2012 Review of ECR Software Corp. Catapult 5.1.1

ECR Software Corp. — Catapult 5.1.1
800-211-1172
www.ecrs.com

From the Aug. 2012 Review of Point-of-Sale Systems.

Best Fit: Catapult is truly designed for a specific part of the retail industry, and with touch screen technology standard on all of its systems, it truly works with high-volume specialty retailers of any size.

Strengths

• Touch screen monitor is standard
• Product contains unlimited customization capability
• Little training necessary for new users
• Offers a long list of industry specific POS solutions
• Affordable, even for smaller businesses

Potential Limitations

• Limited e-commerce interface
• Not suitable for mail order/web-based businesses
• No integrated shipping options currently available.

Catapult POS Software from ECRS Retail Automation Solutions is a completely customizable POS software product specifically designed for specialized retail industries such as convenience stores and gas stations, pharmacies, grocery stores, and health system industries including gift shops and kiosks.

BASIC SYSTEM FUNCTIONS: 5 Stars

Highly customizable and easy to navigate, Catapult POS interface screens can be customized to suit the needs of a particular business type, department need, or even cashier preference, Catapult is truly designed by the people that are using it. While we generally talk about how easy it is to navigate through a particular system, with Catapult, the user determines everything about the interface including button size, screen layout, even colors. Keypads are easily customized for each cashier, including right and left handed users, which I find both extremely smart, and very useful.

For those wishing to utilize a keyboard rather than a touch screen, Catapult can be customized for that option as well. To process a quick sale, simply scan the item, or managers can choose to customize the interface with quick-touch buttons for even quicker sales processing. Customer information can be accessed on screen for those tracking customer data, and with customization available in every aspect of the product, users can create a series of speed keys for frequently purchased items, tender types and denominations.

Catapult is available in both single and multi-store versions, so smaller retailers can start out with a single location, and add others if needed. Catapult also offers a long list of add-on modules designed to make the product a front/back office financial solution. Modules available include the POS module, Back Office Capability, Self-Checkout, Fuel Interface, Warehousing, Scale Management, Customer Loyalty, Membership Management, and the Multi-Store option.

User security is ample, with all users assigned a security profile that will determine what features can be accessed, and at what level. Look up fields are found throughout Catapult, and customer and product data can be easily added on the fly without interrupting a sales transaction. The Multi-Store option allows regional managers to program store functions from a central location and multi-store synchronization allows data sharing across multiple locations, including inventory levels, and solid audit trail functionality.

Cashiers can easily process multiple transaction types from the POS interface, including regular sales, product returns, discounts, transaction voids, item layaway, and gift/loyalty card processing. Multiple pricing levels can be assigned to all products in inventory, and global pricing changes can be done by store, by region, or across the network, as needed. Users can assign discounts to specific items, and both gift and loyalty cards can be utilized, offering special pricing for members. The Warehousing module can manage inventory in multiple locations, manage P.O’s and shipping requests, and track in-transit items.

The Membership Management module provides membership-based stores and cooperatives a way to track membership fees, assign price levels, and customized per customer as needed. The Catapult integration host provides retailers with seamless integration between Catapult POS and the My Web Grocer ecommerce system for online order management for grocery stores.