Point of Sale Systems of the Future

Technology has been moving at an amazing avalanche pace. It continues to grow and develop faster than many companies can keep up with. We?ve come back to one of those lulls where companies are tightening their technology belt. It isn?t that these companies don?t appreciate the technology being launched; instead they?re waiting for the next round. Technology really does move in waves and businesses respond to these cycles. Advancements are made quickly, but it can take time to smooth out the problems that always arise with anything new. Businesses tend to watch new operating systems and software solutions closely before investing heavily in it. With the near release of Vista businesses are gearing back their IT budgets and preparing for the next wave.

The next year is going to be an exciting time especially since it?s been so long since Microsoft?s last Operating System Release. Each time I get nervous and remember back in the early days the trouble I got when I upgraded to DOS 4.0. Of course DOS 5.0 was close at hand and everything smoothed out. Still I wonder what new and exciting things that will happen. This power Microsoft yields over the entire Industry is well earned and no one with any respect for their accomplishments can deny Windows XP is all they said it would be (after numerous lawsuits, revisions, patches, updates and a whole lot of headaches). Today?s Windows XP is a lot different from the one they released so many years ago. A wonderful job has been done to make the application solid and secure with a wide range of features I really use. If we?re lucky Vista will only need one major service update to make it really good, but only time will tell.

The unfortunate side affect of Microsoft?s success is that their releases have a direct impact on the bottom line of a lot of IT companies. At certain times we experience this scary lull light the eye of a hurricane. On the bright side Vista is sure to super charge the IT Industry and generate revenue for a lot of companies outside of Microsoft.

So where does this whirlwind of waves hold for the future of retail software? Many companies are going to hold their budgets until Vista can prove itself. A small minority might venture to Linux and a brave few will dive into Vista with blind resolve. There are some software companies and software applications that have found a unique way to avoid the Operating Fears. Instead of developing software to run and be installed on multiple systems they?re finding Internet Technologies are allowing cross platform development people didn?t dream of five years ago. By developing software that runs through a web browser programmers can focus on writing their software to match standards created by the W3C. Instead of tying themselves down to one operating system they open themselves up to almost all of them.

As Internet Technologies continue to advance we?re going to find the spiral of technology spending will no longer rely so heavily on the releases of specific operating systems, but instead on a set of existing standards created by the W3C. Point of Sale Systems are one of the most common types of computer systems used in business. By leveraging the power of Internet Technology companies are finding software applications that are multi-platform, require no installation and provide dedicated back up services in addition to a wide range of other benefits Hosted Applications can provide.

Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with author box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication if you choose to include my article. TITLE: AUTHOR: Ed Duval URL: www.AndTechComputers.com

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Author Box - ? Ed Duval (2006) Ed Duval is contract writer and software developer for www.AndTechComputers.com and Creator of the HotPotato Restaurant Point of Sale Software System. With over a decade of experience in software development he shares his unique insight on today's point of sale software systems.

Restaurant Employee Tip Tracking Easier Through A Point Of Sale System

Restaurant Employee Tip Handling

The History Of Restaurant Employee Tip Handling

No one knows when tipping began. But we do know that in the 1980's the IRS levied new regulations on restaurant owners to track the tips received by the employees of the restaurant.

The magic number of 8% became the benchmark for servers and waiters to declare as their tipped earned. Not because it was accurate. Rather, because it was the minimum amount allowed by the IRS.

The trick is this. Tipped employees in restaurants are generally not paid minimum wage. The amount varies from state to state but it runs between $2.15 to $3.15 per hour. The IRS assumes that the tips received will make up the difference between this low hourly amount and the true minimum wage that is currently $5.15 per hour. If this is not the case, then it is up to the restaurant owner to make up the difference between what the tipped employee earned + declared tips and minimum wage. This makes accurate tip declaration, tracking and reporting a vital aspect of running a restaurant.

The Need For Restaurant Employee Tip Handling

You need a employee time clock system that recognizes tipped employees, tracks their individual sales, any charge tips collected and requires them to declare cash tips at the end of their shift.

You also need a employee time clock system that can handle tip sharing, tip pooling and tip out to bus help, bartenders and other servers.

You need a employee time clock system that will track the hours worked and tips collected and recognize problems with employees not declaring enough tips to meet the minimum wage requirements.

The Solution Of Restaurant Employee Tip Handling

Some point of sale software products have tip tracking built into their time in attendance module. Once you set an employee as a tipped employee the system will require tip declaration prior to clock out.

Servers and waiters who ring sales will have their total sales tracked. Tips collected through credit card sales are tracked and shown on the server closeout report. Prior to clock out the server/waiter will be shown their total sales, the charge tips collected and then asked to declare their cash tips.

Some point of sale products do allow for programming flexibility with this feature:

* You may change the minimum declaration from the default of 8%.
* You may change the requirement to declare tips at clock out.
* You may opt to have the system print a chit with their tips shown.
* You may opt to not show charge tips on the declaration screen.

The Benefit Of Restaurant Employee Tip Handling To You

How do you measure the amount of relief a person can have knowing that your point of sale system is enforcing tip regulations levied by the IRS? Not to mention the mass amount of time savings in tracking declared tips, charge tips and hour worked for every tipped employee.

This is one headache you don't want to have to deal with. If you have tipped employees you need a good point of sale system with tip tracking and time and attendance.: Jerry D. Wilson is Director of Internet Sales for DirecTouch Restaurant Point of Sale. With over 25 years of hospitality point of sale experience, he has written several articles explaining the benefits of touch screen and retail point of sale software. Please visit http://www.directouchpos.com or http://www.directretailpos.com for more information.

Selecting the Right POS Software and Hardware for Your Business

POS, also known as "point of sale", is a must have for any service or retail business. The POS software and hardware of today replaces the old cash registers of yesterday. POS software and hardware will increase efficiency as well as help you keep better track of your sales and cash flow. Overall, with a good point of sale system on your side, you will have better control over the financial operations of your retail store or service business.

It is important that you consider different options for your POS solution. It?s paramount that you find the right solution that directly meets your business needs.

The most basic of POS hardware consists of mainly general components, such as a computer, cash drawer, a computer and Pole display, as well as a printer for receipts and a scanner, Credit card reader and a bar code printer. All of this hardware ultimately helps in keeping operations for your business as smooth as possible. POS hardware is perfect for the retail industry, and is also popular in the hospital industry as well. The correct POS solution will increase productivity, and thus profits.

When you are out looking for the right kind of POS hardware, consider all the different aspects that you can take advantage of. For example, the decision as to wether you?d like your POS input to be either a keyboard or a touch screen is an important thing to consider. Most prefer the ease of touch screens over keyboards, but each have there own separate places in different industries. For example, keyboards are perfect for grocery stores since checkers will be able to input item codes in order to check prices.

There is also the scanner that you will have to consider as well. Scanners vary widely, from low end scanners to high quality laser scanners. It's best to consider the volume that your store does when you are thinking about the right kind of scanner. If the line in your store doesn't go past one or two people, a basic scanner will suffice. If a fair amount of customers come through your store, then you might want to opt for a laser scanner to increase speed at which items are rung up. This will help decrease the wait time in your store, and thus increase overall customer satisfaction.

Written by Antonio Smithston. Find the latest in POS Software and hardware from Positive Retail Manager.