Typically there are two types of cash drawers.

USB type and Receipt Printer assisted type. (RJ11 Connection)

USB Type

These are stand alone cash drawers. They do not need to connect to a receipt printer for use.

They connect to the PC via USB cable. This normally has a small connection on the back of the Cash Drawer (similar to but not a mobile phone connection). (USB Type: Mini-B)

The other side of the cable is standard USB type. (USB Type: A)

USB Mini-B (Cash Drawer) to USB Type A (PC connection)

Normally these are Plug and Play devices. This means that they do not require configuration or drivers installed.

The Cash Drawer is normally connected to the PC and the PC will automatically detect it and it is available for use straight away.

There is generally very little troubleshooting we can perform for these Cash Drawers. They mostly either work or they don't.

Generally if there is a problem with these we can try changing to a different USB port on the PC to see if that resolves the issue.

If the salon is using a USB hub device advise them to disconnect it and try connecting the Cash Drawer directly to the PC.

Please see below an image to showcase some of the standard different USB types.

Receipt Printer Assisted (RJ11 Connection)

The second type of Cash Drawer is Receipt Printer Assisted.

For this type to work it needs to be connected to a Receipt Printer.

The receipt printer driver software then controls when/how the cash drawer opens.

All troubleshooting and configuration is handles by the receipt printer software.

In general we recommend this type as standard as they are more reliable and easier to troubleshoot.

The type of cable that connects the Cash Drawer to Receipt Printer is called an RJ11 type cable.

This cable is the same cable that landlines use to connect the phone to the wall socket port.

Please find below an example of an RJ11 cable for reference.

General Tips (for either type)

Sometimes a salon will be transitioning from their old software to Phorest.

In this case they will sometimes be running both software at the same time.

This is not recommended if both software are trying to use the same Cash Drawer/Receipt printer this can cause a conflict.

It is advised in these cases to restart the PC. Only open the Phorest software while making sure the other is not running.

Try the Cash Drawer/Receipt printer now to see if it is working in Phorest.