---
key: ring-up-a-sale
title: Ring up a sale at the register
audience: staff
section: sales-billing/pos
routes: ["/pos/lane"]
permissions: ["pos.sales.read"]
features: ["pos.lane"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Scan or search items into the cart, attach a customer if you need to, take cash or card, and complete the sale with a receipt.
keywords: [point of sale, checkout, till, cash sale, counter sale, scan barcode, receipt, walk-in]
related: [open-and-close-the-register, reprint-or-resend-a-receipt, process-a-return-or-exchange]
---

In the sidebar, open **Sales & Billing**, then **Counter Sales (POS)**, then **Register**. The page address is `/pos/lane`.

The lane has three columns: what you are selling on the left, the **Live cart** in the middle, and **Checkout** with **Register control** on the right. The strip across the top shows the register, the current customer, the amount due and the card terminal.

## Before you start

- The register has to be open. If the strip reads **Register closed**, see [[open-and-close-the-register]].
- Items you sell at the counter need to be ready in the catalog. See [[prepare-an-item-for-the-register]].

## Steps

1. Under **Item entry**, scan the barcode or type into **Scan barcode or search by SKU, item, or category**. An exact barcode match is added when you press Enter, which a scanner does for you; otherwise press the item you want (its corner reads **Add line**, or **Favorite** for a favorite item).
2. For something not in the catalog, press **Manual entry**, fill in **Description**, **SKU**, **Quantity** and **Unit price cents**, then press **Add manual line**.
3. In the **Live cart**, press **Edit line** to change the quantity or price. A price change needs a **Price override reason**; press **Apply change**, or **Request approval** if a manager has to sign off.
4. To add a promo code, type it under **Discounts** and press **Apply discounts**.
5. The sale is a **Walk-in** unless you attach a customer. Under **Customer**, type into **Search customer account** and press **Attach** on the account. Their pricing and receipt history then follow the sale.
6. Under **Checkout**, choose the **Tender type**: **Cash**, **Card present** (the paired terminal), **External card record** (a card taken on another machine) or **Store credit**.
7. Type the amount in **Apply amount**. For cash, also type what the customer handed you in **Tendered cash** so Nova shows the **Change due**. Press **Collect tender**. Repeat for a split payment until **Balance due** reads zero.
8. Press **Complete sale**. Nova issues the receipt and shows **Open receipt** and **Quick reprint**.

> **Note:** Amounts in **Checkout** and **Manual entry** are typed in cents, so $25.00 is 2500.

## What you see

- **Subtotal**, **Discounts** and **Total** sit under the cart.
- **Suspend sale** parks the cart. It reappears under **Suspended sales** on the left; press **Resume** to bring it back. The cart you choose stays selected while the list refreshes. This device remembers the selected cart separately for each register.
- **Manager approvals** on the left lists requests waiting on a manager, who presses **Approve request** or **Decline request** right there.
- A collected tender can be undone with **Cancel tender** before the sale is completed, or tried again with **Retry tender** after a terminal error.

## If something looks different

- **Complete sale** is greyed out: there is still a **Balance due**, or your role cannot complete sales.
- The strip shows **No paired terminal**: use **Cash** or **External card record** until a terminal is paired.
- An item reads **Blocked for sale**: it is not ready in the catalog. See [[prepare-an-item-for-the-register]].
- The customer is bringing something back: press **Start return or exchange**, or see [[process-a-return-or-exchange]].

[[route:/pos/lane|Open the POS lane]]