Specialized Business Solutions — Keystroke Advanced POS

Keystroke Advanced POS is an advanced version of the popular Keystroke POS product used in stores nationwide. Designed for businesses with specific automation needs, Keystroke Advanced POS works well with retail/wholesale distributors and multi-location chain stores. Keystroke POS, a less robust version is a good fit for the smaller retailer with less complex needs.

BASIC SYSTEM FUNCTIONS

Keystroke Advanced features a user-friendly interface with simple function buttons at the top of the screen. The main menu, in the form of a grid, is on the left of the screen. Clicking on the Sales Manager tab provides access the sales screen, which is attractively laid out with the sales screen in the center and function buttons and a cash register keyboard at the bottom right. For cash sales, users can simply enter the correct product code or hit the “ins” button to display a list of products. When all products have been entered or scanned, the payments tendered option displays the list of available tenders. Items without a full payment tendered may be placed on hold. Other data-entry screens are just as user friendly, and customer labels and forms are fully customizable.

Modules included in Keystroke Advanced POS are the POS (Sales) Manager, Database Manager, Purchase Manager, Report Manager, Label Manager, Accounts Receivable, Configuration Manager, Sales Scripting, Accounting Link, Data Importer, Integration Toolkit, and Matrix Manager. Available add-on modules include Contract Pricing, Inventory Production and MultiStore.

Security levels are assigned to each cashier in multiple areas including General, Modules, Databases, Sales Manager, Sales Transactions, Purchase Manager and AR. Security levels can also be assigned to functions within each module.

Keystroke Advanced POS offers a fully customizable user interface, and lookup fields are plentiful throughout. The system supports multiple stores with the MultiStore add-on module. Clerks can easily enter cash sales and sales orders, as well as gift card transactions, credit memos, layaways, transaction deletes, and on-hold items. Products can be assigned multiple pricing levels, including base and list price, as well as three additional price levels.

Keystroke Advanced POS offers e-commerce integration with the use of the Integration Toolkit utilities, which provide for a complete web solution. Keystroke Advanced POS also offers easy mail order/catalog order entry functionality. 5

SPECIALIZED FEATURES/SERVICES

Keystroke Advanced POS offers touch-screen capability, along with multiple tender support. Products can be put on hold with a partial payment directly from the sales entry screen. Customer data is easily tracked with the ability to access historical sales data for all customers. Managers can also track information such as contacts, birthday, credit information, and discounts assigned to each customer. Custom fields can be utilized for additional tracking, if desired. Clerks can assign customers a unique code for easy tracking. Layaways and sales orders can also be processed from the sales entry screen, and multiple types of transaction can be processed, as well. Gift cards and food stamps are accepted, and gift registries are easily supported. 3.5

TRACKING/REPORTING

Keystroke’s Report Manager contains access to all system modules and the corresponding reports within each module. Report criteria is easily set up for each report, including customers, transactions and grouped by criteria. Reports can be displayed on-screen or printed, as desired. Regularly run reports can also be saved to run when needed. All reports processed in Keystroke Advanced POS contain real-time information, as data entered into the system may be automatically posted to the GL and reflected in all reports. Tracking of inventory items is in real-time, as well, with the ability to produce reports such as general inventory movement, as well as tracking best and worst selling products. Users can choose the range of items they wish to display or include them all as needed.

Customer demographics can also be managed using the customer database. Clerks can assign search terms for customers, and sort reports using that criteria. The Inventory/Matrix Sales Analysis report lists all products and descriptions, along with quantity available and profit percentage. An audit trail is easily accessible and automatically records all clerk and salesperson information on every system transaction. An internal audit log is also available with details of specific actions by all system users. 4.5

INTEGRATION/IMPORT/EXPORT

Keystroke Advanced POS is a completely integrated system. System data can be integrated with a variety of third-party accounting products including QuickBooks, Peachtree by Sage or BusinessWorks. For those with multiple stores, system data can be polled each evening to update the main system. The import module makes it easy to import customer, inventory and vendor databases from other sources.

Keystroke Advanced POS integrates with a wide variety of POS hardware peripherals including printers, cash drawers, scales, check readers, PIN pads, signature capture, customer displays and touch-screen monitors. The system also offers time clock functionality, where clerks can log in/log out while the system tracks hours worked. 4

HELP/SUPPORT

Help functionality is available within the product, and all software updates are available on the vendor’s website. Technical support is available during extended business hours. New customers receive 90 days of free support, with several different plans available for purchase. All plans include software updates as well as a specified number of technical support calls, with the Platinum support level offering unlimited support calls. Special pricing is available for retailers with multiple stores. 4

SUMMARY & PRICING

Base pricing for Keystroke Advanced POS is $1,895. Keystroke POS is $1,295. Add-on modules vary in price and start at $295. Keystroke Advanced POS is an excellent product for mid-sized retailers that need a strong inventory management module. Smaller establishments can start out with Keystroke POS and move up Keystroke Advanced POS if needed.

2010 Overall Rating 4.25