Set Up Your Point of Sale with Square for Retail

With Square for Retail Free and Square for Retail Plus, you’ll have the option to sign-in with your email address and password or create a device code to use to log-in to your device. A device code can only be used on a single device — so if you have multiple registers at a retail location, create a unique code for each device accessing Square for Retail Plus. Once you create a device code, you can sign in and start taking payments. If you’ll be using the same device settings for multiple devices, you can create groups to streamline the process for setting up your points of sale.

If you’re just getting started with Square for Retail, learn more about setting up your account. You can also learn more about the differences between Square for Retail Free and Square for Retail Plus.

Create Device

To get started:

1. Log in to Points of Sale > click Create New Device.

2. Click Retail > choose the device settings > Create.

3. Enter your phone number or email address to receive a message with a copy of your new device code.

4. Use your new device code to sign into the Retail app.

Note: Keep your new device code somewhere safe, you’ll need it to log in to the Retail app.

Create Shared Device Settings

If you’re planning on using the same device settings for multiple points of sale, you can create shared settings to help you setup your devices quickly. To help locate, manage, and update your devices, search the device name or filter by location to get started.

Note: If you log in using your email & password and only have one location and one device, you'll be logged into that location by default. Square will default to your device-specific settings each time you log in with the same credentials. You will also have access to a broader range of settings within your Retail POS, such as those present in the Square Point of Sale settings.

If you do not have one device and one location, you will create shared device settings and manage your devices and their access via the Dashboard.

To create shared device settings:

1. Click on a device you’ve created > toggle on Manage Device Using Shared Settings.

2. Enter the Settings Nickname.

3. Select Create New Setting. Choose your settings — including receipt type, tipping, and cash management preferences.

4. Click Create.

Once you’ve finished setting up your shared device settings, you’ll see the option to add any device to the groups you’ve created — including existing devices.

To update an existing device to access your shared settings group:

1. Click on the device to update > toggle on Manage Device Using Shared Settings.

2. Choose Select Settings. You can select an existing settings group, or create new shared settings.

3. Click Save.

Devices not assigned to a specific shared settings group will be listed in alphabetical order under Other Devices.

Receipt Signature

The receipt options give you control over how and when your customers sign for their purchases. You can decide whether you want your customers to sign printed receipts or directly on the point of sale, and whether you wish to require a signature for all transactions or only those exceeding a purchase total of $25.00.

Square Shifts

Included in your Square for Retail Plus subscription is full access to Square Shifts Plus. Note: Shifts Plus is not included in Square for Retail Free, but basic features in the free version of Square Shifts are free with any Square account for up to five team members.

From the Points of Sale tab:

Determine how your team members interact with the Retail app: whether you would like them to clock in and out so you can track their time, and whether you would like to have a session timeout that would require entering the passcode after a certain time of inactivity on the Retail POS.

Collect Tips

When tipping is enabled, your customers can add a tip to their purchase. You can choose whether to add tipping options to the signature screen or display them on a separate tipping screen. You’re also able to pick between suggested smart tips amounts or percentage amounts, and give your customers the option to enter a custom tip.

Cash Management

This setting allows you to manage a cash drawer — including tracking cash added or removed from the cash drawer outside of your transactions or refunds. This would make the Add Paid In/Out feature available on the More menu of the Square Retail app, regardless of which version you’re using (Free or Plus). You can set a default starting cash amount, and customize settings so that a cash report is printed once the cash drawer is closed or automatically sent to the email address of the team member provided.

Offline Mode

You can swipe card payments in Offline Mode when your internet service is temporarily unavailable. Offline payments are processed automatically when your device regains connectivity. Keep in mind though, the payments taken in Offline Mode will expire if they are not processed within 24 hours.

Read more about using Cash Management with Square for Retail.