Glossary of Terms
Click a letter to jump to that section of the glossary.
Activity tolerance: Some Point of Sale activities are intolerant. This means that the activity cannot be completed if you or another workstation are currently accessing the POS data file via another open window or document. For example, installing a program update, editing company preferences, or restoring from a backup are all intolerant activities. An alert message is displayed if this applies to your activity. The alert message could also be caused by an improper shutdown of the program (such as if power is lost).
Adjustment memo: A transactional document that provides a permanent record of changes to an items quantity or cost which were not recorded on another type of transactional document.
Address Verification Service (AVS): Service that verifies a credit card customer's stated Zip Code, and optionally street address, matches that on file at the issuing bank. Helps prevent credit card fraud on manually entered and "card-not-present" transactions. For use with the QuickBooks Desktop POS Merchant Service.
Alphanumeric: Containing both letters and numbers.
Alternate Lookup (ALU): A descriptive inventory field used as an additional item identifier when listing items on documents.
Alternate vendor: (Pro) Secondary vendor(s) that can be listed on POs and vouchers when purchasing an item. Each alternate vendor can have a unique order cost, UPC, and Alternate Lookup assigned. See also primary vendor.
Assembly: (Pro) Inventory item pre-built, or assembled, from other existing inventory items and sold as a unit.
Associate: (Pro) An employee whose name is available for selection on transactional documents.
Attribute: Typically an items color or a second size, such as shoe width.
Automatic update: Automatic process of downloading program updates in the background while you work in Point of Sale.
Automatic discount: (Pro) Discount defined in Price Manager, with options for eligible items, schedule, and purchase requirements, and automatically applied to eligible sales.
Available quantity: (Pro) Item quantity available for immediate sale. Equal to the on-hand quantity minus any quantity already committed on active customer orders. Does not take into consideration quantities on pending customer orders or held documents.
Average unit cost: The average amount paid per unit for the on-hand quantity of an item. Different than order cost, which is the current cost at which you order and receive an item.
AVS: see Address Verification Service.
Backordered: In Point of Sale, any item with a negative available quantity (i.e. quantity on active customer orders exceeds on-hand quantity) is considered to be on backorder and will show up on your reorder reminders and backorder report.
Backup: A manual or automated procedure that verifies the integrity of Point of Sale data files and makes a backup copy. See also restore.
Bar code: A series of spaced lines forming a code that can be read and interpreted by a bar code scanner for rapid data entry. Bar codes typically are encoded item numbers or UPC codes.
Base unit: (Pro) When using multiple units of measure for an item, that unit you most typically stock and sell by. Item quantities, costs, and related information are shown in inventory for your base unit.
Card Verification Code (CVC): A three or four-digit code printed on a credit card used in manually entered credit card transactions to help verify that the customer actually has the card in their possession. Can help prevent credit card fraud and chargebacks. For use with the QuickBooks Desktop POS Merchant Service.
Case-sensitive: With regard to text entry, the requirement that uppercase letters be distinguished from lowercase letters. Login passwords in Point of Sale are case-sensitive. A password must be entered exactly as it is recorded. Example: If password stored is "Huckleberry" then entering "huckleberry" does not grant access.
Card reader: A device that reads the magnetic strip on the back of credit, debit, and gift cards, allowing information about the customer and his account to be electronically entered for payment on a sale or refund.
Cashier: The employee who is logged in during the current sales transaction (receipts and customer orders).
Cell: (Pro) In a grid (e.g., a style grid), the point where a column and row intersect. Each cell represents a particular item size/attribute and corresponds to an item in inventory. See also grid.
Certificate: A QuickBooks Desktop term related to integrated applications and their access to your QuickBooks Desktop company file. A certificate is a digital signature that verifies the identity of the third-party developer. Refer to your QuickBooks Desktop financial software documentation for more information.
Chargebacks: For a credit card transaction, a chargeback is a dispute of the charge by the cardholder.
Chart of Accounts: In your QuickBooks Desktop financial software, the set of accounts and their balances. Some accounts are predefined by QuickBooks Desktop when a company is set up; others can be added as needed. Point of Sale assumes you are using a default set of accounts when transferring your Point of Sale data, but you can define custom account mappings if preferred. Search the Point of Sale help index using keyword "Cart of accounts" or refer to your QuickBooks Desktop financial software documentation for more information.
Class: A transaction categorizing attribute in QuickBooks Desktop that when assigned to stores in a multi-store configuration allows you to track and run P/L reports by store in your QuickBooks Desktop financial software.
Clean Up Company Data: Procedure by which you can remove old records and documents from your company file to optimize program performance. Access from the File > Utilities menu.
Client Workstation: Any networked workstation that is not designated as the Server Workstation. Accesses the Point of Sale company data on the Server Workstation across the network. You can view your current workstation type by selecting About Point of Sale from the Help menu.
Cloud: Cloud computing is a general term for services that are offered on the Web including social networking, file backup, and payment solutions. To use most Cloud services, the only requirement is access to the Internet.
Commission: (Pro) An amount paid to an employee on sales of specified items.
Committed quantities: (Pro) Quantities promised on active customer orders. When the committed quantity for an item is subtracted from the current on-hand quantity, the resulting value is your available quantity.
Company data: The Point of Sale data file that is stored on the Server Workstation. In a multi-workstation setup, client workstations access this data across the network. Do not confuse the POS company data with your QuickBooks Desktop financial company file, which is used for accounting purposes.
Company preferences: Company preferences define settings and options that are shared by all workstations on a network and that configure all Point of Sale modules.
Compatible hardware: Compatible hardware is hardware that has been tested to work with Point of Sale. Supported hardware is compatible hardware that is sold and supported by Intuit. Compatible hardware not sold by Intuit is not supported.
Component items: (Pro) The inventory items that make up an assembly or group item.
Conflicting items: (Pro) Two or more inventory rows in the same style with the same size and attribute.
Coupon: (Pro) Store discount document provided to customers who can redeem it to get the specified discount. Defined in Price Manager, including eligible items and expiration date, and automatically applied to qualified sales when scanned on receipt.
Cost: See average unit cost or order cost.
Customer order: (Pro) A sales order, work order, or layaway that records the planned sale of merchandise or services. Items ordered on a customer order are later sold on a sales receipt.
Database Server applications: Applications that run on the Server Workstation and allow Point of Sale workstations to connect to the POS company data. Started automatically when the Server Workstation is turned on. If you have used Windows Task Manager to manually stop these applications, they can be restarted by restarting Point of Sale on the Server Workstation.
Debit/ATM transaction (PIN): Transaction using a customers debit/ATM card and PIN authorization.
Department: A manageable category of related merchandise. Categorizing items into departments gives you greater flexibility to monitor sales performance, manage inventory, run meaningful reports, and for filtering your item list when conducting a physical inventory, changing prices, and printing tags. Departments are assigned a name and a code. A department code is a user-assigned code identifying the department, made up of one to three alphanumeric characters, and can be used to identify the department on reports and program screens where space is limited.
Descriptive field: Any field that describes an item, such as the default item fields Description1, Description 2, Attribute, Size, and Alternate Lookup.
Device Manager: Applet in Windows Control Panel System Properties dialog that lists the hardware installed on your computer and used to change the settings for that hardware. You can access System Properties by selecting System from Control Panel (or press the Windows logo key + the Pause/Break key on your keyboard at the same time). Then select the Device Manager tab (Windows 98) or the Hardware tab and then Device Manager (Windows 2000/XP). Note: The Windows logo key is located on the lower-left of your keyboard and Pause/Break on the upper-right. Consult your Windows Help system if additional assistance is required.
Discount Pricing: (Pro) Price Manager feature that allows you to define percentage off or quantity discounts for an item or group of items, optionally scheduling the discount dates. When listing a sufficient quantity of included items on a sales receipt or customer order, Point of Sale automatically applies the correct discount price to each item. Examples: Buy 3 T-shirts for $30. Buy 3 T-shirts and get 15% off. Get 15% off all T-shirts.
Document item list: The list of items being processed on a document.
Documents: General term including all transactional documents and order documents; including sales receipts, receiving vouchers, adjustment memos, purchase orders, layaways/sales orders/work orders, and transfer slips.
Dynamic date: A date or date range relative to the current date. Examples include Year-to-Date, Month-to-Date, etc. As the current date changes, so does the dynamic date or range. Dynamic dates are used to define date ranges for filtering lists and for reporting purposes.
Element: (Pro) In Print Designer, an element is any object (data field, data field group, static text, logo, etc.) that you can add or manipulate on a print design.
Facebook: The leading social networking site. There are marketing opportunities for merchants that use Facebook.
Fee: (PO/Voucher) A field on purchase orders and vouchers used to record amounts that are charged in addition to the cost of goods, shipping, and tax, such as an order fee.
Field: A component of a page design where data can be entered or viewed. In lists and Style View, a field is the cell where a column and row intersect. Field names are included in the header for each column and row.
Fill status: A summary of the quantity still due on an order document. Different than the order status, which tracks the current standing of the document as open, closed, or any custom status you have defined.
% Unfilled = Qty due divided by Qty ordered multiplied by 100
Filters: Used to include/exclude records for display or reports. You define your filter criteria and Point of Sale includes/excludes records based on your criteria.
Filter element: A component of a filter screen. Element names identify the criteria to be entered in each field.
Financial Exchange: Integration and sharing of data between Point of Sale and your QuickBooks Desktop financial software.
Form: A detailed view that displays all fields of data contained in a single record.
Foursquare: One of many location-based social networking sites for mobile devices, that helps locate venues and events close to a customer's current location. Used as a marketing tool by many small and large companies alike .
Gift receipt: Optional second copy of a receipt printed for the customer. Gift receipts do not include prices or payment information. Enabled in workstation print option preferences.
Global discount: A discount applied to the subtotal on a document. See also item discount.
GoPayment: An Intuit service allowing credit card payments to be accepted via a mobile phone.
GoPayment card reader: A small device that is temporarily attached to a mobile phone in order for a credit card to be swiped.
Also referred to as a swiper.
Grid: (Pro) A concise format used to display style items in Style View in inventory. Includes both a horizontal and vertical axis, with different descriptive fields located on each. See also cell.
Group (security): A set of users that are granted specific security rights and access to program functions.
Group (item): (Pro) An item group provides a way to list all of the included items on a document by entering the single group item identifier.
Groupon: An online marketing site featuring discounted gift certificates and coupons usable at local or national retail outlets.
Headquarters: Store 1 in a multi-store installation; has centralized control over inventory and purchasing, exchanges information with QuickBooks Desktop, and runs company reports.
History documents: Saved transactional documents stored in document history lists. Includes receipts, vouchers,adjustment memos, and transfer slips. Used for reporting purposes and for building customer, vendor and item histories.
Integrated applications: A QuickBooks Desktop feature that allows external applications such as Point of Sale to access the company file and exchange data. Refer to your QuickBooks Desktop financial software documentation for more information.
Intuit Service: Method of exchanging data between stores using the Internet application "QuickBase".
Inventory: A stores or companys set of merchandise, quantities, and other related information. Also, the Point of Sale module for tracking that merchandise.
Inventory reminders: A Point of Sale feature that alerts users when inventory tasks need their attention, such as reordering items.
Item #: The number assigned by the program to each item added to inventory. Corresponds to the row number in the item list and used as an item identifier (for listing items on documents), for filtering the list, and for printing bar codes on tags.
Item discount: A discount applied to an individual item price on a sales document. See also global discount.
Item group: (Pro) See group item.
Item identifiers: The Item #, Universal Product Code (UPC), and Alternate Lookup values for items in inventory. Item identifiers are used for looking up and listing items on documents, and for other program functions.
Item lookup: A method that is used to list an item on a document. Item lookups can be performed with the Item #, UPC #, Alternate Lookup, or by entering a search keyword.
Item type: Field used to designate the type of inventory item.
I Want To menu: List of available actions or tasks related to the currently displayed window. Select a task to carry out the specified action. Displayed on the window toolbar.
Layaway: (Pro) A temporary order document that allows customers to pay for merchandise using a series of deposits.
List: Displays all or a filtered subset of the records of a particular type, or a listing of the items to be processed on a document.
Lookup: Ability to quickly locate a related record from another area or document and enter that information in the other area or document. For an example, see item lookup.
Main tool bar: The horizontal tool bar located across the top of the Point of Sale screen, providing direct access to program areas and tasks. You can customize or turn off its display from the View menu.
Manual discount: An item discount that is manually applied as needed at the time of sale. Uses include discounts for damaged or demo merchandise or a discount to meet or beat a competitor's price.
Mapping: In Point of Sale, refers to the "linking" of accounts, payment types, and information fields with your QuickBooks Desktop financial software. This linking affects how Point of Sale data is transferred to your financial software. Point of Sale uses a default set of accounts and payment types unless you customize them in company preferences.
Margin %: The percentage of the selling price that represents profit. One way to express the relationship between item cost and price. Margin can be used in Point of Sales pricing formula to calculate prices when adding new items to inventory.
Margin % = [(Price minus Cost) divided by Price] multiplied by 100
Markup: Alternate way to express profit; markup by n% over cost.
Memo: See adjustment memo.
Merchant number: For retailers who use the QuickBooks Desktop POS Merchant Service to perform credit and/or debit/ATM card transactions, the merchant number is assigned to the retailer in order to identify that retailer when performing authorizations and settlements.
Merchant Service Center: Intuits own site to help merchants manage their payment solutions.
Mobile Sales: Sales that are performed when a customer makes the purchase from their mobile device.
Mobile Device: A smart phone or other device that is generally small and connected to the Internet. iPhones and Android-based phones are two types of mobile devices.
MSRP: Manufacturers suggested retail price. IF the MSRP is defined on an items record, price tags (space allowing) include the reference price to demonstrate savings to customers.
Multi-Store: (Pro) Referring to a Point of Sale Pro configuration with multiple stores.
Multi-vendor: (Pro) Feature that allows purchasing of an item from up to five different vendors, each with a unique order cost and UPC.
Navigator: Graphical representation of a retail workflow and corresponding Point of Sale tasks. Clicking an icon from the Navigator takes you directly to the program area to complete the task.
Network: Two or more computers linked together and sharing data files. Information recorded by any computer on the network is instantly available to all users on the network.
Non-inventory item: A non-merchandise inventory item or service for which you do not track on-hand quantities. Typically, the non-inventory item type is used for miscellaneous fees or charges (e.g. delivery, recycling fee, shipping, etc.). See also service item.
Non-tolerant activity: An activity that requires all other users to be out of Point of Sale before it can be performed, such as restoring the POS company data from a backup or installing a program update.
Order document: (Basic, Pro) A temporary document used to plan the purchase (purchase order) or sale (customer order) of merchandise or services.
Order cost: The cost at which an item is ordered and received. This is different than average unit cost, which is the average cost paid for the units currently on hand.
Open Windows: List of all open Point of Sale windows for current tasks; displayed on the Window menu at the top of the screen. While only one window can be viewed at a time, Point of Sale allows you to open and have many available. You can think of the windows being on top of another. You can immediately switch to another open window by selecting it from the Window menu.
Payout: The removal of cash amounts from the cash drawer for a store-related purpose, such as to make a mid-day deposit, buy office supplies, or fund an office party. Select New Payout from the Point of Sale menu to access this feature.
Payment History: (Pro) A record of payments/deposits made for a particular layaway, sales order, or work order.
Payment type/method: On a receipt, how the customer pays for merchandise. Examples: cash, check, credit card, gift certificate, etc.
PCI DSS: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard; outlines requirements for the protection of customers' credit and debit card information.
Physical inventory (PI): The process of counting the actual merchandise on hand and then correcting the quantities recorded in inventory as needed.
Physical inventory scanner: Optional, portable hardware that allows you to scan inventory bar codes and download the scanned data into a physical inventory count.
PO: See purchase order.
Point of Sale (POS): This software product name and the location(s) in your store where customer-facing sales activities are carried out. On menus in Point of Sale, this term refers to the area containing the sales, customer order, customer tracking, and End of Day tasks.
Pole display: A screen oriented towards the customer to display transaction detail and store messages.
Preferences: Settings that configure your Point of Sale program to work with your hardware and accessories, establish feature options, and customize program behavior. There are two types of preferences in Point of Sale: company preferences and workstation preferences.
Price levels: Up to four optional markdown prices, in addition to your regular price, for each item in inventory. Different price levels can be used to record employee prices, promotional sale prices, wholesale prices, etc. When making a sale, you can select the price level that applies or assign a price level on a customers record and it will be automatically suggested when making a sale to that customer.
Price Manager: Price utility that allows you to change item prices or set up discounts, for all or selected items, in a variety of ways.
Price rounding: Price Manager feature that allows rounding of calculated prices to end in user-specified amounts, e.g. always to .99, or to even dollars, etc.
Pricing formula: Used by Point of Sale to automatically calculate a new items price by applying a defined department margin or markup to the average unit cost.
Primary vendor: (Pro) For a multi-vendor item, that vendor that is displayed in item lists, on merchandise reports, etc. for the item. See also alternate vendor.
Print Designer: (Pro) Tool used to customize printed documents and tags. Available from the Tools menu.
Purchase order (PO): A temporary planning document recording the merchandise ordered from a vendor.
QB POS: Abbreviation for the Point of Sale software.
Quick Add Item: Procedure to add an item to your inventory while creating a document, such as a sales receipt, entering only the basic item information needed to complete the document. Ideal for when a customer is waiting to purchase an item not yet added to inventory. Learn more.
QuickFill: Customer feature on sales documents where the program recognizes the name you are typing and suggests the matching name from your customer file, saving you the time of typing the full name.
Quick Find: Feature available from the Navigator allowing you to quickly find customers, items, sales receipts, and more.
Quick Pick: A feature of Intuit Point of Sale where selected items are grouped and instantly accessible on the system during the check-out process.
Quick Zoom: Ability to click a line or value in a report and see the source documents or records contributing to that value.
Receipt: A transactional document that records a sale, deposit on, or return of merchandise at point of sale. Also, the printed record of the transaction, typically given to the customer. See sales receipt and return receipt.
Receiving voucher: A transactional document that provides a permanent record of merchandise received from a vendor. Vouchers update inventory cost and quantity for items received.
Record: (noun) Point of Sale data is typically stored as a sequence of records in your POS company data file. A record could be either document (receipt, voucher, etc.) or non-document (item, customer, vendor, etc.) data.
Reminders: A feature that helps you track and manage your inventory by alerting you to situations that may need your attention, such as when item quantities fall below their reorder points.
Remote store: In a multi-store installation, all stores except the Headquarters is referred to as a remote store.
Remote Data Sharing (RDS): Optional configuration allowing the exchange of information between Point of Sale and QuickBooks Desktop financial software wherein the two applications communicate over a network via server and client applications. With this configuration it is not necessary to install QuickBooks Desktop on the Point of Sale Server Workstation. Refer to the Point of Sale Getting Guide for more information on this advanced option.
Reorder point: User-specified minimum on-hand quantity at which an item should be reordered (or rebuilt in the case of assembly items). When the combined on-order and on-hand quantity is at or below this level, the item is added to the inventory reorder reminder list and reorder reports. Facilitates timely replenishment of merchandise.
Restore: (relating to the Restore feature) Using backup data to replace data files.
Return receipt: A transactional document that provides a permanent record of a merchandise return at point of sale. Printed, it serves as the customers receipt.
Return voucher: A transactional document that provides a permanent record of merchandise returned to a vendor.
Reverse: To create a new, opposite document that cancels the effects of a former document. Receipts, vouchers, transfer slips, and adjustment memos can be reversed.
Rights: See security rights.
Sales order (SO): (Pro) A temporary order document recording the planned sale of merchandise or services to a customer in the future, such as for custom items or an item currently out of stock. The items listed on a sales order can be quickly transferred to a sales receipt when the final sale is made.
Sales receipt: A transactional document that provides a permanent record of a merchandise sale or deposit. The printed receipt serves as the customers receipt.
Sales tax location: A set of sales tax codes assigned to a specific geographic area or for customers that qualify for special tax handling.
Sales tax code: A code used to identify if and how sales tax is applied to item sales. Sales tax codes in Point of Sale can be mapped to sales tax items/groups and codes in your QuickBooks Desktop financial software.
Sales tax item: In QuickBooks Desktop financial software, sales tax items identify the rate and the tax agency from which you collect sales tax for a transaction. Retailers who use QuickBooks Desktop in conjunction with Point of Sale can map a sales tax code in Point of Sale to a tax item in QuickBooks Desktop. Refer to your QuickBooks Desktop financial software documentation for more information.
Sales tax group: In QuickBooks Desktop financial software, a sales tax group is used to calculate two or more sales tax items grouped together and applied to the same sale. Retailers who use QuickBooks Desktop financial software in conjunction with Point of Sale can map a sales tax code in Point of Sale to a sales tax group in QuickBooks Desktop. Point of Sale sales taxes will then be reported in your financial software according to the structure of the QuickBooks Desktop tax group. Refer to your QuickBooks Desktop financial software documentation for more information.
Sales tax rate: The actual percentage tax collected. Each taxable tax code must have a tax rate assigned.
Section (Print Designer): (Pro) Logical regions of document templates, each with a unique printing behavior. For example, data fields placed in the repeating header section of a template appear at the top of each page of the printed document. Some templates, such as tags and mailing labels do not have sections. Template sections cannot be re-positioned, though they typically can be vertically resized to add or remove white space in a design.
Security group: Predefined or custom set of security rights to which employees can be assigned.
Security rights: The set of program features and data access defined for a security group.
Serial number: (Pro) Unique alphanumeric string assigned to an item for tracking purposes. Typically used for warranty purposes or for meeting legal requirements. Serial numbers can be recorded on most Point of Sale documents.
Server Workstation: In a multiple workstation installation, the first workstation on which Point of Sale is installed and which stores the POS company data. If you have only one workstation, it must be installed as a Server Workstation. Certain activities, such as Financial Exchange with QuickBooks Desktop, creation of company data, and importing data can only be done on this workstation. The Server Workstation must be running (but not necessarily with Point of Sale open) for client workstations to access the company data file. You can view your current workstation type by selecting About Point of Sale from the Help menu.
Service item: Used to charge for non-merchandise and labor-based services, such as repairs, warranties, delivery, installation, etc. on sales and customer orders. The on-hand quantity of service items is always zero (0).
Shopper display: See pole display.
Shortcut key: Keyboard command that executes a Point of Sale function. For example, entering <Alt + the underlined letter> instantly invokes the menu or icon option displaying the underlined letter. Select Keyboard Shortcuts from the Help menu to see a list of shortcuts for your current area in Point of Sale.
Simple View: A simplified version of the regular sales receipt form, with support for touchscreen and a virtual keyboard. Learn more.
Slip: (Pro) See transfer slip.
Smart phone: See Mobile Device.
SO: (Pro) See sales order.
Social Networking: The use of the internet to connect with others using sites specifically designed to bring groups of people together.
Facebook and other social networking sites can be leveraged for marketing purposes.
Sort field: A field/column in a list by which the records can be sorted and displayed. Indicated by the 
symbol in the column header. Click the header to sort by the column values; click again to change sort order. Sort by multiple columns by selecting Sort List Sort on multiple columns from the View menu.
Special order item: (Pro) Item-type created while making a document (such as a customer order) to sell an item not currently carried in inventory.
Split-payment sale: A sale paid for using two or more payment methods.
Status: On order documents, the current standing of the document. A status of Open is assigned to all new orders and Closed to those that have been filled (received or sold). You can define your own statuses and Point of Sale will track the changes in status as an order progresses toward completion. The Status field can be used to filter for list display or reports.
Status bar: An information line located on the bottom of most Point of Sale screens, displaying data such as the active price level, the currently logged in employee, record status, etc.
Store: A physical location at which you receive and sell merchandise.
Store Exchange: The procedure of sending and receiving data between remote stores and Headquarters in a multi-store installation. QuickBooks Desktop POS supports four methods of Store Exchange: desktop e-mail, Web-based e-mail, removable media, and network file transfer.
Store type: In a multi-store configuration, each store is either a Headquarters or a remote store, each with defined roles and allowed activities.
Style: (Pro) A group of related inventory items, with the same department and Item Name, but differing in color, size, or other attribute. In Point of Sale, the items in a style are linked so they can be viewed and worked with together in a style grid or in a linear display.
Style View/grid: (Pro) See grid.
Style template: (Pro) A predefined array of item attributes (sizes, colors, etc.) that can be used when creating or modifying a style grid.
Suggest PO: (Pro) Automated suggestion and generation of purchase orders for items that have fallen below their designated reorder quantities, after taking currently on-order quantities into consideration.
Swipe: To slide a credit or debit card through the GoPayment card reader (or swiper) for processing.
Swiper: A small device that is temporarily attached to a mobile phone in order for a credit card to be swiped. Also referred to as the GoPayment card reader.
Sync / Syncing / Synchronize: Updating or merging information on two or more computers or devices. For example, syncing sales on your mobile device with your main computer is needed in order for your main computer to have all the most current sales information from your mobile device(s).
System Administrator (Sysadmin): Pre-defined user with all security rights to add or delete employees, turn on/off the requirement to log in to use the program, and change passwords for other employees. Only the Sysadmin user can make these changes.
Tax code: A code assigned to each item in inventory that defines the tax handling (such as taxable or non-taxable) and taxing instructions of the item.
Tax location: See sales tax location.
Template: The print layout of fields for a particular document type. Point of Sale includes several design choices for each document type for use with various printers and for various needs. (Pro) You can customize these templates in the Print Designer. See also style template.
Terms: (PO/Voucher) How and when the retailer plans to pay the vendor for merchandise ordered. Examples: COD and 2% 10, Net 30.
Tools: Program utilities that provide ancillary or support capabilities.
Transactional documents: Receipts, vouchers, adjustment memos, and transfer slips. Transactional documents record changes in inventory on-hand quantities or costs, and are then stored in your document history lists.
Transfer slip: (Pro) A transactional document that records the movement of merchandise from one store to another.
Tweet: A message sent via Twitter.
Twitter: With over 100 million users, this is the most popular micro-blogging site. Tweets, or messages, are condensed to 140 characters or less aimed at a specific target audience of followers. Individuals, celebrities, and merchants make good use of Twitter to help stay in touch with customers and fans, to communicate news, specials, gossip, or deals.
Unit of measure: Display field on item records that can be used to filter and sort the item list and reports. ((Pro) If using multiple units of measure (company preference), allows purchasing and selling an item in different units, such as cases, multi-packs, bottles, pounds, etc., each with a different UPC code, alternate lookup, and price.
Unlock: Term referring to an upgrade in program licensing that makes additional features available to the user, i.e. from Free to Basic to Pro.
UPC (universal product code): A family of widely used bar code symbologies that encode both manufacturer and product identification. In Point of Sale, UPC numbers can be used to look up or scan items when listing them on documents.
User license: A single license or entitlement for a computer to run Point of Sale. Having multiple user licenses allows multiple computers to run Point of Sale at the same time.
Update: In QB POS, update has two possible meanings:
When using QuickBooks Desktop financial software, update refers to a manually-initiated Financial Exchange to share data between Point of Sale and QuickBooks Desktop.
The process of obtaining and installing updated Point of Sale program files within the same version. These updates are used to fix bugs, enhance features, or provide additional information.
Values: Numerical data; such as a field entry or calculation of quantities, costs, or prices.
Vendor code: The user-defined code assigned to each vendor and used to track that vendors merchandise as it is received and sold.
Voucher: A transactional document that records merchandise received from or returned to a vendor. See also receiving voucher and return voucher.
Window tool bar: The horizontal toolbar across the top of the open window; contains icons for tasks related to the displayed window and a task-specific help button.
Work Order: (Pro) A customer order used for services and non-inventory merchandise transactions, such as repairs, alterations, and warranty work.
Workstation (W/S): An individual PC. In Point of Sale, installed workstations (up to ten per store) are either a Server Workstation, storing both program and data files, or a client workstation, which stores program files but accesses the data files across a network.
Workstation preferences: Workstation preferences define workstation-specific settings and options, including hardware setup and printing preferences.
X/Z-Out report: Report of point-of-sale activities. The X-Out Shift Report can be run throughout the day to monitor sales activity. The Z-Out Drawer Count report is typically run at the end of a shift or day to reconcile the cash drawer. The Z-Out Store Close report is run at the end of the day to summarize the days sales activities and cash flow for the entire store, as well as help in preparing a bank deposit.
Z-Out report: See X/Z-Out report.