Troubleshooting sales discrepancies between 7shifts and your POS
7shifts syncs sales data from your POS using defined rules. When those rules differ from how your POS calculates or displays sales, the totals won't match. The most common sources of discrepancy are voided or deleted receipts, net sales exclusions, and sync delays.
Why doesn't my POS sales data match what I see in 7shifts?
Before troubleshooting, confirm that both systems are configured correctly:
- Both 7shifts and your POS must be set to the same time zone.
- The work day in both systems should span from 5:00 AM to 5:00 AM.
- Data syncs at predefined intervals. Depending on your POS, there may be a delay of seconds to hours before changes in one system appear in the other.
- Real-time sales data is enabled by default when a POS integration is activated. A 14-day backfill of historical sales data also runs at activation.
- Sales projections take approximately 1 to 2 weeks after integration activation to appear. Initial projections cover up to four weeks into the future and become more accurate as more sales data is collected. 7shifts Sales Projections defines how projections are calculated.
- By default, 7shifts excludes service charges, tips, gratuities, fees, and non-revenue items such as gift card sales from net sales calculations. Calculating Net Sales in 7shifts defines what is and isn't included.
What To Do
Check each of the following causes against your data to identify the source of the discrepancy.
Voided or deleted receipts
If a receipt is voided or deleted in your POS after 7shifts has already imported the sale, the total in 7shifts will be higher than your POS. Train staff on the correct procedures for voiding and deleting receipts so they understand the effect on data sync.
Open receipts
Open receipts that are later merged or deleted in your POS can cause the same overstated total issue. The sale syncs to 7shifts before the receipt is resolved in the POS.
Net sales calculation
7shifts imports net sales, not gross sales. By default, 7shifts excludes service charges, tips, gratuities, fees, and non-revenue items from net sales. The formula 7shifts uses is: Net Sales = (Gross Sales) minus (Discounts) minus (Comps).
If your POS reports gross sales, the totals will differ. Calculating Net Sales in 7shifts defines what is excluded. Reporting gross sales in 7shifts instead of net sales covers how to switch if needed.
Gift card sales (Omnivore integrations)
For Omnivore integrations, gift card sales are excluded from total sales calculations by default. Typos in "Gift Card" line item names in your POS can cause gift card sales to be included in totals incorrectly. Confirm that gift card items are named correctly in your POS.
Department-Based Budgeting
If you use Department-Based Budgeting, confirm that revenue centers and categories are correctly configured. Enabling Department-Based Budgeting doesn't retroactively update historical data. Contact support if you need historical data synced after enabling this feature. Department-Based Budgeting defines how revenue centers and categories are configured.
Issue Unresolved
If the steps above don't identify the source of the discrepancy, contact 7shifts Support via chat. To help the team investigate faster, have the following ready before reaching out:
- Sales Summary: exports of sales data from both your POS and 7shifts.
- Transaction or order reports: exports of transaction history and sales receipts from your POS.
- Expected sales figure: the accurate sales total you expect to see.
- Discrepancy description: the specific numbers that don't match between 7shifts and your POS.
- Data location in 7shifts: where you're viewing the sales data, for example the Dashboard or Actuals Report.
- Discrepancy timeframe and frequency: when you first noticed the discrepancy and whether it happens consistently or sporadically.