Point of Sale (POS) software: purchase guide
What is Point-of-Sale Software?
Definition
Point Of Sale (POS) software is a solution that allows you to install a cash register on a PC or directly on a touch screen (tablet, smartphone, or point of sale terminal). These management tools are designed to facilitate the daily tasks of cashiers, but also promote good customer relationship management. It goes even further by offering the aspects of invoicing and accounting software.
This software is an essential pillar for warehouse management.
How does it work?
The touchscreen or single-user cash register software allows you to record all your transactions. Step by step, the software will help you:
- Create your product catalogue
- Scan the barcodes or enter the products purchased
- Cash out customers
- Print a receipt, create a quotation or an invoice
The online cash register reduces the risk of errors and immediately sends the figures to the company interface. Your job becomes easier and you can focus on other parameters at the heart of your profession.
What are the Main Features of a POS?
The many features of POS software vary from one IT solution to another. Try to choose a commercial management software that includes:
- Over-the-counter sales with automatic cash register (in PC mode or on a touch screen), waiting to check a price or search for a reference, booking a product, order management and asset management.
- A link with your e-commerce shops with automatic stock management.
- The management of the cash register with differentiation by vendors and automatic locking of the cash register screen.
- Loyalty through customer files, with automated promotional offers and personalized messages.
- Interoperability with the barcode scanner.
- Automatic invoicing: printing of receipts and possibility of making advance invoices.
- The collection system: management of the store's cash register, opening of the cash drawer, management of credit card payments.
- The possibility of having a mobile cash register such as an iPad cash register or an Android tablet.
- The possibility to link your POS software package with your accounting IT solutions.
- The volume of sales according to each article.
- A specific module for e-commerce with a unique database and management of items by size, color or material and online checkout.
- Inventory management on several stores in order to promote a better transfer of stocks.
- Data recovery in order to exploit them on other commercial management, office automation or accounting software.
Instead of multiplying the media, choose point-of-sale software that centralizes your information and gives you the ability to get an accurate view of your revenue, sales, margins and average shopping cart on an intuitive dashboard.
Who Uses Point-of-Sale Software on a Daily Basis?
Retail trade, hairdressers, beauty salons and institutes, mini-markets, organic shops, florists, dry cleaners and sales management for several shops all have needs in terms of commercial management, stock assessment and IT solutions for collection.
The catering sector (bars, restaurants, breweries, sandwich shops, bakeries, pastry shops, etc.) is also fond of cash register software.
Within the retail sector, the POS is transversal. Employees (cashiers, servers, employees, etc.) use them to record transactions.
Managers or other persons in charge use them to analyze the activity of the business, and record accounting entries in the accounting software for example.
Why use a POS in your Business?
This commercial management software is essential. You do not multiply the number of software supports or cash management solutions, and thus reduce the number of errors. However, it has some disadvantages.
Advantages
- Centralize the information in an automatically updated database.
- Simplified accounting and a clearer view of your figures for the day, week, month or year.
- A good overview of the best-selling and most challenging items.
- Optimized stock management.
- The security of your touchpad with a lock code.
- You save time with easy and automatic invoicing.
- Faster cash collection at your cash registers.
- All transactions are recorded and archived. This reduces the risk of fraud and provides evidence in the event of a tax audit.
Disadvantages
- The cost of POS software discourages small merchants and micro-businesses who prefer traditional cash registers.
- For large structures, the software does not replace the use of a more complete ERP or CRM.
- There are no universal tools, but solutions adapted to each field: restaurant software, hairdressing software, institute software, etc. You may have to invest in several software if your business is diversified, free or paid point of sale software?
Free or Paid Point of Sale Software?
It is important not to neglect the different functionalities of your POS software. Sometimes it is more interesting to plan a budget for the purchase of a high-performance cash management solution than to save money, but to lose efficiency with a software that is not very user-friendly.
Depending on your industry, you may have specific needs that may limit the number of compatible offers. In the catering sector, the cash register software will have to manage restaurant tickets, takeaway sales, different VAT rates, the seating plan, or the loyalty card.
Feel free to test the different offers of collection and commercial management software. Most software publishers offer a variety of offers, but also the possibility of trying out the software for a short period of time. There are subscription offers for POS software in SaaS with outsourcing of your information and the possibility to benefit from telephone support and the latest updates automatically installed. SaaS is a scalable solution that ensures true competitiveness. But be careful to choose your software vendor carefully so that it does not risk closing down!
Evaluate your company's needs and take the time to compare the different cash management software solutions before making a final choice.
Final Tip for Choosing your POS
Check that the POS software you are interested in is certified NF 525 by AFNOR and that the software vendor is in charge of bringing it into compliance in the event of a change in regulations and the finance law.
