How to Troubleshoot Variable Price Barcode Parser Rounding Error
Type: Support Call
Call Reported On: 2021-09-16
Products Discussed: Weight Embedded Barcode, Variable Price Barcode Parser
Q&A
Agent:
We have an issue with a Clover system using the Variable Price Barcode Parser app with a Kitchen Scale. The issue is that the scale weighs and calculates the final price for the product, yet when the barcode is scanned on the Clover, for some reason one cent is subtracted from the total price. It only happens occasionally with random items, so we suspect it might have something to do with a Rounding Error/Issue.
CSI Works Support:
Yes, I am very well familiar with the issue. You are correct it is in fact rounding issue because of double rounding once by scale once by our app on clover.
Scale figures out total price by calculating weight to unit price. We take total price and calculate down to figure out total weight. Sometimes the number is off by a cent either direction very rarely or even in one merchant not on all items.
There are 2 ways of solving this
- Switch your item price type from “Per Unit” to “Variable” This is the quickest way to solve the issue. The reason why this works is because we will stop reverse calculation to a number that scale started from and simply will pass total price into variable priced item.
OR
- Change your scale to encode weight instead of price into barcode. And on clover end switch from Variable price barcode parser to Weight embedded barcode parser. That way scale will stop doing an extra calculation because it will send total weight and our Weight Embedded Barcode parser will pick up total weight and calculate total price which will always match what scale calculated because we are both using same base number “total weight”
This solution is more involved and requires settings change on scale and app swap on clover. The inventory part will remain intact you will just need to switch apps after scale has been reconfigured to encode different barcode (weight instead of price).
Agent:
Thank you very much for the insight, we discussed both alternatives with the merchant and I believe we are going to change the Clover prices to Variable.
Will this cause any changes in the reporting for Clover? I think the Items report will no longer report per unit sold, correct?