A Register Cash Screen, also known as a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, is a touchscreen device, often an iPad, that seamlessly integrates with your POS system at the checkout counter. Unlike traditional cash registers that only calculate totals and provide change, a register cash screen combines software and hardware for enhanced functionality. It not only accepts various payment methods but also synchronizes multi-channel inventory, builds customer profiles, and facilitates order fulfillment options like buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS), and more.
You can connect your register cash screen to a POS system, card reader, barcode scanner, cash drawer, and receipt printer to streamline the checkout process. You can also email receipts instead of printing them, contributing to environmental sustainability—a feature unavailable with traditional cash registers.
Furthermore, cash drawers, receipt printers, and barcode scanners are not mandatory with a register cash screen. This makes it an excellent choice for mobile businesses or stores with multiple mobile checkout points. You simply need an iPad, a POS app, and a card reader.
Customer paying with a phone at a POS terminal.
A register cash screen is a hardware component of a POS system, driven by POS software. When combined with POS software and other POS hardware (depending on your needs), it constitutes a complete POS system. The register cash screen is the physical hardware you touch and use to complete transactions and input information. The POS system is like the operating system (iOS) that makes an Apple device work. A register cash screen requires POS software to function, and conversely, without a register cash screen, you wouldn’t be able to take payments or utilize other functions the POS software offers.
To utilize a register cash screen, you need to set up the POS software, add products, create employee accounts and update permissions, run test transactions, and integrate necessary apps. Using a register cash screen with POS software offers numerous benefits: faster and more convenient checkout experiences, customizable POS features, reduced employee training time, a modernized store appearance, and robust analytical reporting.
Compared to traditional cash registers, register cash screens allow for customization and added functionality to streamline operations and boost sales. For instance, if a customer wants to purchase in-store but pay later and have the items delivered, you can create an order and send a payment link via email. You can also leverage the POS app to establish loyalty programs, encouraging repeat business.
Choosing the right register cash screen and POS system for your current and future business needs is crucial. Your POS software should offer payment processing with reasonable transaction fees, flexible order fulfillment options, multiple payment acceptance methods, multi-channel inventory management, easy-to-understand analytics reporting, and seamless integration with other business applications.
