Intuit Inc. — QuickBooks Point Of Sale Retail Management Software

EASE OF USE — 5 Stars
QuickBooks Point of Sale (QuickBooks POS) is designed for entry-level software
users, and its interface suits new users perfectly. A ‘Get Started With
Tutorials’ screen appears upon installation. Users can familiarize themselves
with the product and learn how to set up the company business. An optional tour
of all key features is also available.

The main screen of QuickBooks POS is divided into several flow charts, with
an area for each type of activity. To the left are links to merchant services,
purchasing supplies, Help and support, and the learning center. At the top of
the screen is a drop-down menu, which also provides access to all functions.
Directly below is a task bar that offers one-click access to frequently used
functions such as Make a Sale, Customers, End of Day, Items, and Receive Items.
The sales entry screen has a lookup option for locating customers, and customers
can also be added on the fly. Products can be scanned into the system or UPC
codes can be entered. Clicking on the edit button will change the default pricing
or quantity. Returns can also be processed from the same screen by clicking
on the “return receipt” option to the left of the main screen. Using
the flow charts, menu options and links, even new users will feel comfortable
navigating through the various screens.

MODULES/SCALABILITY — 4.5 Stars
Along with point-of-sale functionality, QuickBooks POS also includes Inventory,
Purchasing and Reporting functions. QuickBooks POS is available in three levels:
Basic, Pro or Pro – Multi-Store. The different versions are available
for different prices, but you can always pay to upgrade to a higher version
and unlock it right from your existing version.

FEATURES/FUNCTIONALITY — 5 Stars
QuickBooks POS – Version 5 contains several new features, including the
ability to offer and track customer gift cards, a more detailed item history,
additional system customization features and enhanced reporting options. The
system can be used directly from the computer screen or with a touch screen.
Toolbars can be customized to suit a business’s needs, and the end-of-day
process is simple with options to transmit information to QuickBooks Financial
software.

Barcodes for inventory can be easily created for quicker sales processing
and tracking. Every sale displays a customer history, which is an excellent
tool for targeting sales. QuickBooks POS integrates with QuickBooks Financial
software, eliminating duplicate data entry. And the improved data transfer function
makes it easier than ever to transfer data between QuickBooks Financial Software
and Point of Sale.

Work orders are easily created and deposits accepted using any payment method
acceptable. Orders can be e-mailed to customers for quicker processing, and
special instructions can be added when needed. Both inventoried and non-inventoried
items can be processed, and the default cost can be edited for sales or customer
discounts.

INTEGRATION — 4.5 Stars
Improved integration with QuickBooks Financial Software makes synchronizing
data easier than ever. Various peripheral devices are also available that integrate
with QuickBooks POS, including barcode scanners, receipt printers, credit card
readers and cash drawers. A built-in credit and debit card processing feature
is included in the software, and rates are competitive.

TRACKING/REPORTS — 4.5 Stars
Inventory totals are updated instantly upon transaction processing. Tracking
can be utilized to monitor the best and worst selling items, what items are
most frequently returned, and a daily department summary. Customer purchases
can be tracked with the in-depth customer purchase history, which details all
customer purchases. As well, users can track purchases by zip code or by various
promotion. Reporting options are numerous, with reports available for sales
comparison by date, detailed layaway reports, an extensive amount of merchant
payment service reports, and cash drawer status reports.

RELATIVE VALUE — 5 Stars
QuickBooks POS is suitable for retail establishments with up to 10 stores. It
is priced at $799 for the Basic version. A software/hardware bundle is also
available for $1,499.95, and includes QuickBooks POS 5.0, a cash drawer, a receipt
printer, a barcode scanner, and a credit card reader. QuickBooks has been providing
financial solutions to businesses for many years, and its new products and releases
never fail to produce new options, increasing the value and making the latest
technology available to small businesses everywhere.

2006 Overall Rating: 5 Stars