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Resolving the "Start time and end time are too short" Publishing Error

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Resolving the "Start time and end time are too short" Publishing Error 🕒🛑

If you are trying to publish your online menu and encounter a wall of technical error text mentioning that "Start time and end time are too short," don't worry! This usually isn't about a single item being unavailable for long enough—it’s actually a sign of a "Time Range Conflict" in your settings.

This error most commonly appears when syncing with Delivery Service Providers (DSPs) like DoorDash or UberEats.

What is Causing the Error? 🤔

The error message Must be greater than or equal to 60 minutes is often triggered by Inverse Time Ranges.

In NX, you might have created a time range to cover a full 24-hour cycle, such as:

  • Start Time: 04:01 AM

  • End Time: 04:00 AM (the following day)

While the NX POS understands this as a full day, many third-party delivery platforms see the "Start" and "End" as being only 1 minute apart (or even a negative value). Because these platforms require a minimum availability window (usually 60 minutes), they reject the entire menu sync.

Where to Check Your Settings 🔍

Even if your specific online menu items don't have time ranges assigned, the system may be trying to send all defined time ranges to the delivery provider. Check these areas:

  1. Configuration > Time Ranges: Look for any "All Day" or custom ranges where the end time is numerically "before" the start time (e.g., Start 8:00 AM, End 7:59 AM).

  2. Venue > Online Ordering: Check the Availability dropdowns under your delivery provider settings (like DoorDash or UberEats).

  3. Menus > Menu Sets: Ensure the time ranges assigned to the overall Menu Set are standard (e.g., 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM) rather than inverse.

How to Fix It 🛠️

Option 1: Adjust Your Time Ranges

The most immediate fix is to update your time ranges to a standard format that DSPs can read. Instead of an inverse range like 04:01 to 04:00, try:

  • Start: 12:00 AM

  • End: 11:59 PM

Option 2: Remove Unused Time Ranges

If you have old or "inverse" time ranges that aren't actually being used for your online menu, delete them. NX typically sends the full list of time ranges to providers; cleaning up your list ensures only valid, 60-minute+ windows are sent.

Pro-Tip for Support Specialists 💡

Note: NX is frequently updated to be "smarter" about this. In many cases, NX will only send in-use time ranges to delivery providers to prevent these errors. However, if you ever try to apply one of those "inverse" 24-hour ranges to a specific online item, the provider will still reject it. Always use standard start/end times for online items!

Need Help? 💡

I fixed my time ranges, but I’m still getting the error.

Ensure your Venue Time Zone (e.g., America/Chicago) matches the time zone set in your delivery provider's portal. A mismatch can cause the system to miscalculate the length of the window.

Do I need to change my POS hours too?

Not necessarily. You can keep your POS-only time ranges as they are, provided they aren't assigned to any items or categories marked for "Online Order" or "Third Party."

Still stuck?

Reach out to NX Support and include a screenshot of your Configuration > Time Ranges screen. We can help you identify exactly which range is causing the "short time" conflict! 🆘✨

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