Point-of-sale software?

[taeraresh]

Off topic even for the off-topic forum, but I could use some advice.

I started a new job a few months ago, and we're in desperate need of some better POS software.
We're a very small business, but we've got upwards of $200,000 in inventory, and no real tracking of what's coming in or going out. We've got about eight different FileMaker databases for various things, but none of them are really connected to each other.

What we'd like is something that's a pretty robust inventory/POS system, but it would be incredibly helpful if it could also do invoices and work orders, as we do a lot of custom fabrication.

So far, the best I've found is Vend, but it doesn't really have any way to do invoicing. Square + ShopVentory will do invoices, but can't print barcode labels, which is something we need.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[EricKei]

Well, I can tell you of one NOT to use:

As someone who used to do (independent) tech support for Quickbooks products, avoid their POS like the plague. Of your requirements, it meets only the "prints barcodes" one. This is, in part, because it was originally an early-aughties-era POS program from another company that was kludged to get it connected to QBooks accounting...and, in the decade+ since, they've done only the bare minimum to update and fix it, aside from making it look prettier.

If you're in the size range of businesses it was meant for (SMB, less than $1 million in sales per year, 50 or fewer employees, just one location), the *accounting* program they make, on the other hand, is pretty good. Contractor edition might be right up your alley (there should be free sample downloads on their site -- it's been a while -- try using a sample file, NOT your real data if you wanna test it).

Speak with y'all's accountant or CPA, he or she would be the best one to evaluate such software, whether it's QB or peachtree/sage, a POS program, or one of the big boys like MAS90 on up, which are much MUCH more expensive, but also much more robust. Upsides to QB : Cheap, generally reliable, and it's freaking everywhere, so support is easy to come by from people still in the biz (I am not). Many outside programs can connect to it. Upsides to PT : Still kinda cheap (maybe $100 more), old-school (pen & paper journal) accountants love its interface, and support is fairly common. Integration, it varies, but I can point you to people who might be able to help with that if that's what you use. Major bonus is native support for Crystal Reports.