Can You Access Your Own Cash Register Data?

jeronimo989 writes "A customer of mine has a small shop and asked me to look for an electronic cash register. One of the requirements is to retrieve the sales data from the cash register in some accessible format so he can import it in the software of his choice (which happens to be OpenOffice), either by downloading the data on a Flash card, connecting a laptop via USB, or even via a direct modem connection. As far as the cash register itself is concerned, he doesn't need anything too fancy; any 'entry level' machine for small businesses is probably OK (as long as it keeps an electronic journal, of course). Which options do we have? Are there cash register manufacturers out there that allow accessing the sales data directly in an open format? Does anyone here have experience with setting up a link between a cash register and PC, preferably using free/open source solutions?"

Comments

Re:Lame

[The Ancients]

You know it doesn't hurt to do some research.

This IS slashdot. It doesn't hurt to RTFA either (when they're there) but there's still a large number of readers here that don't want to risk it .

But yes - a simple google search did turn up a number of solutions. My guess is that the submitter wants to short circuit the process of working his/her way through them, and tap into the collective knowledge of /.ers.

A suggestion

[WindBourne]

If you are looking for all this, it would be nice to have register where the customer can plug in a USB drive and then have the register load the "receipt" on it. I am always amazed that none of the stores have this. I know that it would be useful to buy food from King Soopers and then take the info home and plug it into various applications including a kitchen app and a budget app.

Re:A suggestion

[Kijori]

hmmm. So you think that plugging in USB card in a system that OWNS the driver, that it will cross-infect the register? ha ha ha Start using Linux or something that is secure. You window nuts ARE sociopaths. An excellent point, since Linux can never have any vulnerabilites or bugs ever.

Security requires more than just choosing the more secure operating system, you have to protect your system - for example by not letting strangers plug in devices.

Re:A suggestion

[EdIII]

LOL. I was just going for a +5 Funny mod.

I did not mean to start a flame war with an AC over Linux/Microsoft. "Securing the system" would preclude any activities like this. I can see a targeted attack by individuals to first infect a cash register, and then later on grab lists of credit card numbers, pin codes, etc. and transfer them to USB sticks covertly. It would not even matter if these covert files were placed on innocent customers sticks. All it would take is for one of the attackers to grab it at some point.

That is the thing about a targeted attack. It does not matter if the target is Linux or Microsoft. That is just the details. Your right that anyone would be naive to think that an operating system choice ALONE provides you security.

Re:A suggestion

[God'sDuck]

Why does it need to be super secure? Credit card transactions are done using a separate "turnkey" machine. A small-store register receipt is nothing but a list of items with no name attached. If someone p0wned your machine the worst they could do that takes hacking knowledge (breaking the machine can be done with a hammer) is change some item to ring up at the wrong value -- or learn that people who by baby wipes also buy baby diapers. Whoopty do. So a basic firewall on an updated OS should be plenty.

Re:Quickbooks Terminal

[Kalriath]

Since when has $1,300 been a couple of hundred?

Do not use PC based registers

[OzTech]

If you use any x86 based registers with a custom (or shelf) application which "mimics" a real cash-register, you will immediately be caught in vendor lock-in.

My suggestion is to look at what is available from real cash-register manufacturers. Most if not all of these vendors will have a serial (or other) interface which will upload/download data using standard ASCII, comma-delimited files.

This should reduce your task to a simple import/export routine with perhaps a little data massaging to get it into/out-of whatever back end system you want to use/develop.

I successfully used Sharp cash registers for this over 15 years ago. All of the PLU (Price-Look-Up) codes and pricing (stock levels, re-order etc) was stored on a DEC-VAX, basic reporting data was stored on a PC based SQL and generated using Crystal, Access or whatever. A single PC application spoke to the VAX every night, then contacted every register, downloaded sales data and uploaded new/changed PLU data, then massaged the data from the registers and sent it back to the VAX and also dumped what stuff into the SQL database.

With ASCII PLU/pricing/sales data coming from the registers it was a snack and allowed the company to move from a mini-computer architecture to a PC/LAN/SQL environment seamlessly. I'd be surprised if the current offerings from register manufacturers was much different today than it was back then as there really is no reason for it to be any different.

Worst title ever

[noidentity]

This is an awful article title. "Can You Access Your Own Cash Register Data?" First I read that as some silly desire to be able to access your own data in all the stores you visit, out of some sense of entitlement. Then I read the summary, and see that's not the case. In that context, it could be read as asking store owners if they can access their cash register data, a yes/no question. But no, that's not what's about either; it's someone seeking a recommendation for a freaking cash register, as if this is Yahoo Answers or something...

It works for both

[DragonHawk]

For the most part, the POS's in this thread are the first choice. Actually, in my experience as an IT consultant and admin, most POS systems are also a POS.

Like a lot of vertical markets, this one seems to be infested with companies producing poorly engineered products with no mind for security, usability, interoperability, or ease of IT management. They're usually highly proprietary and overpriced, to boot.