Guides

Processing sales

Step-by-step guide to completing retail transactions using the Point of Sale module.

Quick Answer

Process retail sales with the Point of Sale module — scan or search products, add to cart, apply discounts, and complete the transaction. Stock updates automatically when sales are recorded.

Use barcode scanning for fast product lookup, or search by name or SKU. Discounts can be applied to individual items or the whole order.

The Point of Sale module enables fast checkout for walk-in customers and retail sales. This guide walks you through the complete sales process from product selection to transaction completion.

Sales workflow overview

A typical POS transaction follows this flow:

Point of Sale transaction flow

Starting a new sale

Step 1: Open the POS module

  1. Navigate to Point of Sale from the main menu
  2. The checkout screen opens with an empty cart
  3. You’re ready to add products

The screen is split into two areas:

  • Left: Product search and selection
  • Right: Your current cart

Adding products to the cart

You can add products in two ways: barcode scanning (fastest) or manual search.

Option A: Barcode scanning

Scanning is the quickest method for most retail scenarios.

  1. Tap the Scan button in the header
  2. Your device camera activates
  3. Point at the product barcode
  4. Hold steady until the barcode is captured
  5. The product is automatically added to your cart

Tips for successful scanning:

  • Hold the device 15-20cm from the barcode
  • Ensure adequate lighting
  • Keep the barcode flat and unobstructed
  • Wait for the confirmation sound/vibration

If the barcode isn’t found:

  • A notification appears with the scanned code
  • Try manual search using the SKU
  • Check if the product exists in inventory

When scanning isn’t possible or the product has no barcode:

  1. Tap the search field
  2. Type the product name, SKU, or category
  3. Results appear in the product grid as you type
  4. Tap a product to add it to the cart

Search tips:

  • Partial matches work (e.g., “blue shirt” finds “Men’s Blue Shirt”)
  • SKU search is exact—enter the full code
  • Browse by scrolling the product grid without searching

Managing the cart

Viewing cart items

Each cart item displays:

  • Product name
  • Unit price
  • Quantity
  • Line total (price × quantity)

Changing quantities

To adjust the quantity of an item:

  1. Tap the quantity number on the cart item
  2. The numpad opens
  3. Enter the new quantity
  4. Tap Confirm

The line total updates automatically.

Quick quantity adjustments:

  • Scan the same barcode again to add one more
  • Enter “0” to remove the item

Removing items

Two ways to remove items:

Swipe method:

  1. Swipe left on the cart item
  2. Tap the delete button that appears

Quantity method:

  1. Tap the quantity
  2. Enter “0”
  3. Confirm to remove

Clearing the entire cart

To start fresh:

  1. Tap Clear Cart at the bottom of the screen
  2. Confirm when prompted
  3. The cart empties completely

Warning: This cannot be undone. Only clear if you need to abandon the current sale.

Selecting a customer

Walk-in sales (default)

If you don’t select a customer:

  • The sale uses your default sell price list
  • No customer record is linked
  • The transaction still appears in history as “Walk-in”

This is fine for most retail scenarios.

Linking to a registered customer

For B2B sales or when tracking customer purchases:

  1. Tap the Customer dropdown in the header
  2. Search by customer name or code
  3. Select the customer from the list

What changes when a customer is selected:

  • Customer-specific pricing applies (if configured)
  • The transaction links to their purchase history
  • Customer name appears on the transaction record

Changing or removing the customer

  • Tap the customer dropdown again to select a different customer
  • Select “Walk-in” to remove the customer link

Applying discounts

Line-item discounts

To discount a specific product:

  1. Tap the cart item you want to discount
  2. Select Discount from the item menu
  3. Enter the discount percentage (e.g., “10” for 10% off)
  4. Confirm the discount

The item shows the discounted price with the discount percentage visible.

Order-level discounts

To discount the entire order:

  1. Tap the Discount button in the footer
  2. Enter the discount percentage
  3. Confirm

The discount applies to the subtotal, showing:

  • Original subtotal
  • Discount amount
  • New total

Combining discounts

You can apply both:

  • Line-item discounts calculate first (per product)
  • Order-level discount applies to the resulting subtotal

Example:

  • Product A: $100 with 10% line discount = $90
  • Product B: $50 with no discount = $50
  • Subtotal: $140
  • Order discount 5%: -$7
  • Final total: $133

Completing the sale

Step 1: Review the cart

Before finalising, verify:

  • All items are correct
  • Quantities are accurate
  • Discounts are applied (if needed)
  • Total amount is what you expect

Step 2: Complete the transaction

  1. Tap the Complete Sale button
  2. Review the final total on the confirmation dialog
  3. Tap Confirm to process the sale

Step 3: Transaction recorded

On completion:

  • A transaction ID is generated (e.g., “POS-2026-0142”)
  • The transaction is saved to history
  • The cart clears for the next customer
  • A success message confirms the sale

Note: The transaction number is useful for receipts, refunds, or customer inquiries.

Processing common scenarios

Customer wants to add more items

Simply continue scanning or searching. Items add to the existing cart until you complete the sale.

Customer changes their mind about an item

  1. Find the item in the cart
  2. Swipe left and tap delete
  3. Or set quantity to zero

Customer wants a different quantity

Tap the quantity, enter the correct number, and confirm.

Price check before purchasing

Add the item to cart to see the price. Remove it if the customer doesn’t want it.

Applying a one-time discount

Use the line-item discount feature for promotional pricing that isn’t in your price list.

After the sale

Starting the next sale

The cart clears automatically after completing a sale. You’re immediately ready for the next customer.

Finding a recent transaction

If a customer returns with a question:

  1. Tap Transactions in the footer
  2. Today’s sales appear by default
  3. Search by transaction ID if needed
  4. Tap to view full details

Voiding a transaction

If you need to reverse a sale:

  1. Navigate to Transactions
  2. Find and tap the transaction
  3. Tap Void Transaction
  4. Enter a reason (required)
  5. Confirm

Important:

  • You need void permission
  • Voided transactions remain visible with “Voided” status
  • The void reason is recorded for audit purposes

End-of-day reconciliation

Checking the daily summary

The transaction screen shows today’s totals:

  • Number of transactions
  • Total sales amount
  • Average transaction value

Compare these with your cash drawer or payment terminal reports.

Exporting sales data

To download transaction details:

  1. Go to Transactions
  2. Set date range to today (or desired period)
  3. Tap Export
  4. Download the CSV file

Use this for:

  • Daily reports
  • Accounting reconciliation
  • Sales analysis

Troubleshooting

Barcode won’t scan

  • Ensure camera permissions are enabled
  • Check lighting conditions
  • Try holding the device closer or further
  • Clean the barcode if dirty or damaged
  • Fall back to manual search

Product not found

  • Verify the product exists in your inventory
  • Check if the barcode is correctly entered in the product record
  • Search by product name instead

Wrong price displayed

  • Check if the correct price list is being used
  • Verify customer-specific pricing if a customer is selected
  • Review the product’s price list entry in Accounts

Transaction won’t complete

  • Check internet connectivity
  • Verify the cart isn’t empty
  • Look for error messages on screen
  • If offline, the transaction will queue for sync

Cart items disappeared

  • Check if another user cleared the cart
  • Refresh the screen
  • Cart contents are local—they don’t persist across sessions

Tips for faster checkout

  1. Master barcode scanning — It’s 3-5x faster than searching
  2. Memorise common product locations — For manual search
  3. Use the numpad efficiently — Quick quantity changes
  4. Set up frequently sold items — Ensure they have barcodes
  5. Keep the device charged — Don’t interrupt mid-sale
  6. Practice the swipe-to-delete — Faster than quantity zero