Check Statuses and Filter Checks on POS

Last updated: Jun 4, 2026, 4:31 PM

Learn about open, paid, and closed check statuses. This article will also cover check filters that can result in checks not showing up.

In this Article:

 

Filter, sort, and search checks from the Toast POS Payment Terminal so servers and managers can quickly find the check they need.

 

Before You Begin

Applies to: Toast POS

 

Permissions needed:

  • 1.1 Table Service Mode, 1.2 Quick Order Mode, or 1.4 Payment Terminal Mode (whichever mode you use to access checks on the POS device)

 

What you'll accomplish: You'll be able to filter checks by status, sort the check list by check number, table, amount, or other attributes, and find a specific check using search or Advanced Check Search.

 

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Check Status Definitions

Every check on the POS falls into one of three statuses. Knowing what each status means helps you filter accurately and decide what action to take next.

  • Open — An active check with no payments applied. A balance is still due.
  • Paid — A payment has been applied (typically a credit card), but the check has not yet been closed. While a check is Paid, you can still adjust the payment to add or modify a tip before closing the check.
  • Closed — The check has been finalized at its final amount. Closed checks are batched at the end of the day.

 

Note: If a check shows Paid but is still appearing on the Open tab — or you see a balance due on a check that has already been paid — that is usually a "check won't close" situation rather than a filter issue. See Get Help With Checks That Will Not Close on POS.

 

Overview of navigating the payment terminal to view and filter checks.

 

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Filter Checks by Open, Paid, or Closed Status

To filter the checks listed on the Payment Terminal by status:

  1. From the main menu of the Toast app on your POS, navigate to Mode > Payment Terminal.
  2. Select the Open, Paid, or Closed tab at the top of the screen.

 

Each tab shows a count indicator next to the status name so you can see how many checks fall into each status at a glance.

 

Expected outcome: Only checks matching the selected status display in the list.

 

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Sort Checks on the Payment Terminal

To change how checks are ordered in the list:

  1. From the Payment Terminal, select the filter button to the left of the magnifying glass in the top-right corner.
  2. Choose one of the available sort options:
    • Check number
    • Most recent
    • Oldest
    • Table number
    • Amount due
    • Dollar amount
    • Customer last name
    • Tab name
    • Quoted time

 

Expected outcome: The check list reorders by the selected attribute.

 

payment terminal filters

 

You can also filter the same list by:

  • Show checks for current user (commonly called "filter by me")
  • Online order
  • Order type
  • Dining option

 

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Search for a Specific Check

To find a check by check number, table, server, or other quick identifier:

  1. From the Payment Terminal, select the magnifying glass in the top-right corner.
  2. Enter what you want to search for — check number, table number, server name, job role, or tab name.

 

As you type, the search filters the visible check list. Results are grouped by status (Open, Paid, Closed) so you can see at a glance which list a match falls into.

 

Expected outcome: Matching checks appear in the search results list, organized by status.

 

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Use Advanced Check Search

Advanced Check Search lets you look up checks beyond what's currently visible on the Payment Terminal, including checks from a specific date or date range.

  1. From the Payment Terminal, select the three-dot overflow menu in the top-right corner.
  2. Select Advanced check search.
  3. Search by one of the following:
    • Check Number
    • ID
    • Customer Info
    • Credit Card
    • Advanced Search (search by Check Amount, Employee, or Date Range)

 

You can also reach a date-bounded check search through Manager Activities > Find Checks & Issue Refund.

 

Expected outcome: The check matching your search criteria appears, even if it isn't listed on the current Payment Terminal view.

 

Note: If a check was opened but nothing was added before it was abandoned, or if a check was voided, that check number is skipped. The skipped number will not appear in search results or in reporting.

 

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Filter Settings Persist Across Users and Sessions

Filters you apply on the POS remain in place until they are manually changed — even after another user logs in on the same device. This is the most common reason a check appears "missing" from the Payment Terminal.

  • Filters persist across the Previous Checks button, the Payment Terminal, the Pending Orders screen, and the Delivery screen.
  • Filters do not affect the ticket display screen used by prep stations and the kitchen.
  • The Show checks for current user filter (often called "filter by me") is a device-level setting, not a user-level setting. If one user enables it and another user logs in on the same POS device, the next user will only see their own checks — not all checks for the location.

 

Note: If a check you expect to see isn't appearing on the Payment Terminal, the most likely cause is an active filter. Open the filter menu and clear any filter that may be excluding the check.

 

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Switch Between Two Column View and Table View

Toast POS offers two views for the check list: the original two-column view, and a newer Table View that displays checks as a single scannable list.

 

Table View is unique to your passcode and saves automatically the next time you log in. In Table View, you have three additional filter options not available in the two-column view:

  • Type (the dining behavior assigned to the order)
  • Source (where the order came from, such as POS, online ordering, or a third-party integration)
  • Status (scheduled, started, paid, or closed)

 

Note: Table View is not available on Toast Go® or Toast Go® 2 handheld devices.

 

For a full walkthrough of the Payment Terminal interface, including a side-by-side comparison of the two views, see Manage Payments With Toast POS.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I only seeing my own checks on this device?

You're only seeing your own checks because the Show checks for current user filter (sometimes called "filter by me") is enabled on this POS device. The filter is set at the device level, not the user level, so it carries over to whoever logs in next. To see all checks for the location, open the filter menu and clear Show checks for current user.

 

Also asked as:

    • Why does the Payment Terminal keep defaulting to filter by me?
    • How do I see all the checks on this device, not just mine?
    • How do I turn off filter by my own?

 

Why doesn't my check show up on the Payment Terminal?

A check usually doesn't show up because an active filter is excluding it, not because the check is actually missing. Check the status tab you're viewing (Open, Paid, or Closed), open the filter menu, and clear any filter that could be hiding the check — particularly Show checks for current user, Online order, Order type, and Dining option. If the check still doesn't appear, use Advanced check search from the three-dot overflow menu to search by check number, customer info, credit card, or date range.

 

Also asked as:

    • I have open checks but don't see anything on the Payment Terminal
    • Where did my check go?
    • Why can't I find a check I just rang in?

 

Can I filter closed checks to see which ones have zero tips?

You cannot filter closed checks by tip amount on the Payment Terminal. The available sort and filter options are check number, most recent, oldest, table number, amount due, dollar amount, customer last name, tab name, and quoted time — tip amount is not one of them. To review tip status across closed checks, use the reporting tools in Toast Web.

 

Also asked as:

    • How do I find closed checks with no tip entered?
    • Can servers filter their closed checks for missing tips?

 

Can I filter paid checks by credit card or debit card type on the POS?

You cannot filter paid checks by card type on the Payment Terminal itself. The Payment Terminal filters by status, current user, online order, order type, and dining option, plus Type and Source in Table View — not by payment method. To look up checks paid by a specific card, use Advanced check search with Credit Card as the search field, or run a payment report in Toast Web.

 

Also asked as:

    • Can my employees filter paid tabs to just the credit and debit card checks?
    • How do I see only card-paid checks on the POS?

 

Why are check numbers missing from my list?

Check numbers are missing because the check was either opened but abandoned with no items added, or voided after it was created. Toast skips those check numbers, so you may see gaps in the numbering on the Payment Terminal and in reporting.

 

Also asked as:

    • Why is there a gap in my check numbers?
    • What happened to a missing check number?

 

Are checks still open for tip adjustment after a payment is taken?

A check is still open for tip adjustment after a payment is taken — that is what the Paid status means. A Paid check has a payment applied but is not yet finalized, so you can still adjust the payment to add or modify a tip. Once the check moves to Closed, the amount is finalized.

 

Also asked as:

    • Can servers still add tips after the card is swiped?
    • Does taking a payment close the check right away?

 

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