Sync problems never stop the shop: billing, returns, purchases and khata keep working on the store PC, and records wait safely there until the cloud answers. This guide explains what each sync message means and what to check.
First: where to look
- On the store PC: the bar at the top of every screen (Cloud synced …, Cloud last synced …, Cloud sync problem, · 12 waiting) and the Cloud sync card on Sync & FBR, which shows the last successful sync and the reason for the last failure.
- In the portal: each branch's last report on the dashboard, and STALE when it has not reported for 15 minutes.
"Cloud last synced …" and records waiting
The store PC could not reach the cloud for more than 5 minutes. "The store keeps working. Records wait on this PC and are sent as soon as the cloud answers again."
- Check the internet on the store PC: open any website in a browser.
- Choose Sync now on Sync & FBR. "Sent 45 record(s) to BooksPOS Cloud." means it worked.
- If the internet is fine but sync still fails, look at the reason on the Cloud sync card and see below.
The store PC retries by itself every 15 seconds, and less often (up to every 5 minutes) while the cloud does not answer. Nothing needs doing when the internet comes back.
The portal says STALE
The branch's store PC has not reported for 15 minutes. The shop may be billing normally without the internet. The figures catch up at the next sync; STALE never means records are lost. If it lasts, check the store PC as above, and that it is switched on and BooksPOS is running on it.
"Cloud sync problem"
"The store keeps working and nothing is lost. The last attempt did not complete; it is retried automatically." The reason on Sync & FBR says why. Common reasons:
| Reason | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No connection, timeout | No internet, or the cloud is busy | Wait, or check the internet. It retries by itself. |
| "This store PC is not paired, or its pairing was revoked." | The PC was revoked in the portal (Devices), or pairing was lost | Create a new pairing code and use Pair again |
| "This store PC is not the current authority for the branch." | The branch was handed over to a replacement PC; this is the old one | Stop using this PC for billing. See Backups and restoring a store PC |
Cloud sync: the cloud does not answer. Nothing is lost: the store keeps working and the changes are retried. Screenshot of the current build (28 Sep 2026), synthetic demo data.
Pairing is refused
| Message | Meaning |
|---|---|
| "This pairing code is wrong, expired or already used. Create a new one in BooksPOS Cloud." | Codes work once, for 30 minutes. Make a new one. |
| "This business is already connected to another BooksPOS Cloud account. Pair it with a code from that account." | Use the account the business was first paired with. |
| "This store PC belongs to a different business than the cloud account: this account is already connected to another store. …" | The PC's store was set up as a new business. This is what happens when BooksPOS is removed with its data and the store is set up again from scratch. Restore the old store's backup on the PC to keep its records (see Restoring a backup). If the old store's records are not needed, BooksPOS support can start the account over: the old store's copy in the cloud is removed and this store can pair. For a second shop of the business, see Joining a new branch to your business. |
| "This branch is already paired with another cloud account." | The branch belongs to another account. |
| "Branch code … is already used by another branch of this business." | Each branch needs its own code. |
The cloud address must start with https://. A business waiting for approval cannot create pairing codes yet.
Records the cloud refused
A record the cloud refuses (which should not happen in normal use) is listed under Refused by the cloud, with the reason and a sequence number. "These records are kept on this PC with the reason. The rest of the store's records keep syncing." They are never deleted and never sent again automatically, because a refusal is not something waiting will fix. Open a support ticket in the portal and quote the sequence number.
Changes from the portal are not arriving
Item edits, settings changes and transfers reach the store PC only when it syncs. Check that it is syncing (above). A change that arrived but could not be applied is either a conflict under Changes from BooksPOS Cloud on Sync & FBR, waiting for someone to choose, or listed in the portal as Refused by the store PC with its reason.
The licence and the cloud
The store PC renews its licence from the cloud while it syncs, at most once an hour. If it cannot reach the cloud for a long time, the licence runs into its grace period and the bar shows Licence: reconnect soon. See Your BooksPOS licence.
Common questions
Will a long internet outage lose sales in the cloud?
No. Every record waits on the store PC, in order, and is sent once the internet is back, each exactly once.
Why do two PCs show as paired for one branch in Devices?
Revoke the one no longer used, for example an old store PC after a replacement. Only the current store PC should be paired.
Can I see which records are waiting?
Sync & FBR shows how many are waiting and lists any that need attention. The records themselves are the shop's normal bills and payments.
Related guides
Last updated 27 September 2026. Still stuck? Contact us.