A cash drawer won't open or won't stay closed - troubleshoot the hardware causes

Summary. Walks through the physical/hardware causes behind the two most common cash drawer complaints - the drawer not opening when prompted from the POS, and the drawer not staying closed - before escalating to support.

Applies to. Sail POS and Focus POS - all current versions. These are hardware-level causes, so they apply the same way regardless of platform.

Before you start

Know which symptom the customer is seeing: the drawer doesn't open when prompted, or the drawer doesn't stay closed once shut.
Cash drawers are physically wired through the receipt/kitchen printer (via an RJ11 cable), not directly to the POS terminal - so a printer connection issue can also affect the drawer.

Troubleshoot: Drawer won't open when prompted

Confirm the printer connected to that drawer is powered on and working. Since the drawer is wired through the printer, a printer issue can prevent the drawer from opening too.
Check the RJ11 cable connecting the drawer to the printer. Most printers have more than one port the cable can physically fit into (for example, a cash drawer port and an ethernet port) - the open-drawer command only works if the cable is in the port actually labeled "Drawer" or "Cash Drawer." Confirm it's in the right port, then reseat it on both ends.
Listen for a click when the Open Drawer button is pressed. If you hear a click but the drawer still won't open, something is physically blocking it, or the drawer is locked.
Open the drawer manually (key or lever) and check inside for anything obstructing its path - a crooked cash tray, bills or coins jammed at the edges, or a foreign object. Remove anything found and test again.
Confirm the drawer isn't locked - most drawers have a physical lock separate from the POS.

Troubleshoot: Drawer won't stay closed

Check that the drawer and its stand are sitting on a level, stable surface. An uneven surface can keep the latch from securely catching when the drawer is pushed shut.
Check inside and around the drawer for anything obstructing it from closing fully - an overfull cash tray, bills sticking up, or debris along the track.

Verify it worked

Prompt the drawer to open from the POS and confirm it opens fully.
Close the drawer firmly and confirm it stays shut without popping back open.

If it doesn't work

If the printer/cable connection, physical obstructions, and level surface have all been ruled out and the issue persists, this points to a hardware failure inside the drawer itself (e.g., the latch or spring mechanism) - contact support for a replacement or technician visit.