Hello Ficos Merchants! Your delivery service is only as good as your drivers. To help you build and manage your team, Ficos allows you to add drivers directly into your store’s staff list with specific roles and payment models.
This guide will walk you through how to add a new driver, explain the critical difference between an “Internal Staff” driver and a “Contract Driver,” and show you how to manage their profiles.
Why Add Your Drivers to Ficos? #
Integrating your drivers into the Ficos ecosystem is the key to unlocking the full power of the delivery module.
- Enable Dispatching: You can only assign deliveries to staff members who have the “Driver” role.
- Activate Driver Mode: When a staff member with the “Driver” role logs into the Ficos app, it automatically transforms into the simplified Driver Mode, showing them only their assigned jobs and delivery tools.
- Automate Payouts (for Contractors): Designating a driver as a “Contract Driver” enables the automatic earnings ledger, which tracks how much you owe them for completed deliveries.
- Centralized Management: Keep all your staff—cashiers, managers, and drivers—in one organized list.
Understanding the Two Driver Types #
When you add a driver, you must choose a **Driver Type**. This is a critical setting that determines how they are compensated.
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- Internal Staff:
- Who this is for: Drivers who are your salaried or hourly employees. Their pay is managed outside of Ficos (e.g., through your regular payroll).
- What it does: Ficos will not automatically track their earnings per delivery. This option is purely for assigning them jobs and enabling Driver Mode.
- Internal Staff:
- Contract Driver:
- Who this is for: Independent contractors or freelance drivers whom you pay on a per-delivery basis.
- What it does: This activates the automated earnings ledger. For every delivery they complete, Ficos will calculate their fee (based on your delivery zones) and add it to their unpaid balance in the Driver Payouts module.
Step 1: Navigate to Staff Management #
All staff members, including drivers, are managed from the same screen.
- From your main Dashboard, find the “Business Manager” section.
- Tap the More icon.
- On the “More Tools” screen, select Staff Management.
Step 2: Add a New Staff Member #
Now, let’s create the driver’s profile.
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- On the Staff Management screen, tap the (+) button to add a new staff member.
- Fill in the Primary Information:
- Role: This is the most important step. Select “Driver” from the role list.
- Staff Name: Enter the driver’s full name.
- Email: Enter the driver’s email address. They will use this email to log in to the Ficos app on their own phone.
Step 3: Configure the Driver-Specific Details #
Once you select “Driver” as the role, new options will appear on the screen.
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- Select the Driver Type:
- You will see two choices: “Internal Staff” and “Contract Driver.”
- Tap the one that matches how you pay your driver. A helpful hint will appear on the screen explaining the implication of your choice.
- Select the Driver Type:
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- Enter Vehicle Details (Optional):
- In the “Vehicle Details” field, you can add information like the driver’s car model or license plate (e.g., “Toyota Corolla – UBE 123X”). This information can be useful for your records and for customers.
- Enter Vehicle Details (Optional):
- Save the Profile: Tap the “Save Staff Member” button to finish.
What Happens Next? The Invitation Flow #
The moment you save the new driver profile, two things happen automatically:
- An invitation is sent to the driver’s email address.
- The driver needs to download the Ficos app, create an account using that same email, and accept the store invitation to join your team.
- Once they accept, they will be able to log in and access **Driver Mode**, and you will be able to assign deliveries to them.
Conclusion #
Adding your drivers to Ficos is the first and most important step to building your own delivery service. By correctly setting their role and payment model, you unlock a powerful, integrated system for dispatching, tracking, and managing payouts, all from a single platform. For more helpful tips, visit the Ficos Documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions #
What permissions does the 'Driver' role have? #
The “Driver” role is a special, limited-access role. When a user with this role logs in, they can only see Driver Mode. They cannot access other parts of your store like sales reports, inventory management, or settings.
What happens if I choose the wrong Driver Type? #
You can easily change this at any time. Navigate to Staff Management, tap on the driver’s profile to view their details, and tap the “Edit” button. From there, you can switch their type between “Internal Staff” and “Contract Driver” as needed.
Does the driver need to buy the Ficos app? #
No. The Ficos app is free to download for all your staff members, including drivers. They simply need to download it from the app store and log in with the email you used to invite them.
Why can't I assign deliveries to a driver I just added? #
A new staff member must first accept the store invitation they receive via email before they are considered an active member of your team. Once they have accepted the invite, they will appear in your list of available drivers for dispatch.
Can a single staff member have multiple roles (e.g., Cashier and Driver)? #
No. Each staff member can only be assigned one primary role. If you have an employee who works both as a cashier and a driver, you will need to decide which role is their main function within Ficos.