#Whatbis pos software#

Printers have a small footprint so that valuable counter space can be freed up. It provides a printed record of the transaction so the customer can use it to expense items or meals or enable them to return an item that is not satisfactory. The printer prints out a receipt to be signed by the customer. These are more efficient in a high-volume environment. Scanners can be handheld to enable the employee to check out large or bulky items, or it can be a stationary scanner where the items to be purchased are passed over the laser to be checked out. A scanner uses a laser to bounce light off of the barcode in order to read it. ScannerДЄ scanner streamlines the checkout process by reading barcodes on the product being purchased. Some credit card readers allow a customer to tap the unit with the card or wave it at the unit to pay, which is called a contactless transaction. This is due in part to businesses being more liable for not having chip card readers. EMV cards are more prevalent outside of the United States but they are catching up in popularity. Credit Card ReaderДЄ reader reads a credit card whether it is swiped or inserted as a chip (EMV) card. Tablets or iPads have little or no footprint on a retail counter unlike bulky monitors or cash registers that take up valuable counter space and inhibit employee-customer interaction. Touchscreens can be free-standing units or a tablet or iPad to enter purchased items. Monitors can also display work schedules, inventory levels, and sales reports. Monitor/input device or touchscreen Regular monitors are used with computers to enter data such as clocking in or out by employees and accounting data.

#Whatbis pos software#

The software is maintained by a vendor and the business data is stored in the cloud so no worries about fire, bad weather, or theft. Today, there is another choice вЂ“ software on the cloud. It has to be maintained by the owner and hopefully backed up on a regular basis. That means it resides on a computer at the business location. The software used by a business can be what is known as вЂњon-premisesвЂќ. From the business side, there are such items as a monitor or touch screen, credit card reader, scanner, printer, and yes, a cash drawer (some things never change). So instead of a credit card, a customer can pay with a store app or electronic wallet. From the customer side, the hardware consists of a smartphone or tablet while the software is an app on that mobile device. Modern POS systems incorporate both POS hardware and software. It impacts the day-to-day workings of the business, such as accounting, inventory control, and employee scheduling. It is a combination of hardware and software that does much more than merely performing a transaction. You can think of it as the вЂњpointвЂќ where the customer and business commit to doing business together. POS hardware is the physical equipment used to process a transaction at the point of sale.