Multiple EFTPOS terminals: map devices, locations and payouts

Give every terminal a stable identifier and link it to its location, merchant account, reporting period and payout destination. Reconcile devices to location totals before matching the bank deposit. A combined payout can hide which shop or terminal caused a difference if that map exists only in someone's memory.

Check how your provider groups the devices before building the register. Several terminals may feed one settlement.

Build the terminal register

Use a serial number or provider device ID alongside a short staff-friendly name. Record the merchant account, location, masked bank destination and the person responsible for the close. Restrict the full banking details to your secure business records.

Square supports location-specific bank accounts or transfer tags and location reporting. Its reporting guidance also explains device names and trading-day time settings. Confirm how your provider groups payouts rather than copying another platform's structure.

Device	Location	Merchant account	Payout group
T-01 / front counter	North shop	Merchant A	North daily batch
T-02 / mobile counter	North shop	Merchant A	North daily batch
T-03 / reception	South shop	Merchant B	South daily batch

Fictional identifiers. The provider account determines the actual grouping; a device nickname alone does not change where funds settle.

Match location totals before the bank

Suppose North's two devices show $1,200 and $800 in card receipts, while South shows $1,000. There are no refunds, disputes or held payments in this example. North's $30 fee is deducted from its batch and South's $15 from its own.

Location	Device receipts	Fee deducted	Expected payout
North	$1,200 + $800 = $2,000	$30	$1,970
South	$1,000	$15	$985
Business total	$3,000	$45	$2,955

Fictional example in AUD. Replace these inputs with your own records.

If the provider instead combines both locations, retain the same location schedule and match its total $2,955 to the combined payout. If fees are billed separately, don't deduct them again in the payout calculation. Use the actual settlement report to identify that treatment.

Keep the date definitions together

A venue trading after midnight may use a reporting day that differs from a calendar day. Save the timezone, cutoff and report filters with the close. Compare those settings before treating an apparent daily mismatch as a missing sale.

Give batch IDs their own column. A bank date, sale date and batch date are different pieces of information, even when they often happen to agree. Unsettled receipts need a clear outstanding balance carried into the next close.

Log a device move

Before moving T-02 to the South shop, record the last transaction at North and the first at South. Confirm the provider location and bank destination settings, then test the reporting result. Keep the old mapping with its end date so a historic report is still understandable.

Use the outage log if a loan device temporarily takes over and the migration checklist when equipment is replaced. Put the final location results beside your profit and loss report without mistaking the net payout for gross sales.

Key takeaways

• Map stable device IDs to locations, accounts and effective dates.
• Reconcile devices into locations before matching payout groups.
• Keep date cutoffs and device moves in the audit trail.

Terminal serial / internal name:
Merchant ID / provider account:
Location and effective dates:
Bank destination (masked):
Reporting timezone and trading-day cutoff:
Closing owner:
Batch reference / gross receipts / fees / net payout:
Unmatched difference and follow-up:

Where to get help

• Square: locations and transfer settings
• Square: reports and reporting periods