🔧 Configuring Cash Drawer (Hardware Setup)

A cash drawer is the physical till that opens automatically when you take cash payments. This guide covers the hardware setup — how to physically connect a cash drawer to ORO POS and configure it.

💡 In Simple Terms

Two ways to wire a cash drawer to ORO POS: through the receipt printer (most common) or through a USB drawer trigger. Plug it in, configure the terminal, drawer pops on every cash sale.

📋 In This Page

→ Two Ways to Connect
→ Visual: Hardware Diagrams
→ Method 1: Via Receipt Printer
→ Method 2: Via USB Drawer Trigger
→ Drawer Control Code Explained
→ v1.5: No / Single / Dual Drawer Modes
→ Troubleshooting

🔌 Two Ways to Connect a Cash Drawer

Method	How It Works	Best For
🖨️ Via Receipt Printer	RJ11 cable from drawer plugs into the back of the printer. Printer kicks the drawer.	Most stores (recommended)
🔌 Via USB Drawer Trigger	USB-to-RJ11 adapter connects drawer directly to the POS computer.	Stores without ESC/POS-compatible printer

📐 Visual: Hardware Diagrams

Method 1: Cash Drawer → Printer → POS

💵
CASH DRAWER

RJ11 cable

🖨️
RECEIPT PRINTER

USB / Network

💻
POS TERMINAL

Method 2: Cash Drawer → USB Trigger → POS

💵
CASH DRAWER

RJ11 cable

⚡
USB DRAWER TRIGGER

USB

💻
POS TERMINAL

🖨️ Method 1: Cash Drawer Connected to Printer

✅ Recommended Method

Most ORO POS users connect the cash drawer through the receipt printer. Simple, reliable, fewer USB ports used.

Setup Steps

Step	Action
1	Set up your receipt printer first (drivers, Windows install)
2	Plug the RJ12/RJ11 cable from cash drawer into the back of the printer (looks like a phone jack)
3	In ORO POS go to Back-Office → Admin → Terminal Configuration → Peripherals
4	Tick “This terminal has a cash drawer”
5	Select Connected to: Printer
6	Choose your printer device from dropdown
7	Enter drawer control code: `27,112,0,25,250`
8	Click Test — drawer should kick open
9	Click OK to save and restart POS

🔌 Method 2: Cash Drawer Connected via USB Drawer Trigger

⚠️ When to Use This

Method 1 (via printer) works for most stores. Use the drawer trigger only if:

🚫 Your store doesn’t use a receipt printer
🚫 Your printer doesn’t support ESC/POS commands
🚫 You want a backup direct connection

Setup Steps

Install the USB drawer trigger driver — it creates a virtual serial port (COM3, COM4, etc.)
Plug the drawer’s RJ11 cable into the trigger
Plug the trigger’s USB into the POS terminal
Go to Back-Office → Admin → Terminal Configuration → Peripherals → Drawer Trigger
Select the correct virtual serial port
Save and restart the POS

📟 Drawer Control Code Explained

💡 What’s the Code?

The “drawer control code” is a special ESC/POS command that tells the printer (or trigger) to kick the drawer open. Different drawers may need different codes.

Most Common Code

27,112,0,25,250

This works for most cash drawers (Star, Epson-compatible, etc.). If your drawer doesn’t pop:

📞 Ask your hardware vendor for the correct code
🔍 Check the drawer’s manual
🧪 Try variations: 27,112,1,25,250 (uses drawer pin 5 instead of pin 2)

🆕 v1.5+: No / Single / Dual Cash Drawer Modes

📌 v1.5 Update

Updated screenshots and the “Cash Drawer” button on the Configure Terminal window:

v1.5+ added three modes in Back-office → Admin → Terminal Configuration → Cash Drawer:

Mode	What It Means	Best For
🚫 No Cash Drawer	Terminal has no drawer at all. Tickets can be created but cash payments require a staff bank.	Server stations / mobile terminals
1️⃣ Single Cash Drawer	Standard one-drawer terminal. All payments go to it.	Most stores
2️⃣ Dual Cash Drawer	Two drawers (primary + secondary), assignable to different cashiers.	High-volume / shift-rotation stores

📌 No Cash Drawer (Mode 1)

If you select this mode:

❌ No “Assign Drawer” button on Clock In/Out dialog
✅ Tickets can still be created on the terminal
❌ Cash payments cannot be taken unless the user has an active staff bank

Best for: Order-taker terminals (no cash handling), mobile servers using staff banks

📌 Single Cash Drawer (Mode 2)

If you select this mode:

✅ One drawer assigned to one user
✅ All other users’ payments go to that same drawer (unless they have a staff bank)
✅ Standard, simple setup

📌 Dual Cash Drawer (Mode 3) — v1.6.5+

If you select this mode:

✅ Two drawers on one terminal — primary + secondary
✅ Each drawer assigned to a different user
✅ Locked drawer routes that cashier’s payments to it
✅ Other payments go to the unlocked drawer

📚 Learn How to Use Drawers Day-to-Day

This article covers hardware setup. For opening, closing, and reconciling cash drawers during operations (including how dual drawers swap), see:

→ Opening and Closing Cash Drawer

🛠️ Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely Fix
Drawer doesn’t open at all	Try a different control code (27,112,1,25,250); check RJ11 cable seated firmly
Drawer opens during printing only, not on cash sale	Check ORO POS configuration: drawer trigger setting may be wrong
Test button works but normal sales don’t pop drawer	Restart POS after configuration changes
Drawer trigger not detected	Reinstall driver; check Windows Device Manager for COM port assignment
“Assign Drawer” button missing	Cash drawer mode set to “No Cash Drawer” — change to Single or Dual

📚 Related Guides

🔗 Continue Learning

→ Opening & Closing Cash Drawer

→ Store Sessions Guide

→ Receipt Printer Setup

📞 Need More Help?

Visit guide.orocube.com or contact helpdesk@orocube.net