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Radiant Systems — CounterPoint SQL

800-852-5852www.CounterPointPOS.com

From the Oct. 2008 Review of
Point of Sale Systems

CounterPoint SQL from Radiant Systems is a fully integrated, customizable point-of-sale
system. Available in two versions — CounterPoint SQL Express for smaller
retailers and CounterPoint SQL Enterprise for larger retailers with multiple
locations — the product provides retailers with the functionality they
need.

EASE OF USE – 5 Stars
The CounterPoint SQL user interface provides a grid with function buttons at
the top of the screen. Below are menu buttons that offer access to all system
functions, including the Point of Sale module. The Quick Setup function allows
a business to quickly set up its company information, including product and
customer information. Users can also choose specifics like whether to offer
gift certificates or require register passwords. In addition to the POS module,
CounterPoint SQL offers modules for Inventory, Customers, Purchasing, Sales
History, E-Commerce and Timecards.

Sales transactions can be entered using the standard ticket entry screen,
which features a menu bar at the top that contains various functions such as
processing orders, layaways, quotes and holds. Sales transactions can be processed
as cash sales or customer data can be accessed to record a sale to a specific
customer. Salesperson and department numbers can also be entered, if desired.
A drop-down menu mid-screen allows users to choose the type of transaction being
entered, along with standard information such as item type and quantity. Totals
for each sales transaction are displayed in the lower right-hand side of the
screen.

The Touch Screen register interface features a fully customizable button interface
that allows categories to be assigned to each button. Clicking on that button
will in turn display items that fall under that category. Using the Touch Screen
interface, customers can still be accessed if desired; but ideally, this interface
should be used for high-volume cash sales. Both screens offer customer and item
lookup options as well as the ability to process a sale or return, void a sale,
process a layaway, or void the entire ticket.

MODULES/SCALABILITY – 5 Stars
Along with the Point of Sale module, CounterPoint SQL also comes with Inventory,
Purchasing, eCommerce, Timecards, Sales History, Data Interchange, System, and
Setup modules. Add-on products are also available, including CP Gateway (provides
credit card charge approval in seconds), CP Online (allows for the creation
and management the business’ website). A number of third-party applications
that integrate with CounterPoint SQL are also available.

CounterPoint SQL Express can be purchased by smaller retailers and easily
upgraded as needed. While both editions contain similar features, the Enterprise
edition is designed for retailers that desire a more robust feature set.

FEATURES/FUNCTIONALITY – 5 Stars
Version 8.3.8 features many system updates and enhancements including the addition
of ticket number barcodes on both receipts and invoices. The new Drawer Management
system lets users view all drawer sessions, reconcile cash drawers quickly,
and produce a comprehensive drawer reading report. The Release Orders function
allows for the processing of multiple orders simultaneously using the batching
system. Payment processing has been streamlined in both the ticket entry and
touchscreen ticket entry user interface screens. CounterPoint has also added
seven additional pay code buttons that can be displayed in the payment entry
window. Complete touchscreen customization allows for the set up of touch keys
featuring frequently sold products, which allows faster ticket processing.

The product supports multiple pricing levels including discount, markup, fixed
price and desired profit margin. Layaways, special orders and backorders can
all be easily processed on the same ticket. Users can also define an unlimited
number of payment types and assign currency restrictions if desired. CounterPoint
SQL can handle multiple currency types, and reason codes can be entered for
any processed returns, voids or overrides recorded in the system. The Sales
Dashboard is an excellent tool for tracking detailed sales data from multiple
stores, using various criteria such as Day, Period, Store, Vendor, Product and
Market basket.

INTEGRATION – 5 Stars
CounterPoint SQL offers accounting interfaces for numerous accounting products
such as Sage MAS 90/200, Sage BusinessWorks, Passport Business Solutions, QuickBooks
2008 and Peachtree 2008. Along with integration with hardware peripherals such
as scanners, touchscreen tablets, magnetic card readers and barcode scanners,
CounterPoint also offers an All-In-One Solution, which includes a pre-programmed
touchscreen system.

TRACKING/REPORTING – 5 Stars
CounterPoint SQL offers excellent reporting capabilities, including order activity
reports, layaways, and various system history reports such as settlement history,
closed orders and drawer history. Numerous sales history reports are also available.
Tracking options are plentiful and include best sellers, product serial numbers,
discounts and markdowns, and customer purchasing habits, including the use of
customer loyalty cards.

RELATIVE VALUE – 5 Stars
With two distinct product editions, CounterPoint SQL is suitable for both sole
entrepreneurs as well as large retailers. A single-location, single-user version
of CounterPoint SQL will cost approximately $3,000, making CounterPoint SQL
within reach of just about any retailer desiring a comprehensive product that
can grow as they do.

2008 Overall Rating: 5 Stars