CAP|Software — Retail Manager 2006

From
the Nov. 2006 Review of Point-of-Sale Systems

Retail
Manager from CAP|Software contains a powerful point-of-sale module and a back
office module (SellWise) along with additional tools designed to streamline
retail store management procedures.

EASE OF USE — 5 Stars
The point-of-sale module is designed for use with touch screens, function keys
and a series of hot keys. Items can be scanned, or the lookup feature can be
used to search for products. Customers can also be located using the same search
function. The main screen features a series of tabs at the top and at the right
side of the screen. Each tab is controlled by a function key. For example, F3
is used to search for products, F2 is used for customers, and F5 is used to
change item quantity. Hot Keys speed data entry along, allowing for the addition
of non-inventory items, frequently sold products, and miscellaneous charges
to the touch screen for rapid processing. The select tender screen offers various
tenders for processing payments, and transaction balances can be reviewed prior
to processing payment. The quick key option can be used to categorize certain
items and services. Quick keys are also available for entering specific product
categories; just press the corresponding quick key number, and enter the amount
of the sale.

Retail Manager’s interface is uncluttered, and with its reliance on
keyboard and touch screen processing, it’s easy to navigate, even for
new users.

MODULES/SCALABILITY — 4.5 Stars
Retail Manager contains the POS module along with the SellWise module, which
contains inventory, order processing, product receiving, label printing, system
configuration, employee and time clock function, and an AR function. Also available
are various add-on options including CAP Hcom, which handles communication between
multiple sites; Credit, Debit and Gift Card Processing; a link to third-party
accounting programs (BusinessWorks and QuickBooks); and a shopping cart and
e-Commerce function for those with web stores.

FEATURES/FUNCTIONALITY — 5 Stars
Several new features are available in Retail Manager 2006, including updated
store configuration settings, the ability to set pricing by store, additional
reports, and an increased number of hot key total sets (999). Promotional pricing
can also be accessed directly from the point-of-sale module.

The use of hot key and quick key functions streamlines the check-out process
considerably. Retail Manager is truly designed for the cashier, even asking
whether the cashier is left- or right-handed. Inventory items and new customer
information can be added on the fly when necessary. Numerous types of product
discounts are handled, including percentage, quantity, store promotional and
specific customer discounts. The barcode scanner can be used to enter products,
and the function keys allow for the lookup of items. SellWise allows user to
print product UPC code tags, price tags and even store labels. When processing
sales, up to five different kinds of payment can be accepted, including a combination
of cash, check, credit cards, store credits and gift cards. The Operations function
allows users to reprint transaction receipts, add remarks to a receipt, suspend
transactions and process a cash drawer report. Exceptions such as returns and
overrides can be processed here, as well.

INTEGRATION — 5 Stars
Retail Manager 2006 is a fully integrated system that works very smoothly with
SellWise (back office module). Hardware peripherals supported include cash drawers,
counter top scanners, barcode scanners, magnetic card readers, PIN pads, and
credit and debit card processing. The Hcom application allows for the exchange
of data between sites. The Inventory Checker is a portable device that will
quickly scan incoming product and update inventory. The accounting link allows
for the transfer of data to QuickBooks or BusinessWorks. Report information
can also be exported to Microsoft Excel.

TRACKING/REPORTS — 5 Stars
Customer buying habits, inventory stock movement, and gift card usage can be
easily tracked in Retail Manager. Orders can also be tracked by item or by vendor.
Reporting options are good and include system reports, Excel reports, custom
reports, graphs and daily reports. Daily reports include the Sales Summary report,
a Transaction Summary report, Cash Drawer by Station, Tender Type Detail, and
Sales by Department Summary. As well, Retail Manager will also work with Crystal
Reports.

RELATIVE VALUE — 5 Stars
Retail Manager 2006 is an excellent point-of-sale product that is ideal for
those processing high volumes of transactions daily. An easily navigated user
interface, extensive customization capability and the ability to add the modules
needed make this an attractive option for both single- and multi-location retailers.
Retail Manager starts at $1,995 for a single-user system.

2006 Overall Rating: 5 Stars