A point of sale system is a device that will allow the employees of your business finalize the purchases of your customers. It can be something simple, like an invoice book, or a lot more advanced like a computer/software system. The degree of difficulty of operating a point of sale (POS) system is largely going to depend on the specifications of your business.

Believe it or not, the following are all types of point of sale systems:

Receipt book: The least complicated point of sale system is merely a receipt/invoice book. They might still be used in small, retail businesses located in less urban areas.

Mechanical Register: The mechanical register is a point of sale system that is just your basic cash register; it’s most advanced feature is it’s ability to print invoices.

Electronic Register: This is similar to your basic cash register, however it will also be able to print out sales reports for you.

Wireless Point of Sale Systems: A very specialized type of POS, these are used mainly by street vendors because they allow the user to access them anywhere there is a wireless signal.

Point of Sale Software: This is where it gets a little bit more advanced. POS software runs with required and compatible hardware. This software can also be web based, meaning that you must have an internet connection to utilize it. There are different types of point of sale software, and they have specialized features, to match the needs of the particular merchant. Here are some examples:

– A general retail sales software should probably be able to be integrated into your accounting software.

– A restaurant oriented software should include features like seating layout, take out, drive through, and waiter/waitress management.

– Software designed for a beauty salon must provide details such as: color, perm, haircut, blow dry, etc.

– Point of sale software used in hotels should be able to give you room, mini bar charges, anything ordered by television, spa, and room service all on one invoice.

For any industry, there are countless combinations of features. For example, any restaurant or hotel can purchase a software with integrated accounting features. And perhaps not all retailers really need an accounting oriented software. And so you see that what type of software you inevitably purchase has to do with what kind of business is buying the software.