Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/36891
Reviews For Your Clients POINT-OF-SALE REVIEW SECTIONS BASIC SYSTEM FUNCTIONS • Installation Ease • General Navigation & Ease of Use • Industry-Specifi c Templates • Industry-Specifi c Features • Platform Support CORE ACCOUNTING CAPABILITES • GL/AP/AR Functionality • Sales Tax Functionality • Payroll Functionality • Audit Trail • Multi-Currency • Multiple Language Support • Multi-Location Support • Multiple Users DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS • Sales/Point of Sale/Shipping • Customer/Vendor Employee Management • Inventory/Purchasing • e-Features • Remote Access MANAGEMENT FEATURES • Dashboard Overviews • Reporting • Security Features • Integration/Import/Export • Data Transfer • External Integration • Online Accountant Transfer Tool HELP/SUPPORT • Built-in Support Features • System Updates • Support Website/Documentation • U.S.-Based Support SUMMARY & PRICING 12 Products to Help Your Retail Clients I t’s no secret that the retail industry has struggled in this diffi cult economy. Yet Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, show an increase in total sales in May 2011, up 7.7% from May 2010. While numbers were down from the pre- vious month (April 2011), indicating that recovery still has a long way to go, adventurous entrepreneurs con- tinue to start new businesses. And as the number of jobs continues to shrink in the United States, more and more people are turning to self- employment to make ends meet. As they turn to tax and accounting pro- fessionals to help them run their business, they’ll also likely need help with something else: fi nding a good retail/POS system. As every business is diff erent, each business’ needs are diff erent, as well. tion processing, and can handle e-commerce functionality — a neces- sity for those off ering online shopping. Some products work only with a single store, which is perfect for those with no desire to expand. But retailers with multiple locations will need a more powerful system that off ers integrated technology between locations. The good news is that there’s something for everyone in this review, from products for single-location retailers to those with 25 locations. We’ve consolidated many of the POS features into a logical sequence to help identify the products that most closely meet the needs of your retail clients. Basic System Functions covers areas such as system navigation and relative ease of use. It also looks at how scalable the product is: If the business grows, can the soſt ware grow with it? Module selection is also noted in this section. User roles and security are vital AS THE NUMBER OF JOBS CONTINUES TO SHRINK IN THE UNITED STATES, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO SELF-EMPLOYMENT TO MAKE ENDS MEET. A smaller gift shop will have much different needs than a high-volume convenience store. A beauty salon will need diff erent features than a liquor store. A grocery store will require a different interface than a computer store. T e end result is that the needs of retailers vary just about as much as the POS soſt ware products reviewed here. While all of these products can easily handle basic sales transactions and much more, the similarities end there. Many products contain touch- screen technology for quicker transac- areas, particularly for retailers with numerous employees. We also look at features such as multi-store support, multiple transaction entry options, and other advanced retail features such as warehouse management, e-commerce and remote sales. Specialized Features & Services takes a look at areas such as touch- screen support, multiple tender options, customer data management, layaway and other special services, marketing tools, and loyalty and rewards programs. Tracking & Reporting considers the variety of reports available, if reports are available in real time, and the availability of inventory tracking reports. It also notes whether the product can identify best- and worst- selling items, in addition to evaluating management analysis options. Integration/Import/Export covers how well the product integrates with the vendor’s own add-on modules as well as any external applications. We also look at basic import/export options, what type of POS hardware peripherals are supported and whether or not time clock support is available. Help & Support identifi es the Help options available with the product, as well as any built-in support options such as tutorials, videos or wizards. T is sec- tion also considers how easy it is to get system updates, and how useful the company website is in supplying informa- tion to users. Product support options and availability is also noted here. ● Mary Girsch-Bock Mary began her career as an accountant in the property management industry, later moving into the healthcare industry. She is now a freelance writer specializing in business and technology issues and is the author of her fi rst book, several HR handbooks, training manuals, and other in-house publications. She can be reached at mary.girschbock@cpapracticeadvisor.com. August 2011 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com 37