The ultimate guide on how to set up a POS system for a small business
Do you run a retail business? Discover how to find the right POS system, and the six steps you need to set it up.
For a retail business, the point of sale (POS) system is perhaps the most important facility that you need. The POS system makes it easy to ring up sales at any time possible to complete the checkout process for your customers with any hassle.
In certain cases, retail POS solutions from EposNow can also function as the retail management platform from which you can run your entire business. Not only does this system allow you to ring up sales, but you can also track inventory, generate retail analytical reports, and provide exceptional customer service at the same time.
To make all of this happen, you need to do two things. First, you need to find the right POS solution, such as card machines with EposNow. Secondly, you need to know how to use a POS system and set it up for success to match your business requirements. In this post, we look at how you can achieve both of these objectives.
Find the right POS system retail solution provider
Think of this as “step zero” of the point-of-sale setup process. We will dive into the technical details or the specific steps of the installation process. But before that, you need to weigh the pros and cons of each POS retail management system available in the market, so you can find the best POS systems for your business.
This is not the time to make snappy judgments without researching the available options in the market. The right POS system will meet your business needs to make the entire installation process much smoother.
We will not plunge into the details about the POS buying process. If you are looking for a thorough resource, you can check out the ultimate guide for businesses looking for POS systems solutions. Here you will find out how you can:
- Define your business needs
- Select the best hardware
- Find the best POS system based on the current financial status of your business
- Find the best POS system based on the goals of your business
- Maximize the benefits from the POS system
Let’s look at the process of how to install the right POS system for your business to achieve the quickest financial success.
The six steps you need to follow to set up A POS system
After you choose the right POS system for your business, you need to run the software. There is no installation required with a majority of the web-based POS software solutions. The only thing you need is a secure internet connection. Launch the store’s URL on a browser with access to the internet.
1) POS software launch and log in
After you connect to the POS system website, you need to launch the software on your device and log in. You will need to configure your account to successfully login into the POS system. To configure your POS account, you will need to enter details like your business name, store location, number of branches, and so on. The majority of the POS system vendors will have tutorials or a walk-through guide to help you complete the login process.
2) Upload product details
You will need to set up a product inventory after you have registered your account with the POS vendor and logged in. A business with a few products and services can manually enter them into the system. You can choose to upload your product details in bulk if you have a large list of merchandise or services to offer your clients. A majority of the POS solutions have the option to do this using a CSV product list, that usually contains the following domains:
- Brand Name
- Product Name
- Product Category
- Product Description
- Quantity
- Retail Price
- Reorder Point
- Stock Keeping Unit (SKU)
- Supplier Name
- Supply Price
- Variant details (different sizes or models of the product)
Once you have completed entering your product details you can move on to the next step.
3) Setting up user accounts and permissions
You will need to set up user accounts before you can start to perform customer transactions on the POS system. Set up profiles or user accounts for team members based on the level of permissions you want to grant them on the POS system. Some of the most common types of user accounts on the POS system are:
- Cashiers
- Administrators
- Managers
In most cases, you will be able to personalize some of the permissions for each user based on their account. This means you can restrict or enable permissions for members of a certain category to achieve better control over the POS system functionality. For example, you can have some cashiers with certain added privileges before the cashier must revert to the administrator for authorization to perform a certain task. This can help you improve the overall efficiency of business operations within your company.
Finally, make sure your employees understand their roles and the standard operating procedures that apply in each scenario.
4) Setting up the hardware
The exact hardware requirements can vary based on the business operations, the number of locations, products, and certain other factors. But in most cases, the POS solution provider will require barcode scanners, cash drawers, payment terminals, and receipt printers. The POS solution provider will be able to give you detailed information on exactly which devices are required and how many of them. Once all the devices are installed you should be able to switch on the device, connect it to your wireless local area network, and connect it to your POS system.
5) Setting up the payment processor
The payment processing method for the POS system needs to be set up after all of your devices are configured. Each POS system will have different payment method options. Similarly, each POS system will have specific configurations for the merchant services they provide. You will need to consult your POS vendor to set up the configuration properly.
In most cases, the POS system will integrate with your payment processor. To do this go into your POS system’s settings and add the payment methods that your business requires. Your POS vendor will be able to help you achieve the right associations based on your type of business.
6) Connect the POS system with other business apps
Maximize the number of integrations with other business apps to make the most of your POS system. Each integration with a business app can potentially help bring in new clients to achieve higher business revenues. This will also make it easier for your company to gradually achieve brand recognition.
