• Introduction
• Retail Touch
• POS
• POS Peripherals
• Administration
• Data Management
• Data Safety
• Multi-Stores
• Networking
• Design

Data Import/Export

RetailTouch can easily load and transmit data files, for example, for automated supplier communications (Host Support). It also interfaces with portable data entry (PDE) units, to streamline routine procedures, including:

• Product and Promo file maintenance (auto add/update products, prices and sales/promos)
• Transmit electronic purchase orders to suppliers (with optional supplier confirmation)
• Auto-load electronic invoices from supported suppliers (and add new ones)
• Stocktakes (all or selected sections of store, and/or rolling reconciliations)
• Purchase Orders (several efficient methods are available, for example, max/min, top-up)
• Label price checks and reprints

RetailTouch can also interface with internet-based sales catalogues and shopping carts, via SQL queries and/or CSV files, to automatically update products, prices and specials, and to download sales, orders and enquiries.

Networking

RetailTouch is customised specifically for fast, reliable POS on multiple PCs, through its unique and very smart design (unlike typical Windows programs that need expensive, specialised hardware and software). This world-benchmark design is fully "scalable", working equally well for a single store on 1 or 2 PCs with a small database, or for an enterprise with literally hundreds of PCs in many locations and with extremely large databases. RetailTouch's data sharing and networking combines 2 main elements:

• Each RetailTouch PC always runs fully stand-alone, ie. independently of other computers, the network and modem or internet connections (and is therefore independent of any of their various possible problems).
• Each PC also copies its own, very compact transactions to a "shared" file, over a network or modem/internet connection. It also picks up and processes transactions copied to that shared file by all other PCs. This is done very quickly by an exceptionally efficient, purpose-built function that runs in background, with minimal effect on normal POS and Admin jobs. All RetailTouch PCs do this, so they all get each other's transactions, ie. their individual databases are constantly and automatically synchronised. Any time a PC can't see the shared file (for example, if the network or internet connection is down, or between modem calls), it still operates 100% normally, with zero disruption and with no need for operator intervention - in fact the operator would often not even be aware of any problem. Meanwhile that PC's transactions accumulate, ready for when the shared file is available again (and for the related automatic data merge and synchronise).

This advanced and powerful combination can be summarised as "full-time stand-alone operation with constant transaction sharing". It delivers maximum reliability and robustness with minimum down time, since every PC can run whether the network or modem/internet connections are running or not. (This is very significantly superior to other Windows programs, which rely on virtually constant contact with a central database, or that require "special procedures" to set up or recover from temporary "emergency stand-alone" operation).