Check out this video tutorial on creating custom reports on SalesVu’s POS system. Don’t forget, you can now create and view reports from your iPad POS by launching Salesvu.com from the app!

For more information about SalesVu, please visit www.salesvu.com, contact us at [email protected] or call 888-900-5819.

Today’s how-to: Remove tax from an order on your iPad POS

On the SalesVu app for iOS devices (iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch), you can use the ‘Remove Tax’ button to remove the tax from the total charged to your customer.

Here’s how:

1. 1. Add products to your order
2. 2. Next the order number above the order details there is a ‘+’ button that allows you to expand the order detail further. If it is in the ‘+’ state touch it, if it is already in the ‘-‘ state please move to step 3
3. 3. Touch the the ‘x’ at the bottom of the order detail next to ‘Tax’
4. 4. An alert will appear that says, ‘Do you want to remove tax?’ touch ‘Yes’

The tax will now be removed from this order.

We hope this helps SalesVu users in the future! Contact us at [email protected] or 888-900-5819 if you have questions about this process.

SalesVu’s Tip of the Day:

There are two ways to process refunds: on the device (iPad, iPhone/iPod Touch) or on the Cloud Management Portal.

On the Cloud Management Portal – (Can be done anytime)

1. 1. Navigate to the orders page in your SalesVu.com account
2. 2. Use the search functionality to find the order that would like to refund
3. 3. Expand the order by clicking on the green ‘+’ on the left hand side
4. 4. Here you will see a refund option for both individual items and the whole order (individual item refund is only available until the order batches at 4AM ET).

Note:  If you need to process a partial refund after 4AM ET please send us an email to ‘[email protected]’ or give us a call at 888-900-5819 with the order number, the order total, and the amount to be refunded and we will process it manually and give you confirmation.

 

On the device – (Can only be done before the order batches at 4AM ET)

1. 1. Open the orders menu
2. 2. Under ‘Closed Orders’ find the order you would like to refund and touch to open
3. 3. On the next screen touch the trash can to delete the order
4. 4. You will see an approved when the order has been refunded

You can either process a full refund and re-ring the order or you can contact Mercury Payment Systems at 800-846-4472 and they can manually process a refund.

ALERT: Tuesday Tip!

Having trouble viewing SalesVu iPad POS reports on your device(s)? Try these 3rd party apps:

• For viewing on the iPad, download the iSwifter Flash Web Browser app.
• For viewing on an iPhone, download the Puffin Web Browser app.

Let us know how this tip worked for you by contacting us at [email protected].

       With Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Free Shipping Day and every other shopping-frenzy-designated day around the corner, having a cloud-based mobile POS is a must for retailers. SalesVu’s retail POS can help your small business not only get through the madness, but make it your greatest success yet.

       So, why will an iPad POS give you the extra boost?

1. Mobility allows for higher conversion rates

       With an iPad POS, your employees gain the ability to walk around the store and converse with customers. The balancing act of customers being helped, getting product information, building a rapport with employees, making decisions and checking out is nonexistent. A customer can find a product, have an employee upsell them, hear about discounts and make a purchase without ever waiting or having to walk to a register.

“It’s best to take our POS to our customer rather than make them search for a checkout location,” said Kyle Knapton, Barnstomer Winery manager.

       Why is this so important now? The holiday season highlights consumers’ lack of patience, willingness to spend and peaks business competition. A quality retail POS system relieves the overwhelming aspect of holiday shopping, makes shopping more enjoyable and convenient and gives small businesses an edge over competition.

2. Quicker checkout process

       iPad POS solutions, like SalesVu, are simple, automated and easy to learn. Mobile solutions are available on the most commonly used devices like iPads, iPhones and Android devices. New holiday help will get the hang of things quickly, as not only are most people familiar with these devices, but they are also designed for ease of use. The days of having to train employees to use complicated POS stations are over.

“It takes us just minutes to get new employees up and running,” said Colleen McConeghy, Yo’Cheese Co-Owner. “We don’t have to spend or waste a lot of time getting new employees set up with a complicated system.”

       Many applications are highly customizable to help you and your employees organize your business to the fullest. We all know that no two stores have the same priority needs; the ability to adjust as necessary is not something most traditional systems allow.

       You can also expedite the process by having customers make purchases online and pickup items on location, which leads to number three, eliminating long lines.

“My main reason for using a mobile POS is that the parking lot at my store is limited, so I would like to be able to run my product out to my customers and use my iPod Touch and swipe their credit card so they can be on their way…FAST,” said Hillary Biediger, Juice Junkies owner.

3. Eliminate long lines

In addition to employees’ ease of use, as mentioned above, adding an additional device is as simple as the touch of a button. When you see your store starting to get busy, turn on an additional device to “open a new register.”

“We are a small shop and there is no room for a second POS station and we also don’t have room for lines to form,” said Angelo Sacerdote, Petaluma Pie Company owner. “SalesVu has given us the ability to add a cash register at a moment’s notice when the store gets busy, by picking up an iPod touch and helping the next customer.”

4. Increase floor space

       Your register location can be as small as you want to make it. Forget big, bulky stations; your register can consist of just an iPad touch – that is, if you want one. Employees can walk up to customers and complete a transaction anywhere in the store if necessary.

“We didn’t need a mobile POS, but we like that we are able to keep our counter space clear and uncluttered so we have room to add merchandise instead,” said Nga Myers, Bubble Crunch owner.

5. Multi-location management

       Running one store during the holiday season can be a lot to manage, but adding additional locations can be overwhelming. Cloud-based POS systems allow you to manage individual or multiple locations from anywhere. You can be at home and view individual and/or overall activity.

       Additionally, owners and managers can make adjustments to set pricing, discounts and products from a single remote location. Adjustments are automatically implemented in real time on location.

“To be able to wake up at my home and pull information from the previous evening’s sales and/or reports in my pajamas is great,” said Joan Castillo, Stardust Club and Billiards owner. “I can do most of my work from my phone or computer without coming into my business.”

6. Custom sales reports and inventory tracking

Customized reporting allows owners to keep track of what is important to them or manage specific parts of the business. Additionally, systems like SalesVu, will track your inventory and alert you when levels run low–a must have during the busy holiday season. You never want to be out of a best seller! SalesVu will also assist you in creating purchase orders.

“The reporting is absolutely amazing; it makes accounting so easy and we can get as detailed or as simple as we like,” said SalesVu Customer Michael Brummer.

7. E-Commerce

       Having an E-Commerce website allows you to expand your customer base and overcome geographical limitations. The traffic to your online store will also give your brand more visibility than a brick-and-mortar location alone. Additionally, this simplifies the shopping experience for customers. The simpler and quicker the process, the more successful you will be.

       When online shopping, a customer can quickly access a specific product, but will likely view more products than they will in a physical store. Not only will products gain exposure, but you can recommend items to your customers. Having an online store, especially through providers like SalesVu, will significantly reduce your costs.

       Make sure you’re prepared for Cyber Monday!

“[SalesVu] has made it easier for my clients to make payments other than cash or check,” said Dawn Arcieri, founder of Arcieri Confections.

 8. Gift cards

       We all know gift cards are a big hit during the gifting season. They are the quickest, most simple gift without much room for error. Make sure your business has physical gift cards available to holiday gift givers.

       Gift cards increase customer loyalty, customer reach and sales. You don’t have to worry about cash reimbursement with gift card purchases and fraud is minimized.

“The online coupons and option to get actual gift cards and track their usage help keep us on top of what is working,” said Lake Charles Martial Arts Owner John Newport.

9. Be more cost effective

       For a smaller fee than most traditional solutions, business owners can equip all employees with a device. Though this may not be necessary, it greatly enhances the shopping experience for customers. A shopper can build a rapport with one employee during their trip without being passed around, creating confusion or waiting while an employee helps someone else.

Apple stores have perfected this concept. When you walk into an Apple store, the same person that greets you often times helps you find what you are looking for, informs you about products and can immediately check you out anywhere in the store. Customers never wait in a single-file line to check-out.

“Our activities take place at a different site on our property and in our pre-SalesVu era, that required customers to check in at our office, make their purchases and head out to their activities,” said Lilly Pad Village Owner Geza Csuros. “We were actually missing sales and if the customer wished to make another purchase, they then had to head back to the office to pay before returning to their activity.”

10. Marketing through your retail POS

       Create Facebook coupons through SalesVu that lead to viral marketing. This is a great feature to have prepared for the busy shopping days, like Black Friday. When someone uses a promotion you have posted, the discount is announced on their Facebook for all of their friends to see. Then, others can use the same coupon, driving more business to your store. Sales are the most important part of shopping this time of year.

       SalesVu also allows you to email your pre-existing customers. You can export your customer list to notify them about specials, events or general announcements.

“One of the best features is having access to the customer’s email address after sending them an email receipt, unlike Square who doesn’t allow you to get that, which allows me the opportunity to send ‘thank you’s’ via email and the opportunity to add them to my mailing list,” said Photographer Matt Suess.

For more information about SalesVu or getting a cloud-based mPOS for your business, contact SalesVu at [email protected] or call 888-900-5819.

This video will take you step-by-step through the process of setting up your printers in SalesVu’s iPad POS.

In case you missed it, here’s that graphic of proper configuration one more time:

Once you have created a SalesVu account you can create another location if you are opening another store, operate in multiple locations or want to manage more than one business from the same account.

There are 2 ways to create a new account from the device or from the SalesVu.com Remote Management Portal:

 A.  From the SalesVu.com Remote Management Portal

1. 1.  Sign in to SalesVu.com with the account owner email and password
2. 2.  Click the ‘Account’ tab or icon
3. 3.  Click the ‘Location Management’ icon
4. 4.  Click the ‘Add New Location’ button
5. 5.  Add the business information
6. 6.  If this is a separate physical business location you will need to sign up for Mercury Payment Systems (MPS) credit card processing and receive an additional free card reader
7. 7.  Optionally you can import your products, discounts and vendors to the new location
8. 8.  Click ‘Save’

B.  From the SalesVu app on your device

1. 1.  Download the app to the 2nd device that you want to use
2. 2.  Open the app and enter your email address and password and touch ‘Login’
3. 3.  On the next page touch ‘New Business Name’
4. 4.  On the next page enter your additional locations name, address etc and touch ‘Submit’
5. 5.  You will have now created an additional location

If you have further questions please email us at [email protected] or give us a call at 888-900-5819.

The following are steps for creating products in POS System that have fixed pricing (e.g. Clothing, Shoes, etc.):

1. 1. Sign in to SalesVu.com
2. 2. Click the ‘Products’ tab or icon
3. 3. Click ‘Add Product’
4. 4. In the name field, enter the product name (in this example we will use ‘Henley Shirt’)
5. 5. Enter a selling price
6. 6. Choose a category and tax bracket
7. 7. Optionally choose inventory settings, UPC Code, SKU code, and button/list color for the app
8. 8. Click the arrow next to ‘Select Modifier Groups’ to expand the options
9. 9. Click ‘Add Group’ next to header, ‘Modifier Groups’
10. 10. In the field ‘Group Name,’ enter ‘Size’
11. 11. Click ‘More’ to expand the options of the group
12. 12. Click the box ‘Merge’
13. 13. Click ‘Save’
14. 14. Under the header, ‘Modifier Items,’ enter your 1st size in the field ‘Item Name’ (Small) and click ‘Save’
15. 15. In the ‘Item Name’ field enter the next size (Medium) and click ‘More’ to enter the additional cost into the ‘Extra Cost’ field
16. 16. Continue to repeat for all your product’s sizes
17. 17. Repeat steps 8 – 16 for colors
18. 18. Click ‘Save’
19. 19. Sync your iOS device. You will now see product(s). When you touch it, a popup will appear allowing you to select only 1 size

Printer Types

Local Area Network/Ethernet printers:

• Star Micronics TSP143LAN or TSP654LAN

  • Require that the printer be plugged into a wireless router and the iOS device (iPad, iPad Mini, iPhone, iPod Touch), Android phone or tablet be connected to that wireless router through the WiFi signal that the wireless router is broadcasting.

  • For customers that are mobile (i.e. food trucks), we would recommend a USB modem and a cradlepoint router.

  • If you have multiple payment devices and multiple printers, these printers are the only way to go as the Bluetooth ones can only connect to one device.

Bluetooth printers:

• Star Micronics TSP654II-BT (desktop Bluetooth printer) or SM-S220i (battery powered printer)

  • These printers are paired to one device (i.e. 1 iPad can only connect to 1 printer   and that printer can only be connected to 1 iPad).

  • These printers are ideal for mobile businesses or businesses that only need 1 payment device and 1 printer.

Printer Features

Receipt Printer

• You can choose to print a receipt at the end of a transaction or before a transaction is closed.
• Multiple iPads can sync with the same printer (only with LAN/Ethernet printers).
• Ability to manage and adjust tips on printed receipts with the SalesVu app

Kitchen Printer

• Organize where you want orders to be printed (drinks to a bar printer, food to a kitchen printer).

Setting up Printers

1. 1. Connect your printer(s) to your wireless router with an Ethernet cable.
2. 2. Connect your iOS or Android Phone/Tablet to your wireless router’s WiFi network.  If you have more than 1 network broadcasting (i.e. guest network and private network), make sure the ports are set to the same network as the one your devices are connected to.
3. 3. On iOS or Android Phone/Tablet, touch the printer icon.
4. 4. If there are no printers listed, touch the refresh button.
5. 5. Select ‘Print’ to determine which printer(s) function under their labels if you are using more than one printer.
6. 6. Next, go to the online portal to configure printers.
7. 7. Select ‘Settings.’
8. 8. Select ‘Printer Settings for Mobile Devices.’
9. 9. Rename your printers to help you identify their uses (i.e. “Receipt,” “Kitchen”).
10. 10. If you are using a kitchen/bar printer, turn on the button next to that printer under ‘Kitchen/Bar Printer.”
11. 11. Under categories, you may select which tickets you want to send to the kitchen.
12. 12. Save the settings that you have selected.

Using the printers from the iOS or Android Phone/Tablets

1. 1. After configuring printers from the online portal, go back to your iOS or Android Phone/Tablets.
2. 2. Create an order to send to the kitchen, for example.
3. 3. Select the printer icon.
4. 4. Select ‘Kitchen’ (or however you have labeled your kitchen printer).
5. 5. Press ‘Print.’
6. 6. Only the portion of the order that you have selected to be sent to the kitchen will print on the kitchen printer.
7. 7. To have a customer check out, press ‘Cancel’ to leave that screen.
8. 8. Select ‘Pay.’
9. 9. Select method of payment (i.e. ‘Cash,’ ‘Credit Card,’ etc).
10. 10. Select ‘Print Receipt.’

Kitchen Printing

1. 1. Go to your account on the SalesVu website and select the Settings toolbar.
2. 2. Select “Printer Settings for Mobile Devices.”
3. 3. Click the blue button under “Printer Type” to select “Kitchen/Bar Printer.”
4. 4. Assign inventory categories to your printer by clicking on the boxes next to each product category.
5. 5. Click “Save.”