Item Mapping for Online Orders

To ensure that orders from delivery platforms like Lieferando, Wolt, or Uber Eats are correctly processed by the POS system, each item in the order must be matched to a corresponding internal POS item.

What Is Item Mapping?

Items transmitted within an order can contain a posItemId field. Under platform-side item management, the posItemId can be configured directly. Additionally, orderItemId can serve as a secondary identifier. Please note that a POS system must also be capable of processing items that do not contain a posItemId.

Do POS Item IDs need to be set on the platforms first?

Whether you need to set POS Item IDs (also known as PLU codes or article numbers) at the ordering platforms depends on both the platform and your POS system. In many cases, POS systems can process orders even without mapped items. In that case, setting IDs on the ordering platform is not strictly necessary but may still be useful — for example for better reporting or statistics.

Some platforms support menu sync from the POS to the platform, but this is not widely available:

• Lieferando (JET): Does not support POS-to-platform menu sync.
• Uber Eats, Wolt, and Foodora: Currently support menu sync.

Caution: Use sync with caution. It may overwrite your live menu and use metadata (names, images, descriptions) from the POS — which may not be customer-friendly.

Best Practices for Item Mapping

• Direct Mapping on the Platform: Some platforms (e.g., Lieferando in the Partner Portal or Wolt in the Merchant Dashboard) allow you to set the posItemId directly in their system. This is the recommended approach.
• Mapping via MERGEPORT: You can also perform the mapping in controller.mergeport.com. This requires a separate login and may be less convenient for many restaurant operators.
• Fallback via the POS System: If supported, your POS system can automatically create unknown items using a default tax rate. This is particularly useful if your item catalog is still being refined.

Set Item IDs in Wolt, Uber Eats and Foodora

Confirm the matching method with your POS provider. If platform-side IDs are used, enter the corresponding item number from your POS. The example screenshots show the relevant fields; their appearance may vary by platform version.

Wolt: POS ID

Open the menu section in the Wolt Merchant Dashboard and select the item. Enter its POS item number in POS ID.

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Uber Eats: External ID and External Data

Open the item in Uber Eats menu management. External ID and External Data identify the POS item. If both are filled in, External Data takes precedence. Use the values agreed with your POS provider. The German screenshot labels these fields “Externe ID” and “Externe Daten”.

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Foodora: Item SKU Number

Open the item in the Foodora Vendor Portal. Under Price and Variations, enter the POS item number in Item SKU Number. This field may only become available after the POS integration is activated.

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Automatic Item Mapping

Mergeport offers automatic item mapping that compares imported platform items with items from your POS system and automatically links confident matches. This is especially helpful after importing a menu or when dealing with options/modifiers (e.g., "with spaghetti", "with tomato sauce").

How automatic mapping works:

1. Open the Menu Management section in the Mergeport Controller.
2. Click on Item Mapping.
3. Click on Automatically Map and confirm the dialog by clicking Start Automatic Mapping.
4. Mergeport compares the name, description, price, and volume/size specifications (e.g., 0.33l, 500ml, 1l) to find matching POS items.
5. Successful mappings are displayed under Mapped (Verify). Unclear cases remain under Unmapped and must be linked manually.

Existing mappings will not be overwritten by the automatic run. You can change or remove mappings at any time.

Troubleshooting: "Unknown Products"

If items are shown as “Unknown products” in the POS system, this usually means the incoming order could not be matched to the POS article database.

Resolution Steps:

1. Confirm with your POS provider whether matching uses platform-side IDs, MERGEPORT mapping, or a supported matching method in the POS.
2. If your POS requires platform-side IDs, check the POS item IDs (PLU codes or article numbers) for the affected platform items. They must match the current POS items.
3. If you map through MERGEPORT, check the affected items in the Controller and add or correct missing links. Review mappings after menu changes as well.
4. Then verify with an order that the POS processes the items as intended. Missing platform-side IDs are not an error in every POS system; the agreed matching method determines what is required.

What Happens If an Item Is Not Mapped?

If an item is not mapped, the POS system may not process the order correctly. Depending on the system, the following outcomes are possible:

• The entire order is blocked and must be reviewed manually.
• Unknown items are created as placeholder items with a generic tax rate.
• Manual mapping is required—either directly in the POS or via MERGEPORT.

⚠️ Important Note

Delivery platforms do not send tax information with their orders. Correct taxation must be ensured through the mapping in your POS system. It is the responsibility of the restaurant or POS provider to ensure that all tax-relevant data is correctly assigned.

Video Tutorials

• Map items via MERGEPORT
• Map items via Lieferando

Tips for Smooth Mapping

• Use unique IDs (e.g., PLU numbers) for precise mapping.
• Maintain a mapping table between platform items and POS items.
• Review new items regularly to ensure all are mapped.
• If supported by your POS system, enable auto-creation of new items with a default tax rate.