| History of EPOS technologye | | | | Benefits and uses of EPOS systems |
| Before the evolution of EPOS systems, merchants | | | | While cash management is one of the main |
| relied on cash operated registers to tally their sales. | | | | components of EPOS systems technology, these |
| Prices were manually punched in and totaled by | | | | systems now employ a wide variety of functions. |
| cashiers and inventory records were kept by hand. | | | | They are used for inventory management, service |
| The cashier's notes were then transcribed into an | | | | management, customer relation management and |
| accounting ledger to keep track of finances. Inventory | | | | even payroll modules. In fact, they are sometimes |
| was managed by physically counting items in storage | | | | referred to as retail management software because |
| and carefully writing down every item purchased and | | | | of the absolute integration between business |
| sold. | | | | management and technology in the last twenty years. |
| It was not until 1986 that IBM introduced its first | | | | A manager can, at any given time, access the |
| computer based EPOS system. Manufacturers | | | | necessary figures from the EPOS system, including |
| developed credit card devices that were integrated | | | | total income, net income, the amount that needs to go |
| into a company's EPOS system. Registers are now | | | | to the government for taxes, number of items of any |
| multi-function and can be used for employees to clock | | | | particular piece of merchandise that was sold, the |
| in, for age verification and gift card activation. They | | | | number of units that should still remain in storage, and |
| can also be used for charging credit cards. | | | | what products need to be reordered. |
| Recently, EPOS made a significant leap with enhanced | | | | EPOS Effectiveness |
| capability and total compatibility with other electronic | | | | Without an EPOS, many retail stores would find it |
| management tools. Initially, it was too difficult to transfer | | | | simply impossible to handle the day to day cash |
| data betwen manufacturers or even other cash | | | | management and inventory requirements. |
| registers. There was no portal that allowed a smooth | | | | The advent of EPOS and its integration with financial |
| transfer of information between different EPOS | | | | and inventory control has given businesses the insight |
| systems and software. However, it is now the norm | | | | and effectiveness to manage their products, control |
| for all EPOS terminals to be operated by Windows | | | | inventory and keep abreast of their business |
| based programs. | | | | operations. |