Point of Sale Basics and General Information:
The POS products we supply include personal computer-based terminals,
receipt printers, cash drawers, magnetic stripe readers, keyboards
and related peripherals. Bar Coding products distributed by T&W
Enterprises include bar code scanners and printers, portable data
collection terminals, wireless networks and other related equipment.
What is a PC cash drawer?
A PC cash drawer is a point-of-sale system designed around a standard
personal computer. Customers can add various peripherals to the
system to meet their own particular needs. Below, we will detail
each peripheral device, how it is used, how it is connected and
its key features and options.
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.
Cash drawer The
cash drawer is another necessary component in any point-of-sale
system. Most cash drawers are printer-driven. Each receipt printer
manufacturer has a unique cash drawer interface, making each cash
drawer printer-specific. Cash drawers may also be attached independently
via serial or parallel port.
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 (see
"host connection" for more information on wedges) or directly to
a serial port, and are most often configured to read tracks one
and two or track two only. Proper software and a modem are needed
to fill out the solution.
Check 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.
Keyboard Keyboards
have various configurations for the point-of-sale environment. Some
are standard 101-key keyboards, with integrated magnetic stripe
readers, bar code scanners, decoders and programmable keys. Other
POS keyboards are specifically designed for the environment, with
fewer keys and a smaller footprint. A flat panel membrane keyboard
is a popular type that resists spills and is easily reprogrammed.
Scale Scales
are necessary for retailers who sell a product by weight. The scale
must be certified by the state Board of Weights and Measures and
must be NTEP-certified by the manufacturer. Scales are usually attached
to a serial port.
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.
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 (see "How do you read a bar code" for more information
on scanners). Scanners are usually connected via keyboard wedges
or directly to a serial port.
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.
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.
The
cash drawer is another necessary component in any point-of-sale
system. Most cash drawers are printer-driven. Each receipt printer
manufacturer has a unique cash drawer interface, making each cash
drawer printer-specific. Cash drawers may also be attached independently
via serial or parallel port.
Magnetic
stripe readers are convenient for retailers who want to accept credit
or debit cards. They're usually attached as a keyboard wedge (see
"host connection" for more information on wedges) or directly to
a serial port, and are most often configured to read tracks one
and two or track two only. Proper software and a modem are needed
to fill out the solution.
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.
Keyboards
have various configurations for the point-of-sale environment. Some
are standard 101-key keyboards, with integrated magnetic stripe
readers, bar code scanners, decoders and programmable keys. Other
POS keyboards are specifically designed for the environment, with
fewer keys and a smaller footprint. A flat panel membrane keyboard
is a popular type that resists spills and is easily reprogrammed.
Scales
are necessary for retailers who sell a product by weight. The scale
must be certified by the state Board of Weights and Measures and
must be NTEP-certified by the manufacturer. Scales are usually attached
to a serial port.
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.
Bar
code scanning provides for speed and accuracy at the checkout counter.
Common scanners include CCDs, hand-held laser scanners, and omni-directional
scanners (see "How do you read a bar code" for more information
on scanners). Scanners are usually connected via keyboard wedges
or directly to a serial port.
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.