Entry Point Reports
What this feature does
The Entry Point Reports feature shows you which physical locations in your venue are generating the most customer orders. Whether you call them tables, rooms, check-in desks, or sales counters, entry points are where customers interact with your business. This report reveals which spots are your busiest, how many active service points you have, and how orders are distributed across your venue. It's like having a heat map of customer activity throughout your physical space.
Who it is for
This feature is designed for venue managers, operations staff, and business owners who need to optimize space utilization and resource allocation. If you're wondering which tables get the most action, which rooms have the highest booking rates, or which service counters are underutilized, this report gives you concrete data to make informed decisions about staffing, layout, and capacity planning.
When to use it
Consult your Entry Point Reports when making decisions about your physical space and operations. Review it weekly to ensure you're staffing busy areas appropriately, analyze it when considering layout changes or expansion, or check it seasonally to understand how customer preferences shift with weather or holidays. It's also helpful for identifying VIP areas that might command premium pricing or spotting neglected spaces that need better promotion or redesign.
Key concepts
Entry Points: These are the specific locations where customers can place orders or access services in your venue. For a restaurant, these might be Table 1, Table 2, etc. For a hotel, they might be Room 101, Front Desk, or Spa Reception. Each entry point has a unique identifier that connects customer orders to physical locations.
Most Used Entry Point: The location that generates the highest number of orders. This is your busiest spot and typically indicates the most desirable or accessible position in your venue.
Active Entry Points: The total number of locations that had at least one order during your selected time period. This shows how much of your venue's capacity is actually being utilized versus sitting empty.
Entry Point Distribution: A visual breakdown showing what percentage of orders come from each location. This helps you see if business is evenly spread or concentrated in certain areas.
Order Count per Entry Point: The number of orders processed at each specific location. High counts might indicate popular spots, while low counts could suggest areas that need attention or are less accessible to customers.
Total Orders: The complete count of all orders from all entry points combined, giving you a sense of overall venue activity.
Common questions
Why do some entry points show zero orders?
Entry points with no orders either weren't used during your selected time period, or might be designated for special purposes (like emergency exits or staff areas) that don't generate customer orders. If an entry point that should be active shows zero orders, check that it's properly set up, accessible to customers, and that its location signage is clear.
How can I increase usage of underutilized entry points?
Start by understanding why they're quiet. Are they hard to find? Less comfortable? Far from amenities? You might improve their appeal by adding better signage, improving comfort (lighting, seating, ambiance), offering location-specific promotions, or adjusting pricing. Some locations might naturally be less popular due to layout constraints, and that's okay—focus on maximizing their potential given their characteristics.
What's a good distribution of orders across entry points?
It depends on your venue. Complete equality isn't always realistic or desirable—some locations are naturally more attractive due to views, accessibility, or size. However, if one or two entry points are completely dominating (like 80% of all orders), you might have untapped capacity elsewhere. Aim for a distribution that makes sense for your space while keeping all viable locations reasonably active.
Can I use this report to plan staffing?
Absolutely! If certain entry points consistently show high order volumes, you know those areas need more staff attention. You can schedule more servers, housekeepers, or sales associates near your busiest entry points during peak times, while reducing coverage at quieter locations to optimize labor costs.
What if my entry points change frequently?
Some businesses rotate service points seasonally (like opening a patio in summer) or reconfigure spaces for events. The report shows data based on your current entry point setup during the selected date range. If you've made changes, compare periods before and after the change separately to understand how the modifications affected customer behavior and order distribution.