TSE and POS log

In Germany, every POS receipt must be signed by a TSE (technical security device, required by the German KassenSichV regulation). allverto uses the cloud TSE fiskaly SIGN DE for this.

#Test TSE and real TSE

As long as no fiskaly credentials are stored, the POS works with a test TSE. The settings then show “Test TSE – receipts not valid”, the POS shows the Test TSE dot at the top, and every receipt carries a corresponding note. For real sales you need fiskaly.

#Setting up fiskaly

1. Create a SIGN DE account at fiskaly and generate an API key with secret in the fiskaly dashboard under Organisation.
2. In allverto, open Sales → Settings, click a POS on the left under POS and choose the TSE tab. The TSE credentials apply to all POS registers of the company – you only enter them once.
3. Choose fiskaly as the Provider, enter the API key and API secret and save. The credentials are stored encrypted.
4. Click Set up TSE. allverto creates the TSE and registers all POS registers as clients. New POS registers are registered later with Register POS with the TSE.
5. Report the TSE and POS registers to the tax office via “Mein ELSTER” – allverto compiles the details in the data sheet, see TSE export and ELSTER notification.

After that, each POS's TSE tab shows under TSE at … the TSE client ID, the POS serial number, whether the Client at the TSE is registered, the Last signed receipt and the number of TSE failures.

#Hardware TSE (USB, microSD or in the receipt printer)

Instead of the cloud TSE, a register can also use a hardware TSE on the register PC – for example a USB stick or microSD card with a TSE, or a receipt printer with a built-in TSE (Epson TM-m30 F and others). The register reaches the TSE through the POS bridge running on the register PC.

1. Start the POS bridge with TSE (set up by your reseller or allverto support).
2. On the register PC, open Sales → Settings → POS → your register → TSE and go to Hardware TSE (POS bridge).
3. Enter the POS bridge address (usually http://127.0.0.1:8611) and the bridge token and click Find TSE.
4. allverto shows manufacturer, serial number, certificate, signature counter and storage used, and classifies the TSE:
   • new TSE – Set up TSE initialises it and registers the register.
   • known TSE – it is already stored in allverto (e.g. at another register); Register and take over.
   • register registered – Assign to register.
   • foreign TSE – it was initialised by another POS system. Only take it over if it belongs to your business.
5. Enter the BSI certification ID from the TSE data sheet and report the TSE and register via ELSTER.

From then on the register signs every receipt with the hardware TSE. If the bridge or TSE is unreachable, the receipt is created with a failure note – just like with the cloud TSE. At the register, Menu → Printer and POS bridge → Check bridge shows whether everything is ready.

Disconnect switches the register back to the company TSE. Decommission (e.g. when defective or the certificate has expired) blocks the TSE permanently – save the TSE export first and report the decommissioning via ELSTER.

#TSE from the first line

The TSE transaction does not start at payment but with the first item in the cart. This is what the KassenSichV requires: the transaction must be logged from the start.

• With the first item, the POS creates a transaction on the server and starts the TSE transaction. Above the receipt you then see Transaction no. … – this is the TSE's transaction number. The POS only assigns the receipt number on payment, from the POS receipts number range.
• Every change (quantity, discount, customer) updates the transaction.
• Complete receipt ends it; the start time on the receipt is the time of the first item.
• A parked receipt keeps its open transaction. If another POS of the branch resumes it, allverto ends the transaction at the original POS as an aborted receipt and starts a new one at the new POS.

#Aborted receipt

If a started receipt is not paid – via Clear or by deleting a parked receipt –, the POS writes a receipt of the type Aborted receipt with amount 0. It gets a receipt number and appears in All receipts, in the Z report and in the DSFinV-K export. The POS asks for a reason; it is required as soon as reasons for aborted receipts are maintained.

#What is on the receipt?

POS serial number, TSE serial number, transaction number, start and end time, signature counter, signature and a QR code. Receipt and signature are then unalterable. A cancellation is signed as a separate receipt.

#When the TSE fails

If fiskaly cannot be reached, the receipt is still created. The POS reports “TSE failure”, and the failure is noted on the receipt, in the POS log and in the Failure log (TSE tab, as CSV). For longer failures, the statutory reporting and documentation obligations apply – talk to your tax advisor.

#POS log

In a POS's TSE tab, under POS log, you see its events, e.g. TSE failures, registration at the TSE, sign-ins and operator changes, cash drawer, changed settings and DSFinV-K exports. In addition: parked receipts and receipts handed over to other POS registers, digital and email receipts, card refunds, terminal closings, TSE exports as well as decommissioning and recommissioning.

At the POS itself, Menu → POS log opens the log of this POS (default: the last 30 days) – with the permission View the POS log at the POS. See End-of-day closing.