HandyCafe Docs
owner cashier

How to Manage Sessions

This guide covers every session operation a cashier or owner performs during a typical shift. Sessions are the core billing unit in HandyCafe. Each section below describes a single operation with numbered steps and the expected result.

What You Will Need

  • A running HandyCafe Server with at least one connected client PC (showing a blue "Idle" tile).
  • A logged-in cashier or admin account on the server.
  • Pricing configured (hourly rate, VAT, and at least one payment method). See the pricing configuration guide if you have not done this yet.

How to Start a Postpaid Session

A postpaid session charges the customer when the session ends. The timer counts up with no preset limit.

  1. Locate the idle client PC in the Admin Panel. It will show a blue tile with "Idle" status.
  2. Click Start on the client tile.
  3. In the session dialog, ensure the session type is set to Postpaid. This is the default.
  4. Optionally, assign a member by typing a username in the member search field. If the customer is a guest, leave this field empty.
  5. Click Confirm.

Expected result: The client tile turns green and displays a timer counting up from 00:00:00. The client PC transitions from the lock screen to the Online Page desktop. The session is now recording billable time.

How to Start a Prepaid Session

A prepaid session has a fixed duration. The timer counts down and the session ends automatically when time runs out.

  1. Locate the idle client PC in the Admin Panel.
  2. Click Start on the client tile.
  3. In the session dialog, toggle the session type to Prepaid.
  4. Choose Minutes or Amount.
  5. In Minutes, enter the duration in the left-side Minutes field. Review Collected on the right. If an exceptional adjustment is needed, click the pencil icon to edit it inline. No additional confirmation dialog appears. In Amount, enter the exact payment in the left-side Amount field. Review the derived duration and the read-only Collected mirror on the right.
  6. Compare Calculated Charge with Collected.
  7. Select the payment method the customer is using (Cash, Card, or any custom method you have created).
  8. Optionally assign a member.
  9. Click Ok.

Expected result: The client tile turns green and displays a countdown timer starting from the purchased duration. Amount entry is converted to whole seconds on current PC clients. The exact Collected value is recorded in the cash transaction. When the timer reaches zero, the session ends automatically and the PC returns to idle. Postpaid and open-ended starts remain unchanged.

How to Pause a Session

Pausing stops the billing timer while keeping the session open. Use this when a customer needs to step away temporarily.

  1. Click Pause on the green (active) client tile in the Admin Panel.
  2. Confirm the pause in the dialog that appears.

Expected result: The client tile turns orange and the timer stops incrementing. The client PC shows a paused state. No time is billed while the session is paused. A new pricing segment boundary is recorded at the pause point.

How to Resume a Paused Session

Resuming restarts the billing timer from where it was paused.

  1. Click Resume on the orange (paused) client tile in the Admin Panel.
  2. Confirm the resume in the dialog.

Expected result: The client tile returns to green and the timer resumes counting. A new pricing segment begins at the resume point. If the active pricing schedule has changed since the session was paused (for example, the session was paused at off-peak and resumed at peak hours), the new segment will use the current multiplier.

How to Add Time to an Active Session

You can extend or shorten an active session by adding positive or negative minutes. This works for both prepaid and postpaid sessions.

  1. Click Add Time on the green (active) client tile in the Admin Panel.
  2. Enter the number of minutes to add. Use a positive number to extend (e.g., 30) or a negative number to shorten (e.g., -15).
  3. Click Confirm.

Expected result: For prepaid sessions, the countdown timer updates to reflect the added or removed time. For postpaid sessions, the duration adjustment is recorded and will be reflected in the final billing calculation. A log entry records the time adjustment.

How to Stop a Session and Collect Payment

Stopping a session ends billing, calculates the total charge, and records a transaction.

  1. Click Stop on the green (active) client tile in the Admin Panel.
  2. Review the cost breakdown dialog. It displays:
    • Total session duration.
    • Hourly rate applied.
    • Pricing segments (if the session spanned multiple pricing schedule slots).
    • Startup fee (if configured).
    • VAT amount.
    • Total charge.
  3. Select the payment method (Cash, Card, or a custom method).
  4. Click Confirm to finalize the session.

Expected result: The client tile returns to blue "Idle" status. The client PC shows the lock screen. A transaction is created with the full cost breakdown. The transaction appears in the Cash Report and in the Logs page.

How to Start a Member Session with Wallet Deduction

If a member has a wallet balance, the session cost can be deducted from their wallet instead of requiring a cash payment at the end.

  1. Click Start on the idle client tile.
  2. In the member search field, type the member's username or display name and select them from the results.
  3. The dialog will show the member's current wallet balance.
  4. Select the session type (Postpaid or Prepaid).
  5. For Prepaid, enter the duration or select a preset. For Postpaid, proceed directly.
  6. Click Confirm.

Expected result: The session starts with the member assigned. For postpaid, when the session is stopped, the system will offer the option to deduct the charge from the member's wallet. For prepaid, the amount is deducted from the wallet at session start. Wallet consumption records are created in the member's transaction history.

What Happens if the Server Connection Is Lost

An active member session on a client PC continues when the HandyCafe Server or network becomes unavailable. The client remains usable and keeps its local timer running. The server dashboard shows the client as Offline during the outage.

No cashier action is required to resume the session. When the connection returns, HandyCafe verifies the client, session, and member. It then continues the same session and reconciles the elapsed time from the outage. A network disconnect by itself does not log the member out.

The member still logs out when they select logout or when a valid time or balance limit is exhausted. An operator stop also ends the session once the command can reach the client.

How to Start a Console Session

Console sessions work the same as PC sessions but for gaming consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, etc.) that do not run the HandyCafe Client software.

  1. Navigate to the Consoles page in the left sidebar.
  2. Locate the console you want to start a session on.
  3. Click Start on the console tile.
  4. Select Postpaid or Prepaid. Console pricing uses the multiplier configured for that specific console.
  5. For Prepaid, choose Minutes or Amount. In Minutes, the left side contains only the Minutes input. Review Collected on the right. Use its pencil icon only for an exceptional inline adjustment. No additional confirmation dialog appears. In Amount, the left-side Amount input controls the exact payment. The right-side Collected value is a read-only mirror. HandyCafe derives a whole-second countdown from the console hourly rate.
  6. Optionally assign a member.
  7. Click Ok.

Expected result: The console tile turns green with a running timer. Console sessions use the console's individual pricing multiplier applied on top of the base hourly rate. Postpaid console starts remain unchanged.

How to Switch a Session Between PCs

If a customer needs to move to a different PC, you can transfer their session without stopping and restarting.

  1. Click Switch on the active (green) client tile for the PC currently running the session.
  2. In the dialog, select the destination PC from the list of idle clients.
  3. Click Confirm.

Expected result: The session transfers to the new PC. The original PC returns to idle and the destination PC becomes active with the same session timer, member assignment, and billing state. No pricing gaps are created.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Forgetting to stop sessions at end of day. Any session left running overnight will continue accumulating charges. Always verify all sessions are closed before closing the register.
  • Pausing instead of stopping. Pausing keeps the session open. If the customer has left for good, stop the session to record the payment.
  • Adding negative time past zero. If you subtract more minutes than remain on a prepaid session, the session will end immediately. Double-check the remaining time before entering a negative value.
  • Stopping a session before the customer is done. Once stopped, the customer loses access to the PC. Always confirm with the customer before stopping.
  • Not assigning a member. If a member is present but not assigned, their wallet balance will not be available for payment and the session will not appear in their history. Assign the member at session start for accurate tracking.
  • Ignoring the cost breakdown. Always review the cost breakdown dialog before confirming payment. This is your last chance to catch incorrect charges or apply manual adjustments.