Hi, My question is about implementation a new solution. I intend to write a Point Of Sale module in Axapta, but as a Web Application, and to integrate in Enterprise Portal (I need this for my BSc diploma exam [:)]). The enhancement is supposed to have all usual features (Checkout Management, Promotional Pricing and Discounts, Taxes, Payment Processing, Receipts, Returns, Reporting). I wanted to ask you if this sounds like a realistic project. Could a POS software be used as a web based solution? The major problem is the speed (which in this particulary case is A issue, since there should be many transactions processed very quick), but let’s suppose it will only be used for a Intranet network. 10x for the help. Ciprian
Hi Ciprian, this is very interesting idea. I have thought about it too. What are the law regulations for POS in your contry? Do you have to use Fiscal Printers? In Serbia we have to use Fiscal printers, and that complicates things in context of implementation using Axapta EP.
Hi Ciprian, Not sure whether this would of interest to you. But there are some POS Add on modules available - - Columbus IT (Columbus Retail POS) and - Scalable Data Systems (POS Management) Regards, Harish Mohanbabu
Hi, From technical perspective it really sounds a great idea. But from business and practical perspective, it is not. A POS system is meant to be put in place where sales happens i.e most likely in shops. If the POS is a part of an ERP solution like Axapta, the cost of setting up a shop goes high since it would require online connectivity to the Axapta server set up. Not to mention that the cost of Axapta user and hardware required for the same. Most retail organisations have 20 - 100 shops spread across. Multiply that with the per user license cost, and the cost of the license rockets up. It is a much better idea to create a .NET POS application and integrate it back to Axapta. Much easier to implement and much more cost effective to the customer. We have a customer where we implemented Axapta at Head Office for Financial consolidation and a .NET based POS system across 140 shops. The POS system synchronizes data with Axapta at the end of the day. Best regards.
Hi Yusuf, Thank you very much for the detailed answer. Please only notice that I was talking about a web solution rather than a desktop one. In this case only license for COM users are needed. I am not familiar with the prices or licensing mode, but I think that a web based Ax. application should lower up the costs of implementation at the client side from multiple perspectives: only COM license required; no advanced hardware necessary (as the app. is running on the intranet); can be run on any operating systems. Please let me know if I am wrong with these. Thank you, Ciprian
Hi Ciprian, For an Axapta Web based Solution, the purchase will have to be of a COM license, Enterprise Portal Framework and Web Users. So, that does drive up the cost. Secondly, the COM license is role based. So, if there are multiple roles, then more COM licenses need to be purchased. Moreover, the connectivity costs are there which has to be continous line since it is a web based application. The options are leased line or ISDN which are more costly as compared to dial up connectivity used for desktop synchronization. Another issue is the availability and reliability of connectivity. Please note that shops can be opened up at any remote sites which will not guarantee communications. So, in this case having an offline solution will make more sense since the company can set up shop anywhere without having to depend on the connectivity availability. Regards, Yusuf Mukadam
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Hi Yusuf, Thank you very much for the detailed answer. Please only notice that I was talking about a web solution rather than a desktop one. In this case only license for COM users are needed. I am not familiar with the prices or licensing mode, but I think that a web based Ax. application should lower up the costs of implementation at the client side from multiple perspectives: only COM license required; no advanced hardware necessary (as the app. is running on the intranet); can be run on any operating systems. Please let me know if I am wrong with these. Thank you, Ciprian
Originally posted by Mugur - 2005 Nov 25 : 09:48:06
I work for a company that is interested in replacing its current POS solution and integrating it into Axapta. We currently use Retail Pro as our POS and have writen a bunch of interface connections that update Axapta. If there is a solution out there that would integrate directly with Axapta, I would love to hear about it.
Hi all, I have created our POS solution in .NET 2.0. We are exchanging data with AX on daily bases and using XML. The problem for implementing Web based POS in Serbia is in providing communication with fiscal printer driver. Fiscal printer drivers used here are mostly file based, so your POS has to have access to file system, and I think that only way to that in Web client is to have some ActiveX that could do that.