Computerized Cash Registers

Since computers can serve transactional needs while saving capital, small business owners everywhere are turning to computers to fulfill the cash register role.

Whether you're looking to purchase a computerized cash register system or turn your computer into a cash register, we're here to help.

Continue reading to learn more.

The Top 4 Computerized Cash Register Systems

Lightspeed

Lightspeed is one of our favorite computerized cash register options for businesses with multiple locations.

The system works with iPad, making it familiar for most users, though you can purchase add-ons, such as a label printer, card reader, cash drawer, or barcode scanner to increase performance.

Beyond the basic payment processing features, Lightspeed offers sales tracking, inventory management, employee management, eCommerce options, and more.

See our Lightspeed retail POS software reviews for more details.

Square

Square offers a free plan with many valuable features and top-notch support. Unless you want some of the quality additional features, you won't pay a dime, and you'll be able to conduct simple transactions wherever an internet connection is present.

The Square Register system comes with a built-in touchscreen and a small customer-facing touchscreen. Square also offers other peripheral hardware, including receipt printer hardware and kitchen printer hardware.

See our Square POS reviews for more details.

Clover

The quality of Clover's hardware is top-notch, and when you buy a hardware bundle from Clover, a receipt printer and cash drawer are included.

One of the great aspects about Clover that you won't find in all computerized cash register systems, is its ability to accept credit and debit cards when the internet is down. Once the internet is reconnected, the system will finish processing payments made during the interruption.

There is plenty of durable hardware to choose from, multiple third-party integration options (Quickbooks point of sale is one of our favorites), and excellent phone and email support.

See our Clover POS reviews for more details.

Odoo Point-of-Sale

Odoo is one of the most flexible computerized cash register providers available.

The company's suite of features includes eCommerce tools, inventory management tools including handheld inventory scanners, manufacturing features, project management software, billing and invoicing software, CRM tools, accounting tools, and more.

Pricing

Computerized Cash Register System Pricing

Lightspeed - $39 per month for basic plan/Quote-based hardware
Square - $0 for free plan/$799 for register hardware
Clover - Prices vary based on provider
Odoo - $24.90 per month/per user (Standard Plan)

Pricing for computerized and electronic registers can cost anywhere between $30 and $200 per month depending on the complexity of your system and the features you'll need. Most small business owners spend between $50 and $100 per month for simple features, while franchises and other larger operations can expect to spend between $100 and $200 monthly.

When it comes to hardware, the overall price will depend on your specific requirements. and the price ranges from $600 to $6,000 for a bundled package. Bundles may include a monitor/tablet, a barcode scanner, a receipt printer, a credit card reader, and the included software.

Next we'll break down the cost into individual pieces of peripheral hardware.

Monitors/Tablets/Countertop Units

Some businesses can happily use iPad hardware units and reap all of the necessary functionality, while more complex operations will require a full-fledged countertop register system.

Prices vary greatly and are dependent upon business type, though this piece of hardware will likely be the most expensive part of your overall system. You can easily spend anywhere between $500 and $2,000 for your main "brain" piece of hardware.

Barcode Scanners

Many manufacturers include a barcode scanner within their system bundles. And if they don't, you can pick up a decent handheld barcode scanner for around $40 on average. However, integrated barcode scanners, such as the ones you see in grocery stores, can often cost hundreds of dollars or more per unit.

Again, the piece of hardware you invest in will depend on the complexity of your needs.

Card Readers

If you want to take your business beyond accepting cash payments, you'll need a card reader. This device will allow for the transfer of electronic funds.

Many computerized register manufacturers include card readers for free, as they are some of the most basic pieces of hardware you'll need to get your system up and running.

For example, the Square card reader is free with sign up.

Receipt Printers

Though many computerized registers give customers the option to have their receipts sent to them digitally, there is still plenty of demand in the world for paper receipts. Customers want to be able to quickly glance at their purchases, as well as provide them to clerks when making returns.

You should be able to score a reliable receipt printer for under $100.

As a bonus, receipt printers can also be used to print data from your reporting suite if you have one on your attached POS system.

Cash Drawers

Though cryptocurrency is on the rise and the realm of digital currency is ever expanding, cash is still king.

Small businesses that don't accept cash can miss out on a portion of potential revenue.

Basic manual cash drawers go for $50 - $125 on average.

However, if you want an electronic drawer with more technical features, you might spend closer to $200.

Our cash drawer for POS guide reviews the top 7 brands.

Follow These Steps To Turn Your Computer Into A Cash Register:

If you don't have the finances to purchase a separate POS cash register for your business, you can turn your existing computer into a cash register with a few simple steps.

Unsure how to convert your current computer into a functional cash register?

Let's look at the five simple steps to getting it done with ease.

Installation

Start by installing POS software on your computer. There are many viable POS software choices out there, including Quickbooks Point-of-Sale, Microsoft Dynamics POS, and Wasp Point-of-Sale.

Follow The Given Instructions

Any POS software you install should come with an installation wizard that will provide on-screen instructions to walk you through the installation process. Simply choose where you want to install the software on your hard drive, agree to the terms and services, and hit start.

Connect Your Hardware

Once installed, connect your peripheral hardware, including your receipt printer and your barcode scanner. The hardware you have will depend on the needs of your business.

Launch Your POS Software

Input any relevant information regarding your business when prompted and launch your POS software. Some of the information you'll likely have to input will include your respective state's tax rates, product descriptions, and individual product UPCs.

Test Out Your New Computerized Cash Register

Run a few transactions to test out your new computerized cash register and ensure each one of your adjacent peripherals is working properly.

Benefits Of Choosing A Computerized Cash Register Over An EPOS

Better Accuracy

One of the main benefits of using a computerized cash register is that you'll be able to make more accurate transactions compared to manual cash register hardware. Your cash register will link to your POS solution's internal system to record each transaction and keep track of potential discrepancies that appear during work hours.

You can use this sales data to make predictions about which products sell best or which employees are better at upselling certain products.

When a clerk dials a product into a computerized cash register, it will tell them how much to charge the customer, leaving very little room for error. If given permissions, that clerk will also be able to apply discounts and void transactions with ease.

Having a more accurate system to help you make transactions can give you peace of mind while streamlining your transactional operations.

Faster Transactions

It's unlikely to walk into any modern business and see a manual cash register these days. While manual cash registers certainly used to be practical options for smaller mom-and-pop shops, stores that get thousands of orders each week have trouble using them to track inventory and take care of other tasks.

Computerized cash registers, on the other hand, simplify the checking out process while delivering more flexible administrative tools, so you can save your brainpower for more important tasks.

A computerized cash register will be able to speed through transactions and create totals in a pinch, giving your clerks accurate numbers without the need for additional math. In reality, your employees won't even have to think before handing cash back to a customer.

Plus, these cash registers can consolidate transactions into organized receipts with relevant details for each purchase, including product name, cost, cashier ID, date and time, promotions, refund policy, and more.

Having so many automated functionalities can make training new employees much easier as well. All in all, computerized cash register system training is perfect for small businesses that have high employee turnover rates.

Superior Security

A good computerized cash register should come with a quality locking system to keep your case safe. Typically, the drawers on these cash registers are made to lock automatically. To open them, you'll either need authorized user access or a digital password.

Old manual cash registers, on the other hand, open with physical keys. Anyone that is able to get a copy of that key can easily open your register.

Secondly, modern computerized registers are often placed beneath the countertop computer or POS system they are attached to, keeping them out of view for customers. The fewer customers have the chance to think about your cash register, the less likely they'll be tempted to commit external theft.

As for internal theft, most computerized registers come with safety features that keep logs of every time they open up. When a clerk opens your register for a transaction, the computer will log the data, time, and more, giving you an electronic "paper trail" in case any incidents occur.

The good thing is that you can often give permissions to certain employees and not others. A supervisor or manager, for example, may be given override permissions for cash drawer access when they need to provide a customer with refunds.

If you run a cloud-based POS system, any information from your computerized register can be safely and easily stored in the cloud for later use.

Versatility

One of the biggest advantages of having a computerized cash register is that your customers will have access to more payment methods.

For example, you can connect a credit card reader to your electronic cash register, allowing clerks to accept debit and credit card payments. Receipts from those secure transactions can then be stored away in your cash drawer.

More often than not, cash drawers have additional tills for storing things besides cash, including checks, vouchers, loyalty cards, and more.

FAQ

What are POS Cash Registers?

POS cash registers are in-store machines that allow you to store physical cash in a drawer to utilize during transactions. However, these differ from basic manual cash registers in that they are connected to the functionality of your POS system.

Are Electronic Cash Registers Safer Than Manual Cash Registers?

Using an electronic cash register for your business will likely provide you with even more safety than a standard manual cash register or cash drawer. This is because your electronic cash register will have built-in tracking tools and security features that link up with your POS system. For example, if money goes missing, you'll be able to see which employee opened the drawer last.