As a retailer operating multiple POS registers, I have found Shopify’s device identification system to be confusing and difficult to use when investigating transactions, auditing sales, or resolving discrepancies.
When viewing an order, Shopify displays a device number (for example, “Device 9”) indicating where the order was processed. However, when navigating to the Devices section in the Shopify Admin, there is no visible device number that corresponds to that identifier. Instead, devices are listed with names and GIDs that do not appear to have any clear relationship to the device number shown on orders.
Adding to the confusion, POS sessions are often labeled by “Drawer” numbers rather than device numbers, creating a third identifier for what may be the same register. As a result, it becomes unnecessarily difficult to determine which physical register processed a transaction.
For businesses operating multiple registers, this creates challenges when:
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Investigating missing or disputed transactions
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Auditing register activity
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Reviewing staff performance
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Reconciling cash and card sales
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Troubleshooting customer service issues
A simple solution would be to provide a consistent identifier across Orders, Devices, and Register Sessions, or allow merchants to easily see the relationship between Device IDs, Device Names, and Drawer Numbers.
Shopify has made significant improvements to POS over the years, but this area still feels disconnected and more reflective of a platform originally designed for e-commerce rather than multi-register retail operations. Improved device tracking and identification would greatly enhance usability for brick-and-mortar merchants.