2020 Review of Cougar Mountain Denali Point of Sale

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From the 2020 reviews of point of sale systems.

Denali, from Cougar Mountain Software (CMS), offers a point of sale module that is designed to be used exclusively with other Denali applications. Best suited for small to mid-sized businesses that are looking for front/back office functionality for their retail business, Denali Point of Sale is available in both the Ascent and Summit plans, with users able to add additional modules they choose to either application.  

Denali’s Point of Sale application includes a recently refreshed interface with updated colors along with a new dashboard. Point of sale functionality is located in the Sales module, which seamlessly integrates with other Denali modules.

Users will appreciate the customizable user interface, which includes the ability to utilize a variety of user-defined fields. Item buttons can be added to the sales entry screen to speed up the sales process. Well-suited for special orders, users can also create a purchase order based directly on a new sales order if needed. Subtotals, tax, freight, and transaction totals are clearly displayed on the sales entry screen, with both cash and customer-driven sales processing available, with users are able to easily access or add customer details during the sales process. Users can process sales by entering a product number or by accessing the product details from the sales entry screen. New product details can also be added on the fly during any sales transaction.

Denali Point of Sale accepts multiple tender types which include cash, checks, debit cards, credit cards, gift cards, sales coupons and EBT. Users can also add additional tender options if necessary. The sales entry screen is flexible enough to process other transactions, including credits, product returns, voids, layaways, and special orders. During the sales process, users can also add non-inventory costs to any sale such as service charges, shipping charges, or layaway fees.  

Denali Point of Sale supports both standard monitors and touch screen monitors. The application also supports barcode scanners, which are ideal for retailers that process a high number of transactions. The application also supports product assemblies, making it a good choice for smaller manufacturers that need to create a bill of materials.  

All customer information is managed in Denali’s AR module, with customer information easily accessible from the point of sale application. Users can access details such as product purchasing history, payments on file, customer payment preferences, and any assigned credit terms and credit limits. There are also numerous user defined fields available for tracking additional customer details.

Denali Point of Sale includes solid inventory management capability, supporting up to five pricing levels for each product. In addition, users can track inventory by product code or by serial number, and a multi-location inventory module is available to purchase for those that manage inventory for multiple locations.

Denali Point of Sale offers good point of sales reports including a variety of sales and inventory reports. All reports are powered by Crystal Reports and include Sales History, Promotional Sales History, along with an Understock and Overstock report with an Inventory Movement report All reports can be exported to Microsoft Excel for customization.   

Denali is a completely integrated system, with all modules designed to work together. Cougar Mountain also offers a variety of add-on modules including an eCommerce solution for businesses that sell products online. The application also integrates with all point of sale hardware peripherals including touch screen monitors, cash drawers, check readers, PIN pads, pole displays, and credit card readers.

Denali offers good help and support options, with users able to access support from any user screen. User guides are also available through the user portal, with online help available through the online portal as well. Toll-free product support is available during regular business hours, with email support available as well. Users can opt to purchase the Software Assurance Plan, which provides immediate access to all product updates and enhancements while offering discounts on both training and support. Denali also offers various training options, including on-site training, online training, telephone training, and on-premise training held at Cougar Mountain’s headquarters.

Cougar Mountain Denali’s Point of Sale module is designed for those using or planning to use other Denali applications. Best for small to mid-sized retail business, those interested can choose from either the Ascent and the Summit package, with an option to purchase only the modules they desire. Additional information, access to a demo, and custom pricing are available from Cougar Mountain upon request.  

2020 Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars

Product Strengths:

• Excellent front/back office capability
• Customizable sales entry screen
• Solid selection of sales and inventory reports

Potential Limitations:

• Cannot be used as a stand-alone application
• Support only available during regular business hours