Overview: Retail IQ predominantly uses receipt printers from a manufacturer called Star Micronics. These printers connect to the PC via a regular USB printer cable (USB A to USB B), and have an RJ11 “telephone cord” cable that connects them to the cash drawer. Below are a few important notes about them.
Connecting the Cash Drawer to the Printer via Cash Drawer Cable:
· The receipt printer is connected to the cash drawer via a special cable with an RJ11 connection on either end. This cable is specifically made for the cash drawer to work with a Star receipt printer. Therefore, this is what is called a “printer driven cash drawer”. Each side of the cash drawer cable is marked where it is supposed to connect to. One side of the cash drawer cable will be marked “Printer” while the other side will be marked “Cash Drawer”. The Printer side needs to plug into the printer and the Cash Drawer side needs to plug into the cash drawer. If the cable is reversed, the drawer will not open!
· Cash Drawer Codes to pop the drawer in Retail Pro:
o RP9: #7 (default for RP9)
o Prism: /007 (default for Prism)
Receipt Printer Drivers/Software
· You can simply go to the Star Micronics website and search for the printer you need to install, and you will eventually find the software to download for it. A few important notes:
o Before you install the software/driver, turn the receipt printer off. At some point during the installation, you will be asked to turn it on. If not, simply turn the printer on when the installation is complete and Windows will find the printer and install it using the software you just installed.
o Paper Size: Most of the printers will use a paper size of “72mm x Receipt”, and the default settings in the printer properties are fine – this makes the printer very easy to install.
§ IMPORTANT EXCEPTIONS TO THIS: The Star mPOP integrated cash drawer/receipt printer and the Star mC-Print2 printers use a smaller, narrower roll of receipt paper which is 57mm wide. The rolls that can be used for these particular receipt printers are 57mm x 26mm (2.25 inches x 85 feet)
· Not only do you need to make sure the paper size is set to “48mm x Receipt” in Printer Properties, but you must also turn off Bidirectional Support so the cash drawer will work! Here is the setting in the Windows Printer Properties to un-check:
