SkyTab Mobile FAQs

What is SkyTab Mobile?

SkyTab Mobile is a cutting-edge pay-at-the-table solution that combines state-of-the-art hardware with simple and intuitive software to deliver an exceptional experience for restaurant servers and customers. SkyTab is fully integrated with the POS system for seamless operation.

What features does SkyTab Mobile include?

• View a list of all restaurant checks or filter by server
• View check details
• Reorder existing items from the check (full ordering functionality coming soon)
• Guest-facing pay-at-the-table
  • Pay in full or split payment
  • Add tips
• Send e-receipts or print receipts with a built-in printer
• Customer satisfaction survey with immediate manager notifications to facilitate guest engagement and avoid negative online reviews
• Email collection auto-populates the customer database in the Lighthouse Business Management System

What are the benefits of SkyTab Mobile?

• Increase operational efficiency - Serve customers and turn tables faster by eliminating the need for your servers to walk back and forth to the POS system.
• Improve your online reputation - Prompt customers to rate their experience and alert management when a patron isn’t satisfied.
• Build your marketing database - Collect customer email addresses to populate your marketing database and increase repeat business.
• Secure your payments - By utilizing EMV chip technology with point-to-point encryption, you can ensure your payment data is protected.

What payment types can be accepted through SkyTab?

SkyTab Mobile supports EMV chip cards, NFC mobile payments or contactless cards, and traditional swiped card transactions.

Where do I access back-end settings for SkyTab?

SkyTab Mobile is fully integrated with the Lighthouse Business Management System, and that is where you can adjust various SkyTab Mobile settings. Adjustable settings include:

• Business logo
• Default tip percentages
• Manager alert threshold for customer ratings
• Manager phone number and email for rating alerts
• Additional customer information fields
• Ability to split payments

Does SkyTab Mobile have a cellular connection if I am outside the Wi-Fi range?

Yes - SkyTab Mobile supports 4G connectivity for areas outside Wi-Fi coverage, including for delivery drivers, outside dining areas, and other scenarios.

Can I use my existing Wi-Fi network?

Yes! Since all transactions processed with SkyTab Mobile utilize PCI-validated point-to-point encryption, any internet connection can be used. However, to ensure reliable performance, the connection should be at least fast enough to handle normal internet use without any lag.

What are the benefits of using 4G? 

Using 4G with SkyTab Mobile will maximize the distance where SkyTab Mobile can be used. This is helpful if you have a patio area or would like to use the device for Delivery purposes. 

If you are out of WiFi Range, will it roll over to 4G? 

Yes, the SkyTab Mobile device will roll over to 4G if it is out of WiFi range. 

Am I able to choose my own provider?

No. SkyTab Mobile is only certified to work with the T-Mobile SIM card that Shift4 provides.

Can 4G be used as a backup if the internet/WiFi goes down?

Yes, 4G can be used as a backup if the internet goes down at the location. Right now, this will only allow you to close tickets that were open prior to the internet outage but will have more functionality when order-at-the-table is released.

Are there any differences in functionality between WIFI and 4G? 

SkyTab Mobile has the same functionality regardless if it’s on WIFI or 4G.

Do I have to purchase my own SIM card?

No, the SIM card comes pre-installed.

Who should I contact for assistance if I have any issues?

You should contact your sales representative first. If you need additional assistance, you can call 866.374.8865 or email [e-mail].

What happens if a device breaks?

Contact SkyTab Mobile support at 866.374.8865 or [e-mail], and a replacement device will be provided at no charge (only shipping charges apply) as long as the damage was due to normal usage.

How often should I charge my SkyTab Mobile devices?

We recommend that you recharge your SkyTab Mobile devices daily, although they should hold a charge longer than that.

Can I increase the default tip amount?

Yes, all settings can be adjusted in Lighthouse.

Can I put my logo on the receipt and screen?

Yes, branding customization can be updated Lighthouse.

How do I receive software updates on my SkyTab Mobile devices?

Your SkyTab Mobile devices must be powered down to receive software updates, so we recommend shutting them off each night or at least once a week to ensure your software is up to date.

What is the SkyTab Application Communication Layout? 

Below you'll find a visual representation of how SkyTab Mobile communicates with all the different software that the application is able to integrate with. This should help give you an idea on how all the different pieces of SkyTab Mobile come together to send and receive orders to and from your POS terminal, as well as process payment and close out tickets, respectively.

Internal SkyTab Mobile FAQs

Is SkyTab Mobile offering both a device and software?

Yes. The device is a PAX A930 that is exclusive to Shift4 and will have a custom color. The software is both a pay-at-the-table (PATT) and order-at-the-table (OATT) solution optimized for Food and Beverage. 

Are there WiFi requirements for SkyTab Mobile?

Yes, the password will have to be WPA2 or better, and as a result, it must be 8 or more characters long.

What router are we deploying to merchants?

We will be deploying the TP-Link Archer C7 Gigabit router. 

Are we deploying routers to all Shift4 Brands?

No, We are only deploying the Archer routers to Shift4 merchants. This will affect the pricing for Shift4 merchants, and you can see that here. 

Will an order placed into a POS terminal or tablet be available for reorder with SkyTab Mobile?

Yes, any order placed into a POS terminal/tablet will be available for the customer to reorder.

Will open checks on a POS terminal or tablet be available for pay-at-the-table with SkyTab Mobile?

Yes, open checks will be available from the POS terminal/tablet to be paid at the table.

Will menu items that are reordered with SkyTab Mobile print to kitchen/bar printers and be added to the respective open check on a POS terminal or tablet?

Yes, reordered menu items will act as a ticket that was added through the POS terminal/tablet.

Does SkyTab Mobile have offline functionality in cases when there is no Internet connection or a WiFi connectivity issue?

No, SkyTab Mobile communicates with the POS system. If the internet is down at the location, SkyTab Mobile would not be able to communicate and process reorders or payments to the POS system.

How would payments get processed or menu items reordered if there is no Internet connection or a WiFi connectivity issue?

Use a POS terminal/fixed workstation.

Can SkyTab Mobile be used for multiple MIDs?

No, this is because the PAX A930 is configured by the factory for a specific MID.

How can I tell which MID the A930 Device is connected to?

You will not be able to tell from the software or even from Archos. You will need to put a ticket into IG to receive that information. Even though a Serial number is boarded to a MID in Archos, it may be associated with another MID on the back end. 

Does SkyTab Mobile support cash payments?

No, all cash transactions must be processed on a POS terminal.

Are Shift4 Gift Cards supported by SkyTab Mobile?

No (we are working with PAX to unencrypt gift card data, our intent is to support the Shift4 Gift Cards as soon as possible, no ETA at this point).

Are non-Shift4 Gift Cards supported by SkyTab Mobile?

No, non-Shift4 Gift Cards are not supported by SkyTab.

Does SkyTab Mobile provide ordering capabilities?

Yes.

Can SkyTab Mobile be used by delivery drivers to take payment at a customer’s home or place of business?

Yes, provided a SIM card has been installed on the device.

Can SkyTab Mobile be used at a resort or golf course away from a Wifi to take payment or perform a reorder?

Yes, provided a SIM card has been installed on the device.

Is there an extra cost to having a SIM card with SkyTab Mobile?

There will be a 15$/month per device fee once the cellular data is used on the device.

Can the A930 handle cold and hot weather?

Yes, the device can be used between 14 & 122 F.

Will Shift4 provide SIM cards for the A930 device?

Yes, each device will come loaded with a T-mobile SIM card. 

What if reports are showing on the Hosp POS but not in Lighthouse?

You will need to wait until a full sync is completed for the reports to show up on Lighthouse.

Does SkyTab Mobile support partial payments/split payments?

Yes. Please note that menu items on the check cannot be moved to another check on the device. This would need to be done on a POS terminal. This capability is under review for inclusion in a future release.

Can any user of the POS terminal use SkyTab Mobile?

Yes, SkyTab uses the same PIN or employee card used at the POS terminal. There is no setup needed to use SkyTab for each employee, provided they are a POS user.

How much setup is there to do by a merchant to use SkyTab Mobile?

Very little. Device configuration is set to the MID from our factory before shipment. The remaining minimal setup is done on Lighthouse (not on the device), which includes specifying the pre-arranged tip amounts (e.g., 10% 15% 20%) and the tip default (e.g., 20%).

Will Lighthouse be the sender of email receipts to guests?

Yes, Lighthouse will send email receipts to the guests.

Once an email is entered into SkyTab Mobile, is it saved by Shift4, and if yes, why?

Yes, For the initial release, the email is permanently stored for tracking purposes only.

Is it possible that a restaurant employee or guest can load other software onto the A930 device?

No. As an FYI, all apps loaded onto the A930 have to be done via the PAX app store, and that requires an account and a lengthy review process with PAX to deploy new apps.

Once an email address is provided by the guest when using SkyTab Mobile, thus opting-in to email receipts, will subsequent email receipts be sent whenever the same credit card is used from any POS or PMS system that uses a Shift4 payment device?

Prefilling the email address field is now available.

Does the app run in Kiosk mode?

Yes. The only way to break out of the application is to power up the device.

Why doesn’t the app launch automatically when powering up the A930 device?

To have access to other apps that we might deploy on the PAX A930 device and those that come with the device.

Can the built-in camera(s) on the A930 be used to take a picture of the wait staff (for purposes of showing on the tip screen)?

No, not on the initial release. We will add this feature later this year.

What makes SkyTab Mobile so different than any other pay-at-the-table (PATT) offering, and why hasn’t PATT been adopted much in the USA?

The short answer is that it is “free” cost was the number barrier to mass adoption in the USA. The longer answer is that other solutions require multiple vendors to put the solution together. These other offerings are clunky to configure, set up, and use in addition to high cost. Additionally, some of the other offerings try to get too fancy with features. SkyTab Mobile was designed to be intuitive, much like using a credit card at the gas pump. We felt that simple is much better than complicated.

Pay-at-the-table (PATT) is commonplace outside of the USA; why is that?

There is usually no tipping involved outside of the USA. PATT is usually performed by a wait staff carrying an old-fashioned payment terminal with cryptic software. They stand at the table while you insert your card. There is no need for the guest to enter a tip, which would be awkward with the server standing right there. SkyTab Mobile provides a rich, easy, and fun experience for the guest to operate the system without having the server nearby.

Can the server operate SkyTab Mobile instead of the guest?

Yes, however, it would be awkward having the guest enter a tip in front of the server. We suspect that servers may on occasion use the device to process the payment. One of the features we will add is the ability to print the check without going into the payment flow/cycle. This will help make this Use Case (the server operating the unit) a little less awkward. 

In what event will there be a lag from the POS tickets to SkyTab Mobile?

There is generally a 60-second delay for tickets to show up on SkyTab Mobile when the platform client is restarted.  These are the events that would cause that.  

• platform-client configuration change
•  brain restart
• Once an hour - there can be up to a 90 second lag as the brain service automatically restarts
•  connection failures

To find out whether if the platform client has recently been restarted, check C:\Shift4\Lighthouse 4 Platform Client\logs\brain 

And look for a message similar to, "info: restarting in 60000 ms…”

SkyTab Mobile 4G SIM FAQs

Who is eligible? 

Any business that is eligible to use SkyTab Mobile could make use of the 4G SIM cards. Specifically, the following brands and software can utilize this feature: 

• Shift4 Hospitality 
• Edgewater (Shift4 Bar & Restaurant (HBR), CirroTouch, Duet) 
• FuturePOS 
• POSitouch
• Restaurant Manager 
• Micros 

What is the pricing? 

In order to use SkyTab Mobile the merchant will be charged the following: 

• $20 per month per device for the SkyTab equipment
• $20 per month per device software support fee 

In addition, when signing up for the 4G SIM Card program, the merchant agrees on the Pay-at-the-Table Addendum to the following data plan costs: 

• Upfront: FREE 
• Monthly: $15/month up to 200MB
• Additional: $15 for access for another pool of 200MB of Data above the initial 200MB

Important: Sales Partners and Resellers can markup the dealer service fee. 

What paperwork is required to get the SkyTab Mobile 4G SIM?

One 4G is enabled on the SkyTab Mobile device, the business will begin being billed the $15 per 200MB of data per month. There is no signature required, all terms and conditions for this program will be on Exhibit A and an insert will be placed in each SkyTab Mobile device. 

Is there a Data cap?

There will be a $15 additional charge for every 200Mb past the initial 200Mb if the business goes over.

How do I get a SIM card for a current SkyTab Mobile merchant?

Contact the SkyTab Support Team at 866.374.8865 or email [e-mail].