Table of Contents
- What is an SRM?
- Why do you need an SRM?
- Reporting & Receipts with an SRM
- Square and Master Your Rush Integration
- 7 Advantages of Using Square and MYR
Intro
What is an SRM?
SRM stands for ‘sales recording module’ (aka a module d’enregistrement des ventes or MEV) and it records every sale made and generates a unique barcode on each receipt to ensure accuracy and retention of business records. The ‘black box’ system works in conjunction with an SRS (sales recording system), point-of-sale system and a compatible receipt printer.
This mandatory billing system must be used by restaurants, catering services and bars that do business in Québec. Starting in 2019 it will also apply to food trucks as well. In the future, it may extend to other types of businesses. Below is information to learn more about why you need to use an SRM.
This article is provided for informational purposes only. We recommend that you seek appropriate tax and/or legal advice to accurately identify your obligations and whether the solutions described here are appropriate for you.
Why do you need an SRM?
Revenu Québec (RQ) uses the information to track sales and taxes collected/paid in order to combat potential tax evasion in cash-based restaurants. Now it is the business owner’s responsibility to ensure an SRM is used at all times. Franchises and multiple-location businesses tend to like the SRM system because they don’t have to monitor their employees to clock in and clock out for every sale anymore. Inspectors regularly check SRM compliance and there are hefty fines for not having one – a broken one is also not an excuse and RQ needs to be updated ASAP if there are any issues with your SRM. You’ll have to switch to ‘Continuous Mode’ and connect your Point of Sale (POS) system directly to the printer while it’s being fixed. If you’re using a tablet-based system then you’ll either have to have a secondary ethernet based backup receipt printer or simply skip printing receipts and inform RQ as soon as possible.
Find out if you are subject to mandatory billing on the Revenu Québec website.
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Purchasing the SRM hardware
SRM installers are the only people that are authorized to purchase new SRMs from the supplier, IBM Canada, for resale to Québec restaurants. Used SRMs can be bought from other restaurants but an authorized installer should be used to set it up.
It is the business owner’s responsibility to choose an SRM installer that is authorized by Revenu Québec, although it is possible to install and activate the SRM yourself, provided that you contact Revenu Québec first. Authorized installers must provide technical support for the SRM they install, so doing it alone can be a costly venture if anything goes wrong.
How to activate the SRM
You’ll need a sales recording system (SRS) and a receipt printer that are compatible with the SRM before it can be installed and activated. Each restaurant needs an establishment number and access code to activate your SRM and you can obtain one electronically via the Transmit Establishment Information: Mandatory Billing online service in the ‘My Account’ section of your Revenu Québec account or via mail by completing form VD-350.52.A-V, Information About an Establishment: Mandatory Billing in Bars and Restaurants.
Revenu Québec recommends keeping your access code confidential by entering it yourself when activating your SRM. Before you get started, you will need your 10-digit identification number and the four-digit file number shown on your QST registration certificate, as well as the four-digit establishment number and access code. Once activated, you’ll receive a confirmation letter from Revenu Québec – check the details carefully to make sure your SRM info is correct.
Reporting & Receipts with an SRM
Once the SRM has been activated, you are required to file a Sommaire périodique des ventes (periodic sales summary or SPV) with RQ every month, even if no commercial transactions were recorded by the device during that time. The SPV contains a report of transaction data and each summary must cover a one-month period and has to be filed with RQ by the last day of the following month. Each SRM in your establishment will need its own SPV.
French-speaking business owners can transmit SPVs electronically through the Transmit Periodic Sales Summaries online service (available in French only). Save a copy of the SPV on a USB key before filing electronically.
Everyone else needs to file a report by mail – again each SRM needs an SPV and to produce the report, you will need a properly configured receipt printer. Photocopies are not accepted, so make sure you file the original SPV. Ensure that it is fully legible.
Data Extraction with a sales recording module
Internal reports can be extracted from your SRM, but if you reproduce bills for internal purposes they must read ‘Copie du commerçant’ (merchant copy) or ‘Document de formation’ (training document). Other reports available include: ‘Informations générales’ (general information), ‘Sommaire des ventes’ (sales summary), ‘Analyse transactionnelle’ (transaction analysis) and ‘Sommaire du journal des événements’ (event log summary) reports, which present the information contained in the bar codes shown on periodic sales summaries. Détail des ventes (sales detail) and ‘Détail du journal des événements’ (event log detail) report detail the data recorded in your SRM.
Square and Master Your Rush Integration
Now, through a partnership between Square and Master Your Rush, an SRM compatible POS partner, food and beverage merchants in Quebec can have a best-in-class experience while remaining SRM compliant.
What is Master Your Rush?
Master Your Rush (MYR) is an SRM-compatible POS solution based in Montreal, which allows small food and beverage sellers in Québec to benefit from Square’s payments processing platform, while remaining SRM compliant. MYR combines integrated mobile ordering apps with a POS made specifically for line-ups, takeaway and on-the-go customers. Catering to quick-service restaurants, cafes, food trucks and franchises; MYR’s apps are available on iOS and are compatible with the iPad.
Features of Master Your Rush
MYR’s solution includes four different apps and web dashboard to support and manage a variety of ordering methods. MYR M is the Master cash iPad register app to take orders (countertop), MYR K is the Kitchen iPad display to receive orders, MYR R is the Rover iPad accompanying app to take orders in long line ups or at tables and MYR+ is the private label ordering app (customized to your brand) to accept takeaway orders. A web-based Admin Panel manages menu items across ordering methods and monitors sales in real-time
In addition to SRM-compatibility, key features include:
* Update menu categories, items and modifiers
* Print or email receipts
* Cash rounding
* Conditional sales tax
* Discounts and refunds
* Open tickets
* Split tender
* Offline payments
* Export sales reports
* Basic sales analytics (e.g., most sold items by day, week, month)
MYR does not offer first-party payments processing, so this is where the partnership with Square comes in, and for the MYR+ private label app, orders can be prepaid through Square’s eCommerce API.
7 Advantages of Using Square and Master Your Rush
- SRM compliant: Avoid the large penalties for non-compliance by using MYR’s SRM-compatible POS with Square for payments.
- Integrated payments with POS / ordering apps: Save time and avoid mistakes when accepting card payments.
- Line busting and faster checkout: Capture more sales by busting the line using MYR’s ordering apps and contactless payments acceptance with Square.
- No contract: Avoid expensive contracts and pay nothing during your off-season with MYR and Square.
- Digital POS designed for QSRs: Ditch the old-school, paper-based POS and go digital with a POS / payments solution designed to help you never miss a sale (e.g., offline payments, ordering apps).
- Protect your business: Avoid hefty penalties by being SRM-compliant, PCI-compliant and receive complimentary chargeback protection up to $250 a month for eligible chargebacks and dispute management from Square.
- Accept orders the way your customer wants to pay: With MYR’s ordering apps and Square’s in-person and remote payments offering (e.g., Invoices, Virtual Terminal you can expand the ways that you can get paid.
How to configure the SRM with Master Your Rush/Square
For MYR’s apps to connect with the SRM, the SRM device must be configured with a fixed IP address and connected via Ethernet to the Wi-Fi router. MYR has installation partners who can provide and configure an SRM device and this setup process can take up to a week.
When installers install the SRM, they also install MYR, by entering the IP address, instead of running a cable to the SRM. Using a tablet-based system means there are no cables running from the iPad to any peripheral, so the set-up is cleaner.
It is possible for SRMs to crash and, in this case, it’s best to switch to ‘Continuous Mode’ to keep printing receipts. Daily reboots of the SRM can help troubleshoot connection problems with the POS.
Set up the payments integration with Square by selecting ‘Square’ in your MYR Admin Panel’s Settings/Terminal Type, which redirects to the Square oAuth page. Sellers that are new to Square will need to order hardware before authorizing the integration. Once the Square integration is established, you can complete the checkout flow in MYR’s apps – a Square payment is initiated only when the “Card” tender type is selected.