III. INFORMATION ON THE COMPONENTS OF INFORMATION SYSTEM

The most basic POS computer system is an electronic cash register. The clerk can ring up goods in the cash register and produce a receipt for the customer. At the end of the day, various cash register functions can be used to print out daily reports which are used to reconcile the cash register and to prepare a deposit. More complex cash registers are capable of extremely detailed reports, and they have memory functions which allow users to look up reports from the past, or generate monthly and yearly reports.

A more complex POS system, however, includes numerous bundled features. Many POS systems have inventory management capabilities, where each piece of merchandise is entered into the system so that it can be tracked. Some systems also allow store buyers to generate purchase orders from within the system, using data about sales and product popularity. Time clocks and other accounting features such as credit card verification may be integrated into a POS system as well. Human resources may keep personnel records within the system, in a separate password protected area.

The hardware of a POS system is also distinctive and important. A typical system includes:

Minimum Requirements
• PC with Pentium or better
• 64 MB RAM
• CD ROM
• Floppy
• Windows 95 or Higher

Recommended Setup
• PC with Pentium III or better
• 256 MB RAM
• 10GB Hard Drive or Higher
• CD ROM
• Floppy
• Windows 98 or Higher

a. Magnetic Stripe Reader

Magnetic stripe readers are convenient for retailers who want to accept credit or debit cards. They're usually attached as a keyboard wedge or directly to a serial port, and are most often configured to read tracks one and two or track two only. To accept credit or debit card, credit card authorization software and a modem are needed to fill out the solution.

b. Card Reader

Using a technology called magnetic ink character recognition ( MICR ), check readers are capable of reading special characters printed on the bottom of a personal check. These characters are printed using magnetic ink to prevent check fraud. The check reader uses the same connectivity as a magnetic stripe reader, and also requires software and a modem.

c. Keyboard

Keyboards have various configurations for the point of sale environment. Some are standard 101-key keyboards, with integrated magnetic stripe readers, barcode scanners, decoders and programmable keys. Other POS keyboards are specifically designed for the environment, with fewer keys and a smaller footprint.

d. Monitor

In most cases, a standard 14-inch monitor is too large for a point-of-sale application, and a smaller, nine or ten-inch monitor often works better. In many hospitality environments such as restaurants, touch screen technology has become very popular, allowing for easy operator training and requiring no keyboard.

e. Receipt Printer

Every point-of-sale system should have a receipt printer. Each receipt printer comes with one or two cash drawer ports for direct attachment. This allows two devices - printer and cash drawer - to share a single port on the PC, which is beneficial because there are generally more peripheral devices than available ports on a PC. Several options are available for most receipt printers, including journal take-ups, cutter mechanisms, slip validation and MICR units.

f. Barcode Scanner

Bar code scanning provides for speed and accuracy at the checkout counter. Common scanners include CCDs, hand-held laser scanners, and omni-directional scanners. Barcode scanners are usually connected via keyboard wedge or directly to a serial port.

g. Customer Display

Also known as a pole display, this device displays item and price information, as well as product advertising. It contains either a fluorescent or LCD display and attaches either to the serial or parallel port.

h. Application / POS Software

The applications software is the most important part of any point of sale solution. The software is always chosen first and determines the hardware selection. Remember the following tips: Refer to your software manual before choosing any point of sale hardware.

Along with the computer loaded with the POS software. Custom features may be added or removed, depending on the industry. A restaurant POS system, for example, may have a feature which prints order tickets directly in the kitchen, or a grocery store may have an integrated scale for weighing goods.

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