Pay At The Table - Install and Configure the Hippos Connect App on Clover Flex

Pay At The Table - Install and Configure the Hippos Connect App on Clover Flex

Issue:
If you are using the Hippos Restaurant Full Service software and would like to accept payments and settle bills directly at the table, there is an available option using the "Hippos Connect" app running on the Clover Flex payment terminal.  This article describes the installation and configuration of the Hippos Connect app on the Clover Flex payment terminal.

Note: The Hippos Connect app is an alternative to the Secure Table Pay (STP) app that also runs on the Clover Flex payment terminal.  This article does not cover the Secure Table Pay (STP) setup.   

Important Note: As of March 31, 2022, the Hippos Connect app does not support accepting payments and settling bills for "Take Out" orders (To-Go, Pickup, Delivery).  Dine In orders related to tables are supported.  Multiple dine in layouts from the POS software are support.  Split bills / multiple bills / multiple seats per table are supported. 

Procedure: Download and Install the Hippos Connect app on the Clover Flex
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Note: The Hippos Patron Tableside Ordering app is downloaded and installed from the Clover Marketplace (apps store) on the Clover Flex device.  

1) Launch the "More Tools" app on the Clover device.
2) Search for "hippos connect". 
3) Select the "Hippos Patron Ordering" app from the list.



4) Select the "Connect" button.  This will launch the "Install Hippos Connect" screen.  Note that the price is "Free".
5) Select the "Connect" button on the "Install Hippos Connect" screen.
6) Select the "Download" button.  This will install the "Hippos Connect" app on the Clover Flex device.
7) Locate the newly installed "Hippos Connect" app on the Android device.

Procedure: Obtain IP Address of POS Server
1) Log into Microsoft Windows on the server POS computer.  If the Hippos POS software is running, quit the Hippos POS software. 
2) Select the Start button on the taskbar from the lower left of the screen.
3) Select “Command Prompt” or use the on screen keyboard to type: cmd  and then select the “Command Prompt” app when it appears.  The Command Prompt is a black screen.



4) Enter: ipconfig   



5) Hit the “Enter” key on the on screen keyboard.
6) Look for the “IP Address” / “IPv4 Address” that looks something like: 192.168.20.5, etc.  The IP will most likely start with 192.168…



7) Make a note of this IP address for use later as the POS server IP address as a part of the configuration. 

Procedure: Enable HTTP Listener and Enter / Obtain Access Token
1) Launch the Hippos POS software on the server POS computer. 
2) Select "Admin Panel" from the main screen.  Enter your PIN, etc.
3) Select "Tools & Settings".
4) Select "Settings" tab.
5) Select "Payments & Fees"
6) Locate the setting "Enable HTTP Listener".  



7) Change the Enable HTTP Listener" setting from "OFF" to "ON".  Select No when prompted to restart the app.



8) If the Access Token has already been entered, you will see Access Token number under the "ON" toggle.  Make a note of Access Token number for use later as a part of the configuration. 



8) If the Access Token has not been entered, or if the Access Token needs to be changed, select “Edit Token”.  This will launch the "Enter Access Token" screen with the on screen keyboard.



9) Enter the Access Token of your choosing i.e. 1234567890.  In the example below a number was entered, however, this can be any alphanumeric value that you choose.



10) Select the green “Enter (Done)” button.  Select Yes when prompted to restart the app.

This should be the end result:



Procedure: Enter / Obtain Http Listener Port Range
1) Launch the Hippos POS software on the server POS computer. 
2) Select "Admin Panel" from the main screen.  Enter your PIN, etc.
3) Select "Tools & Settings".
4) Select "Settings" tab.
5) Select "Payments & Fees"
6) Locate the setting "Http Listener Port Range".  



7) If the values for the "Http Listener Port Range" are blank, enter the values 8880 in the box on the left and 8890 in the box on the left.  These are the port ranges that will be used with the Hippos Patron Tableside Ordering app. 

Note: The values 8880 to 8890 are the standard ports used with the Hippos Connect app.  These can be changed to port values of your choosing.  If you are entering your own values, ensure that the port value on the left is lower than the port value on the right or that the port values on the left and right are equal.  The port value on the right cannot be greater than the port value on the left. 



8) Make a note of the port range as you will require 1 port number within this range.  In this example, the port 8881 will be used. 

Procedure: Configure the Hippos Connect app on the Clover Flex

1) Launch the Hippos Restaurant POS software on the server POS computer.   

Note: The Hippos Restaurant POS software must be running for the Hippos Connect app on the Clover Flex to be able to connect to it. 

2) Launch the Hippos Connect app on the Clover Flex device.  You will see a "Loading" screen. 
3) On the Hippos Connect app on the Clover Flex device, enter your Admin PIN from your employee account from the Hippos Restaurant POS software. 
4) Select the "Submit" button.  
5) A message will be displayed that states, "Network Timeout". 



6) Select the "Change Host" option. 



7) This will display the "Settings" screen. 

8) Enter the Network Host and the API Key:

a) Network Host: Enter: http://192.168.20.5:8881/

192.168.20.5 is the IP address of the server POS computer that is running the Hippos POS software.  The instructions to obtain the IP address of the server POS computer was provided earlier in this article. 

8881 is a single port value from the port range specified earlier in this article.  

The format is the text http://, server IP address, colon, the single port value, and then a forward slash.  Note the ending forward slash and ensure that it is entered. 

b) API Key: Enter the Access Token that was entered in the Hippos POS software.  In this example the value 1234567890 was used.  The instructions to enter / obtain the Access Token  from the Hippos POS software was provided earlier in this article. 



9) Select the checkmark in the green circle from the lower right of the one screen keyboard when you have completed entering the information. 



10) Select the blue “Save Changes” button on the "Settings" screen.
11) You will see a prompt to confirm the saved changes with the message "Save Changes?".  Select the "Yes" option. 
12) You will see a loading screen and then the main Hippos screen where you need to enter a PIN.  Enter your PIN (any employee's PIN either Admin, Manager, Supervisor, or Staff) from the Hippos Restaurant POS software. 
13) Select the blue "Submit" button. 
14) This should log you into the Hippos Connect app and you should be able to see the tables from the Hippos Restaurant POS software.  

Note that only tables that have had items added to the order / seat / bill will appear.  These appear as tables with a blue color on the Hippos Restaurant POS software on the dine in restaurant table layout screen.