This document discusses point-of-sale technology used in hospitality businesses. It describes the key components of a POS system including touchscreen and wireless terminals, various types of printers, payment processing devices like magnetic stripe readers, and data security standards. The document also outlines important files maintained by POS software such as open checks, menu items, and employee information that managers can use to generate sales and productivity reports.

1. Chapter 6
Point-of-Sale Technology
Managing Technology in the Hospitality Industry
Fifth Edition
(468TXT or 468CIN)
© 2011, Educational Institute

2. Competencies for
Point-of-Sale Technology
1. Describe the features and functions of keyboards
and monitors typically used by point-of-sale
systems.
2. Distinguish touchscreen point-of-sale terminals
from wireless terminals.
3. Describe the features and functions of various
types of point-of-sale printers.
© 2011, Educational Institute (continued) 1

3. Competencies for
Point-of-Sale Technology
(continued)
4. Describe the features and functions of point-of-sale
account settlement devices such as magnetic strip
and RFID readers, power platforms, smart
cards, debit cards, cashless payment, and
contactless payment.
5. Discuss data typically found on payment cards and
within POS systems, and identify PCI DSS
objectives and requirements.
(continued)
© 2011, Educational Institute 2

4. Competencies for
Point-of-Sale Technology
(continued)
6. Identify the major files typically maintained by
point-of-sale software, describe how managers can
use the various reports commonly generated by
point-of-sale software, and discuss frequent diner
applications and gift cards.
7. Describe the features and functions of an automated
beverage control system.
© 2011, Educational Institute 3

5. Point-of-Sale
• The location where a transaction occurs in
exchange for goods or services.
• The point of sale often refers to the physical
electronic cash register or dedicated POS
hardware (or "terminal") used for checkout.
• The POS is simply the location where the
sale is conducted, money changes hands and
a receipt is given.
© 2011, Educational Institute 4

6. Point-of-Sale Entry Units
• Cashier Terminal: POS device that is
connected to a cash drawer
• Pre-Check Terminal: POS device not
connected to a cash drawer. Used to entry
orders only and not for settling accounts.
• POS Devices can normally support both
pre-checking and cashiering functions.
© 2011, Educational Institute 5

7. Point-of-Sale Entry Units
• POS order entry units may be
touchscreen or composed of Keyboards
and Monitors.
© 2011, Educational Institute 6

8. Point-of-Sale Entry Units
• Entry units can be touchscreen or composed
of keyboards and monitors.
• Keyboards can be Micro-motion or Reed
Style.
• Hard Keys and Soft Keys
© 2011, Educational Institute 7

9. © 2011, Educational Institute 8

10. POS Terminal Keys
• Preset Keys
• Price Look-Up (PLU) keys
• Function Keys
• Settlement Keys
• Modifier Keys
• Numeric Keypad
© 2011, Educational Institute 9

11. Monitors
• An operator monitor typically contained in
either a reed or micro-motion style system.
• Monitors can include a standard system that
allows an operator to view and edit entries.
• Also includes customer display units; these
usually rest atop, inside or alongside the
POS Device.
© 2011, Educational Institute 10

12. Touch Screen Terminals
• Commonly used POS hardware
• A unique adaptation of a screen and a
special micro processor to control it. The
self contained microprocessor displays data
on areas of the screen and are sensitive to
touch.
© 2011, Educational Institute 11

13. Self-Service Order Entry
• Countertop recessed or lobby stand-up
touchscreen terminals that enable customers
to place their orders without interacting
with staff members.
• Intended to reduce labor costs and provide
more efficient customer services.
© 2011, Educational Institute 12

14. Handheld Terminals
• Wireless order entry terminals.
• HHT’s are able to perform most of the
functions of a pre-check POS terminal.
• Order entry rely on either sequential screen
progression or written character recognition.
© 2011, Educational Institute 13

15. © 2011, Educational Institute 14

16. POS Printers
• Either on-board or remote printing devices.
• On-board printing devices normally located within six feet
of the terminal they serve.
• Network controller- aka. Printer controller; coordinates
communications between cashier or pre check terminals and
work station printers or remote monitors.
– Network controllers process data from one of the
terminals immediately and temporarily stores other
communications until the remote device is available.
© 2011, Educational Institute 15

17. © 2011, Educational Institute 16

18. POS Printers
• Guest Check Printers
– Immediate Check Printing
– Delayed Check Printing
– Retained Check Printing
© 2011, Educational Institute 17

19. POS Printers
Guest check printers
• Hard/soft checks
• Automatic form number reader
• Automatic slip feed
Receipt printers
Workstation printers
Journal printers
© 2011, Educational Institute 18

20. Magnetic Stripe Readers, RFID
Readers, and Power Platforms
Magnetic strip reader
• Rapid data entry
• Efficient settlement processing
• Credit card and house account
transactions within POS system
RFID readers
• Contactless transaction processing
© 2011, Educational Institute (continued) 19

21. Magnetic Stripe Readers/
Power Platforms
(continued)
Power platform
• Simplified credit card transactions
• Connects POS terminals to a single processor
• Quick data retrieval
• Reduces time, cost, and risk of credit card
transactions
© 2011, Educational Institute 20

22. Smart Cards, Debit
Cards, Cashless Payments,
and Contactless Payments
Smart Cards
• Embedded microchips
• Size of credit card
• Stores information in several
files for different functions
• PIN necessary for access
© 2011, Educational Institute (continued) 21

23. Smart Cards, Debit
Cards, Cashless Payments,
and Contactless Payments
(continued)
Debit Cards
• Account must contain funds
• Transactions as fast as with credit cards
Cashless Payments
• Open system
• Closed system
© 2011, Educational Institute 22

24. Smart Cards, Debit
Cards, Cashless Payments,
and Contactless Payments
(continued)
Contactless Payments
• RFID technology
• NFC technology
© 2011, Educational Institute 23

25. PCI DSS Objectives
• Build and maintain a secure network
• Protect cardholder data
• Maintain a vulnerability management program
• Implement strong access control measures
• Regularly monitor and test networks
• Maintain an information security policy
© 2011, Educational Institute 24

26. Open Check File
• Terminal number where guest check was opened
• Guest check serial number
• Server identification
• Time of day guest check created
• Menu items ordered
• Selling prices of items ordered
• Applicable tax
• Total amount due
© 2011, Educational Institute 25

27. Menu Item File
• Identification number
• Descriptor
• Selling price
• Taxable item identifier
• Applicable modifier keys
• Amount totals for inventory reporting
• Remote device routing code
© 2011, Educational Institute 26

28. Labor Master File
• Employee name • Tips (or tip credits)
• Employee number • Credits for
employee meals
• Social security number
• Number of guests
• Authorized job codes served (if
• Hourly wage rates appropriate)
• Hours worked • Gross sales
generated (if
• Gross hourly wages appropriate)
• Declared Wages
© 2011, Educational Institute 27

29. POS Consolidated Reports
• Activity reports
• Sales and payment summary report
• Sales by time of day report
• Sales analysis reports
• Daily transactions report
• Productivity reports
© 2011, Educational Institute 28