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Get Started with Comp and Void

Square’s Comp and Void features are used to remove an item or charge from the customer bill without losing track of those details in your online Square Dashboard. With Comp and Void, you’ll be able to track errors and changes, monitor team member proficiency and document any associated losses.

Access and Manage Comp and Void

For every Comp or Void, team members must select a reason. Reasons can be created and updated under Items > Settings in your online Square Dashboard. While Voids will not display on customer bills or receipts, comped items will appear on the customer bill but will not display further item details.

When to Use Comp or Void

The Comp and Void features are different than simply deleting an accidentally added item, so you and your team members will want to use them accordingly.

If an item was ordered but not yet prepared, team members can Void the item to remove it from the customer bill. A record of the voided item will display in your online Square Dashboard.

Example: A server accidentally adds ‘Roast Chicken’ instead of ‘Fried Chicken’ to a customer’s order, but doesn’t realize the mistake until after the order is sent to the kitchen. If the server is able to inform the kitchen before preparation, or reuse the ‘Roast Chicken’ for another order, a void is used.

Applying a Comp to an item removes the cost of the item from the customer bill. Items can be comped to fix a mistake, or as a goodwill gesture. A record of the comped item will display in your online Square Dashboard.

Example: A server accidentally adds ‘Roast Chicken’ instead of ‘Fried Chicken’ to a customer’s order, but doesn’t realize the mistake until after the order is prepared. The server comps the ‘Roast Chicken’ and rings in the correct order – which they might also comp as an apology for an additional wait.

Enable Team Members to Use Comp and Void

  1. Enable Comp Reasons in your online Square Dashboard to create customized reasons your team members can use to comp an item.

  2. Create your distinct Comp reasons for your team members to choose from.

Enable Comps and Voids in Dashboard

  1. Enable Void Reasons in your online Square Dashboard to create customized reasons your team members can use to void an item.

  2. Create your distinct Void reasons for your team members to choose from.

Once Comp and Void reasons have been created in Dashboard, you can edit your team members’ permission sets and permissions in your online Square Dashboard to remove or provide their access to Comp and Void. Team member permission sets with the permission to Delete or Void Saved Items in Open Tickets have the ability to Void an item, and those who can Apply Restricted Discounts or Comps will have access to Comp an item. Comps and Voids performed by your team will appear in your Activity Log.

Note: The ability to Comp or Void is defaulted to ON. Learn more about assigning permissions to team members, or visit the Team section of your online Square Dashboard to edit permission set permissions.

Use Comp and Void

Once you have enabled Comp and Void in your Square Dashboard, you’ll be able to start using this feature right in your Square Point of Sale app.

Comp an item

  1. Tap an item in your cart.
  2. Tap Comp Item.
  3. Select a reason.
  4. Tap Comp in the top-right corner.

Note: While it is not currently possible to comp a portion of an item or a percentage of a bill, you are able to apply a discount to an item.

Void an item in an open ticket

  1. Tap Tickets and select a ticket.
  2. Tap the item you wish to void.
  3. Tap Void Item.
  4. Select a reason.
  5. Tap Void in the top-right corner.
  6. Tap Save to save the open ticket with the void applied, or Charge to complete the sale with the void applied.

Note: To void an item, first enable Open Tickets and create an open ticket. Learn more about using Open Tickets with Square.

Comp or void an open ticket

  1. Tap Tickets and select a ticket.
  2. Tap the name of the ticket at the top of the cart.
  3. Select Edit Ticket.
  4. Tap Comp Ticket or Void Ticket.
  5. Select a reason.
  6. Tap the Comp or Void button located in the top-right corner.

Void multiple open tickets at one time

  1. Tap Tickets and select Edit.
  2. Select any number of open tickets.
  3. Tap Void.
  4. Confirm a void on selected tickets by tapping Void in the pop-up.
  5. Select a reason.
  6. Tap Void.

Keep in mind, once the payment is processed, items can no longer be voided or comped, and you’ll need to process a refund.

Manage voids on items sent to the kitchen

The ability to send void confirmations when printing kitchen order tickets is not currently available. If a server submits an order and recognizes a mistake or revision, it’s necessary to inform the kitchen of the change and check if they’ll need to Comp or Void the item.

Use Comp and Void on API Orders

You can use Comps and Voids for API orders to:

  • Comp or void an entire order or just specific line items.
    See your comps and voids in your inventory.
    Update your existing sales reports to include comped and voided orders.
    Calculate a fully or partially Comped or Voided order.

To update an API order, select Comp or Void, choose a reason and specify if you want to comp or void the whole order or just a specific line item. If an order is voided, the order status will change to Cancelled and show the void reason. If an order is comped, it will show a total of $0 and a comp reason. You can also remove a Comp or Void from an order or line item.

Comp and Void Reporting in Dashboard

Your voids and comps will show up in the Reports section of your Square Dashboard:

  1. Visit the Reports section of your online Square Dashboard.

  2. Select Comps or Voids from the Reports menu.

  3. Use the filters at the top of the page to specify your search.

Learn more about summaries and reports in the online Square Dashboard.

Learn more about: Point of Sale

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