Switching POS systems: what to prepare

Switching POS systems is easier when products, payments and training are prepared before the switch day. Start by agreeing with the new supplier what data can be moved and who does it. Only cancel the old till once the requirements and schedule for the new setup are clear.

Write down what you want the switch to fix

Make a short list of the awkward parts of your current till. Do you have to copy online orders by hand? Are reports hard to find? Do you need a mobile till for the terrace or a better way to split bills?

Ask to see exactly these situations in a demo. In a restaurant, for example, try entering a table order, adding to it and splitting the bill. The look of the till device alone doesn't tell you whether it suits your work.

Find out how product data moves

Ask your current supplier in what format you can export the product list. Send the new supplier a sample file before you agree on the final schedule. Whether the data can be moved depends on the source data and the systems.

A product list usually needs names, prices, product groups and VAT rates. Depending on how you sell, it also includes barcodes, sizes, colours, dish options and stock levels.

Clean out discontinued products and check prices at the same time. That way the old system's inconsistencies don't move into the new till. If you track stock, also agree from which point in time the new system's stock levels start.

Take care of old reports and open items

Moving product data doesn't mean your old sales history moves too. Find out how to keep your earlier reports and whether you will still have access to the old system after the contract ends. Agree with your accountant on what material you need for the switch.

Go through open invoices, gift cards, prepayments and unfinished orders separately. You need to agree how to handle them, even if no actual data transfer is available.

Check payments and other services

Tell the new supplier which payment terminal and acquiring agreement you use. Whether you can keep using them is checked device by device and contract by contract. Go through accounting, the online shop, bookings and the loyalty service at the same time.

Agree when each connection is taken into use and how it is tested. If you sell both online and in store, make especially sure that products, orders and stock levels flow between the systems.

Set aside time for practice

Pick a moment for the switch when you have time to check the devices and train your staff. Whether you need a break in sales depends on the setup, so agree on the schedule with the supplier in advance.

Practise at least an ordinary sale, correcting a wrong product line, the payment methods you use and opening the day's report. Also write down where to get help during the first shifts.

At Solmio, setting up your product register and basic training by video call are included in the setup fee. On-site installation is agreed separately. See the breakdown on the pricing page.

Checklist before the switch day

• Products, prices and VAT rates have been checked.
• Access to old reports and how to handle open items have been agreed.
• Devices, payments and the integrations you need have been tested.
• Staff logins and user rights are ready.
• Training has been held and support contact details are at the till.
• The end of the old contract and the return of devices fit the schedule.

Tell us about your current till, and we'll go through what moving to Solmio takes for your business.