Feature Request: Test Transactions (Training Mode)

[Michael_L]

I've run into some very odd issues with my Square transactions and now, despite processing refunds I still have a mathematical error in my accounting and it cannot be reconciled.  (Help call confirmed this on Jan 7, 2019.)

REQUEST: Could you please implement a 'Testing' mode where people can just turn off the data and see how things work?  

In another thread, you suggested a workaround of just processing transactions and then refunding them.  This doesn't work well for a few really valid reasons:

• Square still records the transaction as a sale; a refund will adjust the final 'net' dollar amounts but it doesn't clear out the sales counts such as item and category sales (throwing off the actual sales numbers).  The dollar amounts also remain in the 'gross sales' totals and activity reports.

• Due to inexplicable mathematical errors in your software, tips are not removed from sales totals even if the full transaction is refunded.  Hopefully this will be fixed; but now all my 'test' tips are still showing as income and my tax report shows that I owe tax on the tips even though I didn't actually take any in.

ALTERNATE REQUEST: a way to delete 100% of all sales data from an account.  This would allow a new user to do testing on the way their products show up in various sales reports, play with the system, and then start fresh when they go 'live' with real clients.

I spent a fair bit of time setting up the products and all the account settings and the idea of just starting a new account 'because it is free' seems pretty daunting time-wise.  My first week or so will be a total mess and I will have to find a way to reassure my accountant that most if it should be ignored.

[#2]

I've run into some very odd issues with my Square transactions and now, despite processing refunds I still have a mathematical error in my accounting and it cannot be reconciled.  (Help call confirmed this on Jan 7, 2019.)

REQUEST: Could you please implement a 'Testing' mode where people can just turn off the data and see how things work?  

In another thread, you suggested a workaround of just processing transactions and then refunding them.  This doesn't work well for a few really valid reasons:

• Square still records the transaction as a sale; a refund will adjust the final 'net' dollar amounts but it doesn't clear out the sales counts such as item and category sales (throwing off the actual sales numbers).  The dollar amounts also remain in the 'gross sales' totals and activity reports.

• Due to inexplicable mathematical errors in your software, tips are not removed from sales totals even if the full transaction is refunded.  Hopefully this will be fixed; but now all my 'test' tips are still showing as income and my tax report shows that I owe tax on the tips even though I didn't actually take any in.

ALTERNATE REQUEST: a way to delete 100% of all sales data from an account.  This would allow a new user to do testing on the way their products show up in various sales reports, play with the system, and then start fresh when they go 'live' with real clients.

I spent a fair bit of time setting up the products and all the account settings and the idea of just starting a new account 'because it is free' seems pretty daunting time-wise.  My first week or so will be a total mess and I will have to find a way to reassure my accountant that most if it should be ignored.

[HammerDownGrill]

Hi Helen.  Just wondering if this has been discussed any more on the cooperate level?  Would love to have some more input as to where Square is at on this decision and if it will be implemented in the very near future.  Please let us know something soon.  

[Chad]

Hello @HammerDownGrill! 

Currently we are still in the process of collecting feedback for this feature request. In the event we move forward with this feature we will make an announcement on this thread. 

[FATPANDA]

Hi, 

I'm new to square and would also like a training mode.  Has this been implemented yet?

Cheers

FP

[ojairotie]

Thanks Chad, but saying you are "still in the process of collecting feedback" after three years of clients practically begging for this feature indicates there was likely a strategic decision on the part of Squareup not to offer this basic crucial feature. In Foodservice TRAINING is everything. 

I would guess that the numbers were run and Square projected that the amount they might lose by not offering training mode is less than the costs incurred in development.

Had I done more due dilligence prior to choosing Square I might well have gone a different direction.

Am I being cynical...or is Squareup? 

[phanson99]

Curious about the feedback you've collected, approximately what percentage of it is opposed to offering a training mode feature?

[secondlifeatl]

I am currently in the process of looking for a new POS system and was very interested in Square. Our current system has a training mode which is extremely helpful with onboarding new employees. Having to "refund" every training transaction would create false accounting data. It would show an increase in returns on days we hired new employees. This may not be a problem for a business that is just starting (you could just not include those days in your data), but for ongoing businesses it would be impossible to discern between training returns and actual returns.

[grechnitz1]

Your concern is, of course, very common.

Despite numerous requests for this feature, Square remains committed to NOT allocate resources to get this done.

If you review posts here, there are no convenient workarounds.

[KO2]

You definitely NEED  practice mode

[Michael_L]

For training,  we still just let them watch a few live transactions and then personally coach them through it.  Now that we are set up I don't usually miss the demo/test mode although when I was new it would have been great.

[MarioVermani]

This is an unbelievable flaw.  I just spent many many hours setting everything up and trying things out only to find out that I now have sales and transactions that never happened but i can't get rid of.  Also, there is no way to train any employees without generating real sales.  Your explanation about creating 1099 forms is unreasonable.  I have used MICROS POS systems in my businesses and always had the ability to train and fix errors.  Since when is it a sales system creators priority to design a system with the IRS as the priority over the actual buyer and user of the system?!