Questions and Answers

ABS...the SureOne for POS

ABS is proud to be among the first POS software companies in America to earn the right to use IBM's "SureOne Compatible" logo. ABS Point of Sale software products have been thoroughly tested on the hottest POS hardware system on the market, the IBM SureOne®.

The ABS Point of Sale System actually runs on virtually any PC-based computer operating under DOS, Novell, SCO, AIX, and UNIX. That means you can create a low cost solution for your customers by adding POS peripherals, such as a receipt printer, a cash drawer, a scanner, or a customer display.

The ABS Point of Sale System is a complete POS/inventory control/ accounting solution for hardgoods retailers.

Q. Does ABS require separate modules for POS and inventory?

A. No. ABS Point of Sale includes all of the following features in a single software module:

POS processing...including quotes, layaways, on-account payments
inventory control...including items with serial and lot numbers
sales analysis...by department, day, customer, product and more
physical inventory...for easy counting and repricing.

Q. Does ABS offer back-office accounting, too?

A. Yes. The ABS Accounting System. And because it is a modular solution, a retailer only needs to purchase the modules he or she really needs. Here are the modules which comprise the system:

Accounts Receivable         Bank Reconciliation 
Accounts Payable            Currency Conversion 
Payroll                     General Ledger      
Purchase Order              ABS/IQ Report Writer

Q. What markets does the ABS Point of Sale System best fit?

A. ABS is an excellent solution for retail businesses that sell...

 hardware                    gifts                
 building supplies           home furnishings     

plus, numerous types of "cash & carry" stores ranging from kitchen supplies to pet shops.

Q. What markets are NOT suitable for ABS Point of Sale?

A. ABS does not support a size/color/style matrix. As a result, ABS is not suitable for stores selling apparel, clothing, or sporting goods. Those markets are usually classified as softgoods.

Q. Can ABS handle retail businesses that operate multiple stores?

A. Yes. By adding our Remote Processing P.E.P. Pack®, hundreds of stores (or warehouse locations) can be linked to a corporate processing center...and vice versa. And the corporate site can control the types of information--price changes, new SKUs, purchasing, and so on--that are captured and transferred at each location.

Q. How long does it normally take to train a cashier to use ABS?

A. About one hour!

Q. How many different screens does a cashier have to use?

A. One. Although a separate payment screen can be used during training...until the cashier learns the codes for each payment type. (You can define up to 14 different payment types, such as Visa, check, coupon, etc., in addition to cash.)

Q.Just what can be done from that single POS entry screen?

A. Glad you asked! Here's a partial list:

• A sale can be suspended, then recalled and completed when the customer returns to the register.

• Register closing can be blind...only store managers see actual totals.

• The store can be "closed" mid-day...without affecting sales activity at the registers.

• Management can restrict cashier entry at the price field...a nice deterrent to "shrinkage."

• A cashier can process and print a quote for a customer...right at the register.

• If a customer wants to make a layaway or on-account payment, any cashier can do it.

• Historical daily traffic flow reports can help shift managers maintain optimum staffing levels.

• Items can be printed on the receipt as soon as they're scanned. (Why make a customer wait?)

• A store manager can set date-sensitive prices weeks ahead of a sale. (The system will remember them.)

• Any cashier can quickly lookup any product by its ID, description, department or vendor.

• A cashier can void a sale with just two keystrokes.

• A separate payment screen can be used while new cashiers are being trained.

• If a customer has moved, the cashier can update the customer's file right at the register.

• When a customer buys 10 identical items, the cashier only needs to scan 1, then enter 10.

• It's easy to control the maximum amount of change a cashier can give a customer who pays by check.

• The system automatically "counts" money in the cash drawer and tracks any variances.

• If a "bad check" customer is identified, the system will trap that account number in the future.

• When ABS speed entry features are activated, the cashier's only entry will be the payment!

• Cashiers can be required to record multiple customer IDs for payments by check.

• Items can be sold even before they are added to inventory. (The system will add them.)

• If employees get discounts, the system records those sales and their discounts separately.

• With a hot key, a product's price record (list price, break points and cost) can be displayed.

• If a corporate customer needs an invoice, printing can be directed to a non-receipt printer.

• When split tender is used, the system calculates the balance due until the full amount is paid.

• A 39 cent item, on sale at 3 for $1.00, can be sold at 34 cents or 39 cents each...if a customer buys less than 3 items.

• A layaway can be opened--and a customer can make a layaway payment any time--right at the register.

• An optional register log records the time, date and register number whenever a cashier signs in.

• Customer receipts can be printed with line item discounts or summary discount totals.

• The payment screen displays for the cashier the balance to be paid, plus any change due the customer.

• Plus, all inventory records (including items with serial or lot control numbers) are automatically updated while cashiers are processing customer sales!