AGKSoft - Scanning

Shown bellow is a USB Scanner for the Point Of Sale as well as the Back Office.  You simply plug this scanner to your USB port and scan.  Note that since this is a trigger scanner, you must hold the scanner and press the trigger to scan.

Shown bellow is the Metrologic Orbit Scanner for the Point Of Sale (USB style) as well as the VeriFone Ruby, Gilbarco G-Site/Passport and Dresser Wayne Nucleus (RS232 style).  Note that this scanner scans automatically using a "20 scan line Omni directional pattern".

Scanning Benefits

Cashier guessing

Cashiers sometimes have to guess prices, taxes and Departments

Detailed cash register receipts could improve customer confidence

More accurate, consistent prices could result in better customer service and improved margins

Training time

Complex tax laws and increasing product variety make the cashier's job harder. A well maintained price file could reduce demands on cashiers

Faster, easier cashier training means new and part time employees could be productive sooner

Inventory turns

Track item sales with Stock Sales Analysis report

Identify fast and slow moving items

Identify items with "zero sales"

Take action to replace slow movers

Product shrink

Compare items sold (Stock Sales Analysis report) to items missing or reordered 

Vendor cooperation

Reduce vendor "product creep" by spotting unauthorized products prices

Improve customer service with higher scan rates

Before you install

  • Decide which counter top scanner to purchase
  • Decide how many departments to use
  • If you change Departments, anticipate any accounting implications
  • Decide how you will ring up items that do not have bar codes
    • Open Department Key sales? PLUs ?
  • Decide how you will ring up items with bar codes that won't read
    • Open Department Key sales? PLUs? Manual UPC?
  • Decide which Price Groups and PLUs to set-up
  • Decide how and when to train your employees
  • Decide if vendor check-in procedures need to change
  • Enter new items into your Back Office Software and send them to your Cash Register before they are placed on shelves
  • Decide if any product substitutions will be accepted from vendors
  • Decide your "Scanning Accuracy Policy"
  • Decide whether to use priced shelf labels or to price individual items

Training Preparation

  • If needed, re-learn these Cash Register skills:

Add items; delete items, change item prices

Add Price Groups, change Departments, and assign tax rates

Set-up item specials and multi-pack sales

  • Teach cashiers how you want to handle sales exceptions 

Singles vs. 6 packs of the same item

Manual UPC sales

PLU usage

Dept. key layout

Consider making changes to your Department key layout

Use a Department key worksheet. List items that belong to each Department

All items in Departments must have the same tax status (either tax, or no-tax)

Once you've decided on the Department Key layout, make the changes

Here's a list of some common departments:

Grocery Health and Beauty Aids Dairy Deli Donuts Chips
Soda Fountain Coffee Candy Oil Snacks
Novelty Lottery Scratch Tickets Lottery Machine Lottery Paid Phone Cards Money Order
Cigarettes Cigar Tobacco Lighters Beer Wine
Automotive Misc Grocery Gifts Propane Pizza
Chips Ice Cream Ice Water Soups Frozen Foods
Baked Goods Floral Sandwich Garage Labor Garage Parts Car Wash
Taxable Non-Taxable Energy Drinks Fast Food News Juice

Scanning Suggestions

Vendor cooperation

Once you are scanning, vendor product substitutions create added work for you

Work with suppliers to minimize substitutions where possible

With your permission, some vendors will put suggested retail prices on your products or shelves

To maintain scanning accuracy, vendors need to alert you to price changes before the items are on the shelf so your price book can be updated too.

Improve cashier efficiency and report quality

If your goal is to record every item individually...

Consider "locking out" sales on open Department Keys

Each item in your store will need to be sold with a UPC or PLU

Cashiers could write down the name of each item that needs attention (doesn't scan, price issue, etc.)

PLUs can be used to track items without bar codes

Coffee (small, medium, large, refill)

Cappuccino (small, medium, large, refill)

Fountain (small, medium, large, refill, cup of ice)

Phone Cards, Ice, Fast Food, Rolls, Bagels, Newspapers

Consider shelf label pricing vs. item labels (like grocery stores)

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