Shop Hub & shared orders

A Shop Hub is a Windows computer in the shop that runs the “QayyimAI Shop Hub” service. The branch's registers connect to it over the shop's local network, so every register sees the shared held orders and can resume them, and each shared order is paid exactly once.

• The feature is optional and off by default. While it is off the POS stays exactly as before: each register keeps its own holds.

• The hub shares held orders only. Sales, stock, debts and payments still sync with the Cloud from each register as usual.

• The hub works on the shop network itself, but it needs the “Branch permissions from the Cloud”: any paired register carries them to it when it syncs, and they must stay up to date.

• The hub: a computer running Windows 10 or later (64-bit), and a Windows administrator account to install the service. The hub service runs on Windows only; a Mac can be a paired register but not a hub.

• The hub and every register on the same shop network.

• Every register assigned to this branch on the Cloud and synced. The hub refuses a register the Cloud doesn't list in the branch.

• Every user who works on shared orders has signed in to the Cloud once on that register.

1. On the computer that will be the hub, sign in to QayyimAI Desktop as the Owner and open Settings → Shared orders. Under “Make this computer the shop hub”, press “Show setup parameters”, then “Copy parameters”.

2. On the same computer, download the hub setup from the official link only: https://downloads.qayyimai.com/beta/0.1.25/windows/shop-hub/QayyimAI-Shop-Hub-Setup-0.1.25-x64.exe — this file is not on the public download page, and don't accept a copy of it from anywhere else.

3. Before running it, check its fingerprint: open PowerShell, type Get-FileHash "$env:USERPROFILE\Downloads\QayyimAI-Shop-Hub-Setup-0.1.25-x64.exe" -Algorithm SHA256 and compare the result with the line in https://downloads.qayyimai.com/beta/0.1.25/windows/shop-hub/checksums.txt. If a single character differs, don't run the file: delete it and contact support.

• During the current pilot, the hub setup is not digitally signed. Windows may show “Windows protected your PC” (choose “More info”, then “Run anyway”), and the administrator approval prompt shows “Publisher: Unknown”. That is expected for this file only, after its fingerprint matched; never approve a hub setup that came from anywhere else.

4. Run the “QayyimAI Shop Hub” setup as an administrator on this computer and give it the parameters you copied. They bind this register to the hub so it can pair itself, and they contain no secret. Windows asks for administrator approval once.

• Setup installs a Windows service that starts automatically with the computer and restarts by itself if it stops, and adds a firewall rule allowing incoming connections on TCP port 48620 from the local network only, and only on networks Windows marks as Private.

• After installing, Settings → Shared orders on this computer shows “This computer is the shop hub” with “Service running”. If it shows “Branch permissions from the Cloud: Not received yet — sync”, sync this register.

• Uninstalling the hub service stops if the hub still holds orders that are open or being paid on a register; the hub's data stays on the computer after uninstalling.

Registers share orders only while the hub computer is on and connected to the shop network. Leave it on during working hours, and set Sleep and Hibernate to Never in its power settings.

• Note: Windows “Shut down” with Fast Startup puts the computer into hibernation, so the hub stays unreachable until the computer is turned on again. Turning Fast Startup off doesn't change that: what matters is that the computer stays on. When it is turned on, the hub service starts automatically.

• A UPS is recommended for the hub computer, and a small dedicated computer for the hub from about four registers.

Pairing and sharing work over Wi-Fi or a cable, as long as the hub and the registers are on the same shop network. Connecting the hub by cable and fixing its address (a DHCP reservation on the router) is recommended so registers always find it at the same address.

• Don't use guest Wi-Fi, a network that isolates devices from each other, or another subnet.

• On the hub computer, set the shop network's profile to Private in Windows: the firewall rule doesn't allow connections on Public networks.

• If the connection drops briefly, registers reconnect by themselves (“Reconnecting to the shop hub…”).

Each register is paired once, including the register on the hub computer itself. The Owner or a Manager does the pairing.

1. On the hub computer: Settings → Shared orders → “Pair a register” → “Open pairing window”. The window waits for a register for a limited time.

2. On the register: Settings → Shared orders → “Pair this register with the hub”. Type the “Hub address” on the shop network (the port is optional; the default is 48620) and press “Pair with hub”. The register shows a 6-digit code: “Type this code on the hub PC”.

3. On the hub computer: type the code in “Code shown on the register” and press “Confirm pairing”. The hub screen never shows a code; never type a code shown by the hub PC.

The register shows “This register is paired with the hub.” Only the Owner can unpair a register from the hub computer, with a reason, and a register can “Forget hub”. Sales recorded on the register are not affected either way.

On each register: Settings → “Shared orders between registers” → Mode: choose “Shop hub on the local network”. The other option, “Off”, means each register keeps its own holds. The Owner or a Manager changes this setting.

• A status strip appears at the top of the POS: “Shared orders connected”, “Reconnecting to the shop hub…”, or “Hub unreachable — own sales only”.

• Sharing is explicit: hold the order as usual, and it appears in the held sales list under “This register”. Press “Share now” so every register in the branch can see it (needs the hub to be reachable).

• The “Shared orders” section shows each order's state: “Held”, “In use · Register n · name”, “Paying · Register n”, “Collected on this register”, “Printed on Register n”, “Needs review — collected twice”.

• Open a held order and it loads into the cart, reserved for this register; other registers see it “In use”. If it is open on another register you see “Order in use” with who is using it and on which register.

• To edit a shared order, change the cart, then press “Release”: the changes are saved on the hub and the order becomes available again. Reducing items locked by the last hold needs a supervisor's approval.

• “Void shared order” voids it for every register in the branch and can't be undone (for users allowed to void).

If the register holding the order has been out of reach of the hub for a full minute, the “Take over” button becomes available. Before that you see “That register is still reachable; taking over isn't available yet.”

• Users allowed to take over (the Owner and Managers by default) take over directly. Others use “Take over with a supervisor's approval”: the supervisor types their phone and PIN on this register, and the approval is single-use and for this order only.

• A reason is required. After the takeover the previous register can no longer pay the order.

When you press Pay on a shared order, the register first confirms it with the hub (“Confirming order with the hub”), and the payment panel opens only after that. The order is then “locked for payment on this register”, and “Cancel payment” puts it back.

• If it can't be confirmed you see “Couldn't confirm the order”: the order is kept on the hub, hasn't been paid, and no sale was recorded. Choose “Retry” or “Back”. Don't ring the order again as a new sale.

• After payment it shows “Collected on this register”, and other registers show “Printed on Register n”. The receipt is reprinted only on the register that took the payment.

• “Print order slip” is available from any paired register for an order not yet paid. The slip is “Not a receipt”: it shows an “Estimated total” at the current published prices (or the prices when the order was shared, if the register doesn't know them), and the amount is fixed at payment.

You see “Hub unreachable — own sales only. Shared orders are kept on the hub and nothing is lost.” Normal selling continues, local holds keep working (“This register only”), and you can share them later with “Share now”.

• Shared orders show “Last known — hub unreachable” and can't be opened until the connection is back.

• Operations waiting for the hub show “Waiting for the hub — sent automatically when it's back”. The sales are recorded on this register and nothing is lost; no action is needed.

• Closing a shift: a register can't close its shift while it still has shared orders open or being paid (“Complete or release your shared orders first”). Shared orders held but not opened are listed for information only and carry no cash.

The hub is designed so each order is paid once. If a shared order is ever paid on two registers, the Cloud keeps both sales in full, rejects neither, and flags the second one for review.

• On the register the sale shows “This order was collected twice — under review”. Don't refund or redo anything on the register; the Owner or a Manager decides what really happened on qayyimai.com.

• On the website: the “Duplicate collection review” page (a notice appears on the Sales page). For each one choose what actually happened: “The customer paid twice and received the goods once” (a credit note returns the money), “The goods were handed over twice and the customer returned the second set” (a credit note, restocking only the quantities that really came back), or “Two real, separate sales”. A review note is required, and the resolution is final.

The hub backs up its data automatically every day and keeps the last seven backups on the same computer. There is no restore button in the app: contact QayyimAI support to restore a backup.

• After a restore, or when a new hub replaces the old one, the hub doesn't grant payments (“Blocked until promoted”) until the Owner promotes it: on the hub computer, Settings → Shared orders → “Promote this device to hub…” → “Start promotion”.

• Paired registers are listed as “Reached” or “Missing”. Once every register is reached, the hub grants payments. If a register stays missing, the only option is “Promote for new orders” with a reason: only new orders can be paid, and older orders stay frozen for payment until that register returns. There is no override.

• If the hub was replaced or reinstalled, registers say “The hub's identity changed (replaced or reinstalled). Pair this register again.”: pair them again.

On macOS, QayyimAI needs the Local Network permission to reach the hub. If pairing or diagnostics say “macOS may be blocking QayyimAI from the shop network”:

• Open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Local Network, turn on QayyimAI, then try again.

• If QayyimAI isn't listed, quit it, open it again from the Applications folder and allow the local network request.

• If it's already on, check the address and that both devices are on the same shop network.

The register's “Diagnostics” screen has a “Shop hub (shared orders)” card: the connection state, latency, pending operations and the last problem, with plain-language “Likely causes”. “Copy for support” copies the diagnostics so you can paste them into a support message.