Layout is built to work directly on top of Square, not replace it. When you connect your Square account to Layout, Layout becomes a real-time extension of the systems you already use to run your business. This means you continue managing products, pricing, modifiers, and locations inside Square, while Layout handles the mobile app experience for your customers.
The connection between Layout and Square is done through a secure OAuth flow. During setup, you’ll be asked to sign in to Square and grant Layout permission to access specific data such as your catalog, locations, orders, and loyalty information. You never need to paste API keys or manage technical credentials. Permissions can be reviewed or revoked at any time from your Square dashboard.
Once connected, Layout syncs your Square catalog directly into your mobile app. This includes items, categories, prices, images, modifiers, and variations. Any changes you make in Square, such as adding a new drink, adjusting prices, or updating item availability, will reflect in your app automatically. Layout performs a full automatic sync once per day at 11:59 PM, and you can manually trigger a sync at any time from the Layout dashboard if you need updates to appear immediately.
Modifiers and variations are a core part of the Square integration. If you’ve set up modifiers in Square, such as milk options, size selections, add-ons, or exclusions, those options will appear natively in the Layout app. Customers can customize their orders exactly as intended, and those selections flow directly back into Square with the order. Because Layout reads directly from Square, it’s important that your modifiers and variations are structured clearly and consistently in Square to ensure the best customer experience.
Categories and item organization are also controlled entirely through Square. Layout does not override or reformat your catalog structure. If your items feel cluttered or confusing in the app, that usually means the Square catalog needs cleanup or reorganization. Before launching your app publicly, it’s strongly recommended to review your Square catalog and make sure categories, naming, and modifiers are optimized for mobile ordering.
Location syncing works the same way. When you connect Square, Layout pulls in all available locations on your account. During setup, you can choose which locations should appear in the app. For multi-location businesses, each location can have its own availability, hours, and catalog behavior while still being managed under one Layout account.
Orders placed through the Layout app are sent directly into Square. From there, orders appear in the Layout order panel where staff can manage order status, such as started, preparing, and ready for pickup. As order status changes, customers are automatically notified through the app. This keeps customers informed without requiring extra communication from staff and helps reduce pickup confusion during busy periods.
Loyalty integration is also powered by Square. If you use Square Loyalty, customer loyalty progress and rewards are reflected in the app automatically. Customers can see their points and available rewards without needing a separate system or login.
Because Layout stays in sync with Square, there is no duplicate data entry. You do not manage products, pricing, or modifiers inside Layout itself. Square remains your single source of truth, and Layout reads from it to deliver a consistent and accurate mobile experience.
If you ever notice items missing, modifiers not appearing, or data looking incorrect in the app, the first step is to check how that data is structured in Square. In most cases, syncing issues are resolved by updating the Square catalog and triggering a manual sync from the Layout dashboard.
Layout’s Square integration is designed to be reliable, secure, and low maintenance. Once connected, it runs quietly in the background so you can focus on running your business instead of managing technical systems.