Font Face Off: Universal or Premiere Fonts?

by Nate Schubert

IDAutomation provides a wide range of linear and 2D barcode fonts which may be used in conjunction with our free font encoder tools in order to generate barcodes in a variety of environments and applications. Fonts can be very flexible solutions in terms of barcode generation, as long as the data can be properly formatted to a special string that will display an accurate and readable barcode when the particular font is applied to it. There are many different barcode types out there including linear fonts for Code 128, Code 39, Intelligent Mail, UPC and others, as well as more powerful 2D fonts for Data Matrix, PDF417, Aztec, QR Code, MaxiCode and more.

Businesses often have a need to generate more than one barcode type, which is why IDAutomation offers a few different bundled font packages. These packages are more affordable than 2 individual font packages, for those who need multi-barcode generation support. Purchasing one of these bundled font packages may be a perfect solution for your environment and desired use, but it pays to know the benefits and drawbacks before making a final decision. Please find a short summary below about each of the bundled font packages we offer including pro's and cons so that you can make the best decision possible.

Premiere Font Package

• Overview: The Premiere Fonts Package contains over 15 linear barcode and security fonts for integration into projects for document control, point of sale, logistics, check writing, mailing and more.
• Fonts Included: MICR E13B, MICR CMC-7, OCR-A, OCR-B, Security Fonts, Code 128, Code 39, Code 93, Interleaved 2 of 5, Code 2 of 5 Non-Interleaved, Codabar, Code 11, MSI Plessey, Planet, Postnet, Intelligent Mail,  RM4SCC, UPC and EAN.
• Also Includes: Fonts available in True Type, Open Type, PCL and PostScript formats as well as human readable and non-human readable in different sizes to meet various height-width requirements.
• Package Information
  Download a Demo
  Purchase Today

The Premiere Font Package contains every linear barcode and security font that IDAutomation provides separately. It is a bundled package, and so this is a more affordable option than purchasing, for example, The Code 128 Fonts and then the Postal Barcode Fonts packages. These fonts may be used in conjunction with our free font encoder tools to generate barcodes in many different operating systems and environments including Excel, Word, ActiveX, Reporting Services, Crystal Reports, Oracle Reports, FileMaker, .NET, Visual Basic and more.

For users who only require the True Type format of this bundled fonts package, IDAutomation offers the TrueType Font Package for even more affordability.

Universal Font Package

• Overview: The Universal Font Advantage Package contains a single font that is capable of generating many different symbologies to support AIM USS Code 128, GS1-128, EAN-128, Code 39, Interleaved 2 of 5, MSI, Codabar, USPS Intelligent Mail, OneCode, Postnet and Planet barcodes.
• Also Includes: Fonts available in True Type, Open Type, PCL and PostScript formats as well as human readable and non-human readable in 7 different sizes to meet various height-width requirements.
• Supports multiple languages with double-byte character sets such as Japanese, Chinese and Korean.
• Package Information
  Download a Demo
  Purchase Today

The Universal Font Package is an excellent option for companies that want to generate many different barcodes with fonts, but don't want to keep track of all of the separate packages that are included in the Premiere bundled fonts package. Different barcodes may be generated depending on the way the data in the barcode is actually encoded. This adds an element of flexibility that many companies enjoy through use in different operating systems and environments.

No matter your decision, IDAutomation is available to answer any and all questions that users may have regarding either of these special barcode font packages. We offer full pre-sales technical support and a 30-day complimentary Priority Support & Upgrade Subscription with an option to extend that support to 12 months. Test each of the above packages and let us know which benefits or drawbacks get your attention.

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One Step Retail Featured on APG Cash Drawer Blog!

 

To view full article, visit the APG Cash Drawer Blog

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Missing Facebook Posts in Your Feed

Spread the word, if you want to be able to see updates from your favorite brands, companies AND friends you need to make sure you have subscribed to them. Facebook is increasingly focusing on paid ads and algorithms to make it so that posts will show up in your feeds.

You will also note a friends or company starting to pop up in your feed IF you have visited their page recently or interacted with them. To keep these posts showing up, be sure to subscribe.

How to subscribe: When on a fan page or friends page, click the LIKE BUTTON (top right just under the cover photo) as usual and then a drop down will show up.. click "Get Notifications". You will need to click the "friends button" and "Get Notifications". It looks like this setting applies for when you are in a personal accounts and not a company pages.

Visit our Facebook page and be sure to subsribe!

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Save on Your Next Point of Sale

Don't let the TAXMAN take all of your profits from Black Friday!

3 REASONS TO BUY A NEW POS SYSTEM BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR:

1. Tax write off! (talk to your tax accountant for specifics)
   Purchase before end of year and your tax savings could pay for your implementation or your first year's lease payments.
2. Get an early jump on the competition with Mobile POS on an iPad, iPod or iPhone, Enhanced Reporting, Marketing Plans and ways to better service your customers in 2013.
3. And... We have End of Year Discounts!

Technology doesn't have the kind of margins that retailers enjoy on apparel, jewelry or furniture. So, when One Step has a 10% Off Offer, it's a BIG DEAL and it only happens ONCE A YEAR.

Make the purchase by:

November 30th, 2012 - SAVE 12%*
December 14th, 2012 - SAVE 10%*
Decmber 21st, 2012 - SAVE 8%*
December 28th, 2012 - SAVE 5%*




Act now and save. If you are not sure which POS Solution is best for you, no problem, follow the link below for a courtesy consultation or call us toll free at (800) 266-1328

 

 

*We are not tax attorneys or advisors. You should consult your own tax attorney regarding the tax consequences of a specific purchase. Discounts expire per dates listed above. For new customers only. Discounts on select software products. Must take delivery and pay in full by 2/28/2013. Hardware discounts up to 5%. SaaS POS systems discounts apply to the first 12 months after purchase. Cannot be combined with any other offers.

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We Hope You Had a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving from our One Step Retail Solutions family to yours!!

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How to Make Barcode Labels

by Nate Schubert

Barcode label printing is small but critical aspect of virtually any business in operation today. Many companies make barcode labels to affix to their products or documents for a more efficient inventory tracking or asset management systems while others affix barcoded labels to employee IDs or membership cards. Even in the most basic of businesses, barcode label generation can help save on postal costs, or just make it easier to print address labels for personal mailings. Making barcode labels can be difficult or easy depending on your specific needs and the limitations of the label application at your disposal.

Barcode labels may be created using applications such as Microsoft Word or Excel in conjunction with Barcode Fonts, ActiveX Controls or other components that are compatible within the environment where you are working. This is an excellent option if you have advanced knowledge of the application you are working in. Otherwise, it may be difficult to determine how you can create labels to your desired specifications, and integrate a separate application into that process. For most users, the best method of making barcode labels is by purchasing a complete barcode label design and printing application.

Available in both Standard and Pro versions, the IDAutomation Barcode Label Software is the type of application that is suited for high-volume use, and occasional use as well. The easy-to-use interface provides a simple method of entering the data you want to encode and generating the type of barcode you need. Many different properties of the barcode may be modified if necessary, and other elements may also be added to labels such as images, text, colors and more. There are many pre-defined label stock dimensions from well-known manufacturers such as Avery to choose from, and users may also set their own custom label dimensions. For those who need to generate labels from an external source such as SQL or Excel, this high-quality software allows connectivity to these and other database types.

Affordably priced starting at $139.00 for a Single User License, the IDAutomation Barcode Label Software is an excellent option for individuals who need to generate barcodes for printing onto virtually any type of label. For more information and a brief overview of this top-level software, please see the video below.

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TSC celebrates ground-breaking ceremony

Ladislav Sloup, Managing Director of TSC Auto ID Technology EMEA GmbH and Managing Director of Taiwan Semiconductor Europe GmbH, gave the starting signal for the new office and administrative building at the ground-breaking ceremony on November 5th in the presence of the mayor of Zorneding, Piet Mayer, the building contractor Herbert Felden and representatives of Haas Fertigbau GmbH.

The building, now rising at Georg-Wimmer-Ring in Zorneding, should be ready for occupancy by the end of May or June 2013 and it will function as the new European Headquarter for both organizations. The offices and meeting rooms of TSC Auto ID will be located on the ground floor, the premises of the semiconductor division on the first floor. The total complex is being augmented with a large warehouse with a lorry entrance and with a ramp to permit access by trucks. Plenty of parking lots are available for employees and customers. With the relocation to the new premises in the next year the successful story of both TSC divisions will be symbolized.

“We are very happy about the beginning of construction”, said Ladislav Sloup and he added: ”As we are aware of the important role played by an innovative and comfortable environment on wellbeing and staff performance, we will have great pleasure in inaugurating our new offices.”

In the last few years the accommodation quickly became too small because of the dynamic company growth and the increase in the number of employees. Indeed, the new building will double the previous floor area. At the moment, the group currently plans the design and adaptation of the premises.

Ladislav Sloup: “The move to our new headquarters will inspire us, of course. We will also continue to offer and provide our customers an excellent service, first-rate products and the most advanced printing solutions they want and need.”

The foundation for continuous success has been set now.

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A Point of Sale's Value is in the Using [GUEST BLOG]

By Evan Wise
Managing Director- Management One®

Point-of-Sale (POS) systems are a valuable tool and a necessity for running a retail store today.  YOU CAN'T WIN THE GAME IF YOU CAN'T KEEP SCORE! ALTHOUGH RETAILERS SHOP FOR A SYSTEM WITH THE MOST BELLS AND WHISTLES AND NEAT FEATURES,  many have not progressed  beyond printing price tags and ringing up customer purchases.

Customer tracking
While all POS systems have the ability to track basic customer information like Name, Address, Phone Number and Email address, most systems have the ability to track customer types (Surf, Skate, Snow, Bike), birthday, anniversary, etc.

Use your POS system to  track your customers buying habits.  Your customer's purchases will give you a wealth of information from which to do selective marketing.  Here are some examples:

·         Reward your best customers by sending a thank you gift card or certificate. Invite customers that haven't made a purchase in the past 12 months back to your store
·        Send a  Birthday card with a special offer or incentive.
·        Specific merchandising  to customers that bought a specific item, vendor, style, color or size  There are many creative variations of ways to use POS information  to enhance sales,  loyalty and rewards programs.

Merchandising Analysis
Your POS system  gathers data that feeds a merchandise planning system which is the foundation for your assortment planning.  Use your POS system  to identify groups of like merchandise (Departments, Classes or Subclasses) and drill down from there.  Develop or find the reports that will provide that information:
·         Sales and Inventory Report to evaluate your sales, markdowns and inventory levels.
·         Best Sellers/Worst Sellers Reports to find items that need to be replenished (Best Sellers) or to identify items to promote or markdown (Worst Sellers).  It is best to make these decisions based on gross margin dollars or sell through percent.   Unit sales can be distorted as a best seller is not something that was sold through markdowns.
·         Vendor Analysis Report to find  the vendors that performed the best within a group of vendors within a department, class or subclass.
·         Vendor Performance Report (shipment) report to help identify vendors that ship the highest percentage of what you order.  Size Analysis Report could be a helpful report to compare the sizes you sell to the sizes that are remaining in your inventory.
·         Many other reports will help make the right decisions for your business!

Success means knowing the right amount to buy in each classification.  That is called open-to-buy (OTB) planning and depends on accurate sales forecasting in each category. Many POS systems offer an option to develop OTB plans. A caveat is that these systems are very simplistic in their ability to forecast sales accurately and therefore the OTB plans can be way off.  An OTB planning professional can develop more accurate forecasts and OTB plans to assure you not only get the right goods, but that you get the right amounts (correct stock to sales ratio for each classification each month)  and flow them into the store at the right times. That assures fewer stockouts, lower markdowns and the availability of cash to pay the bills when they come due.

Store Management
Most POS systems offer analytical reports to help you fine-tune the operational functions of your store including tender types, salesperson productivity and sales by day and/or hour.
·         compare actual store deposits to recorded tender transactions to help you identify losses, theft or bank errors.
·         Salesperson Report would help identify your best salesperson by amount sold, number of items sold and even number of transactions.  Use this to track sales performance against the goal set for each salesperson each month.  When you measure results you improve results.
·         Time Period Reports could help identify the best days and times during the day for store activity.  A great report for planning days off and break times as well as scheduling sales staff.

Your POS system is a great data collection vehicle, and if used properly can be used to lead you to develop information that can impact the actions you take when running  your business.  But remember, it is only a machine that relies on human interaction.  Maintaining accurate information is paramount and that only happens when the input is accurate.

Your POS system is the start of success.  If you drop the ball before the goal line you won’t score.

 

 

 

For more information on point of sale systems and to receive a free consultation CLICK HERE

Management One® specializes in independent business success by showing any company how to get a better return on their investments in inventory and people. For more information, CLICK HERE

 

One Step Retail Solutions is ranked as one of the top resellers and service providers for some of the most comprehensive and state of the art retail POS software solutions in the industry. For a free retail technology consultation, click HERE.

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iPad Mini Point of Sale

With the holidays coming up, consumers are aflutter with the recent launch of Apple's newest brainchild, the iPad Mini. Strategically designed to fit in one hand and affordable to a new range of consumers.

While the buzz may be varied, one thing is certain, the iPad Mini is at a lower price point and has all of the features and design points consumers are looking for in a traditional iPad. This opens up the Apple fan-favorite to a whole new range of customers and fits the niche of users that want a smaller tablet.

A popular uses for the iPad has been for mobile point of sale, the iPad Mini has been tested as a new option for retailers looking to incorporate iPad POS into their store. iPad Mini will run Teamwork Retail smoothly and effectively in a retail space.

If you are looking to incorporate iPad POS or the iPad Mini into your retail store contact us for a free consultation to determine the best software to fit your need OR call 800-266-1328.

iPAD costs, available through Apple on-line or retail locations world-wide

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Choosing a Cash Drawer for Your Retail Environment - Breaking Down the Different Options [Guest Blog]

Choosing the right type of cash drawer for your retail environment is an important decision with implications for your business's success.

There are many choices and decisions to make even for something seemingly simple like a cash drawer. If your business has high traffic you will need a cash drawer that's durable and dependable to keep up with the heavy use. You don't want to invest in new cash drawers or hardware, only to find they need to be replaced after a few thousand transactions.

Check out the common components of a cash drawer below to help determine what type of cash drawer is best for your business:

Cycle life: Cycle life is the main factor in determining whether a drawer falls under the heavy duty or standard duty category. One cycle = a drawer opening and closing once (one transaction).
A heavy duty cash drawer will last longer and will require little or no maintenance.  A typical life expectancy of a heavy duty drawer is 4 million cycles while a standard duty drawer will last 1 million cycles.
Suspension System: The suspension system in a cash drawer allows it to open and close. Many heavy duty drawers have industrial grade steel slides which include large ball bearings running in a heavy gauge track for smooth, consistent, and quiet operation. Standard duty drawers are built with a roller wheel suspension. Roller wheels are made from plastic and are not as durable. Some roller wheels actually have ball bearings in them making them more durable than most standard duty drawers.
Latch: A latch is what keeps the cash drawer closed. The type of latch used in a drawer often affects the cycle life. Choosing the right materials along with a robust design will determine the life of the drawer. Unfortunately, just looking at the latch may not tell you if it will last or not.

Why choose a heavy duty cash drawer?
If you'll be using your cash drawer in a high traffic environment, you should consider a heavy duty cash drawer. High traffic is usually characterized by constant use of your cash drawer or by periods of extremely heavy use.
Heavy duty drawers are found in fast food, grocery, hospitality, and convenience stores. The following characteristics of an APG Heavy Duty Cash Drawer were implemented to meet the needs of your high traffic environment, bringing you peace of mind at a low cost of ownership.

• Industrial-grade steel ball bearing slides for maximum dependability.
• Fatigue resistant latching/opening system.
• Durable mechanical and electrical components tested to last four million operations.
• Two-year to lifetime product warranty depending on the product chosen.

Why Choose a Standard Duty Cash Drawer?
If you'll be using your cash drawer in a light to medium traffic environment, you can consider a standard duty cash drawer. Low to medium traffic is characterized by low or infrequent use of your cash drawer. Standard duty drawers are found in environments such as mall kiosks, farmer’s markets, craft shows, and specialty shops. The following characteristics of an APG Standard Duty Cash Drawer were implemented to meet the needs of your low traffic environment, bringing you a reliable drawer when low cost is your priority.

• Reliable, roller wheel suspension, adequate for low cash drawer use.
• Electronic components tested to last over one million cycles.
• Manual components to last 300,000 cycles.
• Two-year product warranty.­

After you select the level of drawer durability, you can move forwarded to more straight forward options such as color, size, and interface, etc. Below are a series of other questions you might want to ask yourself.

· How the drawer will be opened (from the printer, serial, USB, or Ethernet?).

· What does your software require to open the drawer?

· How much room is available for the POS equipment at the checkout counter?

· How will the flow of customers and product relate to the location of the drawer?

·Should the drawer be mounted under the counter?

· Will the drawer need to have all of the other POS devices located on top of it?

·Should the cables be hidden from view?

 

Hopefully these questions will help you narrow down what drawer will match your retail environment. Knowing the operational expectations will help determine what type of cash drawer is right for your business. Whether you need one cash drawer for infrequent use or several cash drawers that will be used continuously, there is a product solution to meet your needs.

 

Breanna Brown
Marketing Coordinator
APG Cash Drawer, LLC
www.cashdrawer.com

One Step Retail Solutions is ranked as one of the top resellers and service providers for some of the most comprehensive and state of the art retail POS software solutions in the industry. For a free retail technology consultation, click HERE.

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iPAD POS Fits this Retailers Environment Perfectly!

For more information on iPad POS, click HERE

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Pinterest for Retailers: Text for Pinned Images

Did you know that you can actually predetermine the text that will auto populate in your Pin from a website or blog? Simply highlight the text you wish to appear within the page you are pinning from, pin the image and viola! This works when you are pinning from an outside website, not rePinning.

See image below with our company website being pinned from. I selected our logo (just for this demo) and text, which you can see highlighted on the website itself. The Pinterest window then pops up and you can now see the text included.

NOTE: Hash tags (#) apply in the Pinterest environment. Add a hash tag before key words (no spaces) to increase it's searchability.

 

 

For more information on using Pinterest check out our blog How to Get Sales Through Pinterest

 

 

 

 

 

One Step Retail Solutions is ranked as one of the top resellers and service providers for some of the most comprehensive and state of the art retail POS software solutions in the industry. For a free retail technology consultation, click HERE.

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Retailers: Emergency Preparedness

About.com retail writer, Barbara Farfan listed some informed statistics in her most recent article regarding Hurricane Sandy's. The article lays how some retailers were affected and includes some projections for the coming months.  
 
One of her statements include:
"Too many - The number of retailers that will use Hurricane Sandy as an excuse for diminished performance in the last quarter of the 2012 calendar year rather than take responsibility for their own retail execution that actually created the results"
 
Thousands of retailers are dealing with destroyed inventory, damaged property and store fronts, slowed supply chain and a good chunk of the East Coast is recovering from the shift in focus from consuming goods to sheer survival...
 

A majority of the world is at least somewhat prone to their own brand of natural catastrophe. From hurricane to earthquake and from tornado to snow storm, modern technology can only do so much to warn of coming threats.

 

What are some of the things a retailer can do to minimize the damage of natural catastrophes? You know many of these things but in the end it always comes down to common sense.

1) Follow the creed of a boyscout and ALWAYS BE PREPARED
 
2) Have an emergency plan. Emergency plans can and should include a robbery or attack protocol. Drill this plan with your staff every so often. Keep that plan simple and logical.
 

3) Create an emergency fund for replacing goods, repairing damage and to cover lost profits.

 

4) Insurance, do have proper insurance for your property and goods. 

 

5) Establish an effective way to keep customers and friends up-to-date on what is going on.
Ensure you have created personal connections to your store. Examples include having an active blog, newsletter and/or social media sites. If you then need to notify them of a late shipment or delay in service due to a natural catastrophe it will be received more compassionately.  



 

Additional resources:

NRF Loss Prevention and Disaster Preparedness (National Retail Federation)
Emergency supply list for a retailers
OSHA evacuation plans and procedures

NRF Active shooter Guidelines (National Retail Federation)

 

In closing, there are no cities that are exempt from natural catastrophes. Being appropriately prepared is the best safeguard for your business.
What have you done to protect your business against catastrophe?

 

 

One Step Retail Solutions is ranked as one of the top resellers and service providers for some of the most comprehensive and state of the art retail POS software solutions in the industry. For a free retail technology consultation, click HERE.  


  

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