Overview
Printing Settings control how your receipts and invoices are printed. You can choose paper sizes, configure thermal printers, set up automatic printing, and customize the appearance of your documents.
📋 What You'll Learn:
- Choosing between 80mm thermal and A4 paper sizes
- Setting up direct printing for fast checkout
- Configuring browser print mode
- Customizing fonts and layout
- Troubleshooting common printing issues
Accessing Print Settings
1
Navigate to Settings
From the main menu, click on Settings or the gear icon.
2
Open Print & Display Settings
Look for "Print & Display Settings" or "Printing Settings" in the menu.
3
Configure Your Preferences
The settings page opens with all printing options organized by category.
Document Format Settings
Receipt Print Size
80mm Thermal Receipt (Recommended for Most Businesses)
What it is: Standard POS thermal printer format using narrow 80mm paper rolls.
Advantages:
- ✅ Fast printing - instant thermal printing
- ✅ No ink needed - thermal paper technology
- ✅ Professional appearance - clean, crisp receipts
- ✅ Cost-effective - cheaper per receipt for high volume
- ✅ Compact - small printer footprint
Best for: Retail stores, restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, fast service businesses
A4 Page Receipt
What it is: Full-page letter format using standard office printers.
Advantages:
- ✅ More detail space available
- ✅ Works with existing office printer
- ✅ Formal appearance
- ✅ Easy to file and archive
Best for: Low transaction volume, formal receipts, no thermal printer available
Invoice Print Size
A4 Page Invoice (Recommended)
What it is: Professional full-page invoice format.
Why choose A4 for invoices:
- Professional business appearance
- Space for full company details
- Tax compliance friendly
- Room for terms and conditions
- Better for B2B transactions
80mm Thermal Invoice
What it is: Compact invoice on thermal paper.
When to use: Quick invoices, informal billing, limited space
Note: Less formal, limited detail space
💡 Recommendation: Use 80mm for receipts (fast checkout) and A4 for invoices (professional appearance).
Print Method Configuration
Browser Print Mode (Default)
How it works: Opens the standard browser print dialog when you click "Print". You manually select your printer and click the Print button.
Advantages
- ✅ Works immediately - no setup required
- ✅ Compatible with any printer
- ✅ Preview before printing
- ✅ No additional software needed
- ✅ Easy to understand
Disadvantages
- ❌ Requires clicking "Print" button each time
- ❌ Slower for high-volume businesses
- ❌ Not suitable for automatic printing
Best for: Getting started quickly, testing the system, low transaction volume, office environments
Direct Print Mode (Advanced)
How it works: Sends print jobs directly to your thermal printer without showing a dialog. Automatic and silent printing.
⚠️ Important: Direct print is only available when using 80mm thermal format. A4 documents always use browser preview for safety.
Advantages
- ✅ No button clicks needed - automatic printing
- ✅ Faster checkout - instant receipt
- ✅ Perfect for busy retail environments
- ✅ Professional auto-print workflow
Requirements
- 80mm thermal printer
- GSK Print Bridge software (optional for network printing)
- Some technical setup needed
Direct Print Configuration
Print Mode Options
Local Mode
When to use: Printer is connected directly to the same computer running GSK POS.
Setup:
- Printer connected via USB or parallel port
- No network configuration needed
- Simpler setup process
Network/Remote Mode
When to use: Online GSK POS system with printer on a different computer or network location.
Setup:
- Requires GSK Print Bridge software on computer with printer
- Configure Bridge URL (network address)
- More flexible - multiple devices can print
Print Bridge URL
What it is: The network address of the computer running GSK Print Bridge software.
Local installation:
http://localhost/gsk_bridge
Network installation:
http://192.168.1.100/gsk_bridge
Replace with actual IP address of printer computer
Thermal Printer Name
What it is: The exact name of your thermal printer as it appears in your operating system.
1
Windows: Find Printer Name
- Open Control Panel
- Go to "Devices and Printers"
- Right-click your thermal printer
- Select "Printer Properties"
- Copy the exact name shown
⚠️ Important: The printer name must match
EXACTLY including:
- Uppercase and lowercase letters
- Spaces and hyphens
- Special characters
Examples: EPSON TM-T82, POS-80, Generic Thermal Printer
Number of Copies
What it does: Sets how many receipts to print automatically (1-5 copies).
Common Configurations
- 1 copy: Customer receipt only (most common)
- 2 copies: Customer + Kitchen/Warehouse
- 3 copies: Customer + Kitchen + Accounts/Office
Font & Layout Settings
Font Family
Choose from 6 professional fonts for your documents:
- Courier New - Monospaced, traditional receipt look
- Arial - Clean, modern sans-serif
- Times New Roman - Classic serif, formal
- Helvetica - Professional sans-serif
- Verdana - Clear, easy to read
- Georgia - Elegant serif font
💡 Recommendation: Use Courier New for thermal receipts (traditional) and Arial for A4 documents (modern).
Font Sizes
A4 Document Font Size
Range: 10-16 points
Recommended: 12pt for professional invoices
Thermal Receipt Font Size
Range: 8-12 points
Recommended: 9pt for 80mm thermal paper
Header Font Size
Range: 18-32 points
Recommended: 24pt for business name
Layout Options
Show Business Logo
When ON: Your uploaded business logo appears at the top of receipts and invoices.
Note: Logo must be uploaded in Business Profile first.
Show Batch Numbers
When ON: Batch/lot numbers appear on receipts (if batch module is enabled).
Show Expiry Dates
When ON: Product expiry dates appear on receipts (if expiry module is enabled).
Step-by-Step: Configuring Printing
1
Access Print Settings
Navigate to Settings → Print & Display Settings
2
Choose Document Sizes
For Receipts: Select 80mm Thermal or A4
For Invoices: Select A4 (recommended) or 80mm
3
Select Print Method
Starting out: Keep "Browser" for easy setup
Advanced: Choose "Direct" for automatic printing (80mm only)
4
Configure Direct Print (If Selected)
- Set print mode: Local or Network
- Enter Bridge URL (if network mode)
- Enter exact printer name
- Set number of copies (1-5)
5
Customize Fonts & Layout
Choose font family, sizes, and which elements to display
6
Save Settings
Click "Save All Settings" button at the bottom
7
Test Print
Create a test sale and verify the receipt prints correctly
Common Configurations
Fast-Paced Retail
Busy shops, supermarkets, high transaction volume:
- ✅ Receipt Size: 80mm Thermal
- ✅ Invoice Size: A4
- ✅ Print Method: Direct
- ✅ Print Mode: Local
- ✅ Copies: 1
- ✅ Font: Courier New, 9pt
Why: Fastest checkout, automatic printing, professional setup
Restaurant with Kitchen
Food service with kitchen order printing:
- ✅ Receipt Size: 80mm Thermal
- ✅ Print Method: Direct
- ✅ Printer Name: Kitchen Printer
- ✅ Copies: 2 (customer + kitchen)
Why: Automatic kitchen orders, customer receipt, no extra clicks
Office / Service Business
No thermal printer, using office equipment:
- ✅ Receipt Size: A4
- ✅ Invoice Size: A4
- ✅ Print Method: Browser
- ✅ Font: Arial, 12pt
Why: Works with existing printer, formal appearance, preview before print
Troubleshooting
Receipt Not Printing
Check these items:
- Is printer turned on and connected?
- Is thermal paper roll installed correctly?
- Is printer selected as default in Windows?
- Did you click "Print" button (browser mode)?
- Is Print Bridge running (direct mode)?
Print Bridge Not Working
Error: "Cannot connect to Print Bridge"
Solutions:
- Verify Print Bridge software is running
- Check Bridge URL is correct (http://localhost/gsk_bridge)
- Ensure no spaces or typos in URL
- Check Windows Firewall isn't blocking the connection
- Try restarting Print Bridge service
Wrong Printer Printing
Receipt goes to wrong printer:
Browser Mode:
- Select correct printer in print dialog each time
- Set desired printer as default in Windows
Direct Mode:
- Check "Thermal Printer Name" matches exactly
- Name is case-sensitive - must match perfectly
- Include all spaces and hyphens
Text Cut Off or Misaligned
80mm thermal receipts:
- Text may be too wide for 80mm paper
- Try reducing font size
- Ensure correct 80mm template is selected
A4 receipts:
- Check page margins in browser print dialog
- Adjust to 0.5 inch margins on all sides
Logo Not Showing
Solutions:
- Upload logo in Business Profile first
- Enable "Show Business Logo" in print settings
- Ensure logo file is PNG or JPG (max 500KB)
- Check logo file still exists on server
- Try re-uploading the logo
Best Practices
✅ Hardware Recommendations
Reliable thermal printers:
- EPSON TM-T82 (Popular, reliable)
- EPSON TM-T88V (Fast, professional)
- Star TSP143III (Good value)
- Bixolon SRP-350III (Reliable)
Thermal paper: 80mm x 80mm rolls, BPA-free, good quality
✅ Maintenance Tips
- Clean thermal print head monthly with cleaning cards
- Use quality thermal paper (doesn't fade quickly)
- Test after any setting changes
- Keep spare paper rolls in stock
✅ Configuration Tips
- Start with browser mode, upgrade to direct print later
- Test thoroughly before busy periods
- Document your printer configuration
- Screenshot settings for backup
Summary
Key Takeaways
- ✅ Choose document sizes - 80mm thermal or A4 format
- ✅ Select print method - Browser (easy) or Direct (advanced)
- ✅ Direct print requires setup - But enables automatic printing
- ✅ Customize appearance - Fonts, sizes, layout options
- ✅ Test thoroughly - Before going live with customers
Recommended Setup
Most businesses: 80mm thermal for receipts + A4 for invoices + Direct print mode
Getting started: Browser mode first, upgrade to direct print when comfortable