Since the discovery of internet technology and is used for the public, the application/software industry also enjoys the presence of applications that run online compared to previously the application only runs offline.
Likewise, the available Point of Sale software also evolved from an Offline system using a desktop computer to an Online system, especially with the availability of POS software on the mobile Android or mobile iOS platform. Which one is better? Offline system or Online system? Here is an explanation of this so that you can choose the right POS system solution for your needs.
More info about What Is a Point of Sale (POS) System? Features and Benefits for Retailer
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What is the Offline Point of Sale Software?
What is meant by the Offline POS system is the POS software used in a store, sales transactions that are input only stored in the cash register machine, or even if there are several cashiers in one store? Data is only stored on the server in the store.
The offline POS system, because the system is not connected out of the store network for example to the head office server.
The advantages of the offline Point of Sale system:
- Transactions are faster because all data is stored offline
- Transactions can be carried out without a network/internet connection outside the store.
The disadvantages of the offline Point of Sale system:
- If you have more than 1 (one) location, it is difficult to see the report directly, you must come to the store or the data is sent to you within a certain period to you.
- It is difficult to standardize, for example we need to change the price of an item such as 330ml can of coca cola. You must notify each team in the store, to update prices.
- Difficult to control the store. Specifically, changes in selling prices must and can be done by each store, so they are prone to mistakes and fraud.
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What is Online Point of Sale Software?
The presence of an online Point of Sale system is inseparable from the development of communication technology and infrastructure so that today to connect one computer to another device is common. Especially if we talk about mobile devices android or ios that are basically connected automatically to the internet network.
In the online POS system, we usually talk that the cashiers in stores are scattered, all connected, especially to the central office. Thus, the data will be centralized.
The advantages of an online Point of Sale system:
- Transactions that occur in stores can be read directly at the head office, or even in other stores, if the access rights are granted.
- Control and standardization of data can be maintained properly. For example, when adding 1 (one) new product/product, it will be inputted at the head office, then the data will be spread across all connected stores. Likewise, if there is a price change, it can be done at the head office thereby increasing control.
The disadvantages of the offline Point of Sale system:
- When a transaction occurs, your cash register must always be connected to the network, to the head office, or to the internet. When your network has a problem, you cannot input transactions, and this is very risky to cause fraud or fraud. Transaction does not or forgets to be inputted when the network is running again.
- You must pay attention to the volume of your data. For example, how big is your product data? Some retailers such as fashion can have tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, even in our experience, up to millions of product masters who are often called SKUs (stock-keeping units). Using an online system should be your concern about the number of network requirements with your data volume. Including how much transaction data must be sent immediately each transaction occurs. This is to avoid the system running not as expected and cause long queues that result in lost sales.
- Requires additional costs for the network that must work continuously, as long as the store is operating.
Looking at the two comparisons above, of course, we can simply decide to use the online cashier system, but who can be sure that your network to the central office or to the internet can always run without interference at all? Especially if you have a lot of shops and spread to small cities.
Therefore, we see the need to have a POS system that combines this online and offline system. This is so we can benefit from both systems. The solution is the cashier application design that you choose even though it is Online but must also be able to support it when the condition is Offline. So, at the time of the transaction, everything must go offline so that the transaction can run quickly with the ability of big data.
At the same time, the system is also online where when a network connection is available, all transaction data is automatically sent, but when network conditions are not working, all data is stored offline at the cash register, so sales are not interrupted. The next time the network conditions become available, automatically all transactions that have not been sent will be sent to the head office.
After knowing the difference between online and offline cashier systems, please determine your needs. Some things are always a factor in our consideration. How many stores do you manage? One or up to thousands of stores. How many products do you handle? Hundreds of goods codes, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of products.