for the full POS, KDS, or reception station)
• The Zavo POS app installed from the App Store
• A Zavo Dashboard account with at least one location already created (see Getting Started - Dashboard)
• A staff member with a 4-digit PIN set up under Users
• Wi-Fi or a cellular connection for the initial registration and first sync

Step 1: Find your iPad in the Dashboard

Open the Dashboard and go to Devices. The iPads included with your subscription are already listed in the All Devices table — one row per seat you bought:

Each row shows:

• Device — a small icon (tablet for kiosk, monitor for KDS) and the device’s label
• Type — Kiosk (POS) or Kitchen Display
• Registration Code — a 6-digit code with a dash in the middle, like 427-893, used once on the iPad to claim it
• Location — the location the iPad is bound to
• Status — Pending until the iPad claims its code, then Active

Hover a row and click the ⋯ menu to Rename Device, Reassign Location, change the Operation Mode, or regenerate the code.

Step 2: Set the iPad’s operation modes

On the iPad’s row, open the Operation Mode dialog and choose how the iPad should behave on the floor. The iPad reads these settings on first sync and renders only the relevant screens.

For a Kiosk iPad you can mix and match Full service, Quick service and Reception — for example, a single bar iPad that handles both pay-first counter orders and pay-later table service:

KDS is locked to a single mode and can’t be changed:

What each mode does:

• Full service Pay later — table service where guests pay after their meal
• Quick service Pay first — counter service where guests pay before their order; auto-assigns a quick-tab slot
• Reception No payments — manage reservations and coordinate seating from the host stand
• KDS No payments — kitchen display for order preparation and ticket management

Step 3: Get the registration code

Each iPad row in the Dashboard shows a registration code that looks like 427-893. Copy it — you’ll type it into the iPad next.

If the row doesn’t show a code (already claimed, revoked, or you want a fresh one), use Regenerate code on the row. The previous code is invalidated and a new one is shown immediately.

Step 4: Open the Zavo POS app and enter the code

Install Zavo POS from the App Store and open it on the iPad. The first screen is Welcome Back! with a single Registration Code field:

Type the 427-893 code from Step 3 (the field auto-capitalises) and tap Register Device.

If the code is valid, the iPad is paired with your location, downloads your venue’s setup (menu, floor plan, staff, settings, and the operation modes you set in Step 2), and moves on automatically. If you see an error, double-check the code on the Dashboard — it may have been revoked or already used.

Step 5: Sign in and open the register

After registration, the iPad lands on the Lock screen — a numeric keypad with the heading Register closed:

Enter your 4-digit staff PIN. If you don’t yet have a PIN, ask a manager to create one for you under Users in the Dashboard.

Because the register is closed for the day, you’ll be prompted to enter the starting cash amount (the float in the till). Type the amount and confirm. This opens the register and unlocks the rest of the app.

Step 6: Start taking orders

Once the register is open, the iPad lands on the Restaurant view — your floor plan with every room and table from the Dashboard. Tap any table to begin a ticket.

Day-to-day sign-in

After the first-time setup, opening the app skips Steps 1–5 entirely. You’ll go straight to the Lock screen:

• If the register is closed, the heading reads “Register closed” and the first sign-in of the day will prompt for the opening cash amount.
• If the register is open, the heading reads “Register locked” and the PIN simply unlocks the iPad for the next user.

The Lock screen also exposes:

• Cash in / Cash out — record cash going into or out of the till mid-shift (manager permission required)
• Close register — start the end-of-day close-out flow (manager permission required)
• X-day report — view the live shift report (manager permission required)

Troubleshooting

• “Registration failed. Please check your code and try again.” — The code is mistyped, expired, or has already been claimed. Generate a fresh one from the Dashboard’s Devices page using the Regenerate code action.
• PIN keeps showing “Pin incorrect” — Confirm the staff member exists under the active location in the Dashboard and that the PIN was set on their staff record.
• Stuck on a black or boot screen — The iPad is still loading your venue’s setup. If it doesn’t progress within a minute, force-quit the app and reopen — it will retry the sync automatically.
• Need to move an iPad to a different location — Use Reassign on the iPad row in the Dashboard’s Devices page. No re-registration is required.

Next steps

• Restaurant View — Understand the floor plan, table colors, and badges
• Order Taking — Add items, modifiers, courses, and fire orders to the kitchen
• Payments — Run checkout, split a bill, and process refunds
• Settings — Reconfigure the iPad after setup