If you run a small business, you may not have enough turnover to justify both a PC and a cash register. Luckily, you can turn your PC into a cash register. All you need is point of sale (POS) software and, if you want, peripheries to print receipts and store cash. By downloading and using this software you can streamline your business expenses and become more efficient.

Things You Will Need

  • Cash drawer

  • Receipt printer

  • Barcode scanner

  • POS software

Freeware

Download free POS software. One example is created by software developer Dale Harris, and can be found in the resources.

Purchase a cash drawer, receipt printer and bar code scanner. Use a regular printer if you do not want to purchase a receipt printer.

Attach the scanner, printer and cash drawer to your computer. This freeware requires you to attach these through your serial port, not your parallel port. Your serial port is a short, fat port with connections pointing outwards; your parallel port is longer and thinner with holes to connect to.

Software

Purchase a program like Cash Register Plus. This comes with all the hardware mentioned in step 1 and costs $799 as of September 2010.

Install the program, following the steps on the screen. Attach your hardware when asked to do so.

Add your stock to the program, so that the receipt scanner recognizes your bar codes.