Centralized Management of Retail Operations
Availability of complete data regarding sales and stocks, at a centralized location, is essential for accurate and timely business decisions. Sales and stocks information from different retail outlets is made available at the head office. Similarly, stocks information of all warehouses is available at the head office.
- Sa Soft provides centralized data into one single, unified source
- Data from all warehouses and retail outlets is available at head office
- Centralized data helps in good decision making within the retail enterprise
One Step Data Transfer from Shops and Warehouses
Information transfer from shops and warehouses should be very simple,reliable, and one step process. This activity is to be done by salesmen and store in-charge, therefore, it should be very easy to perform. Sa Soft makes this operation extremely simple and does not involve any one from head office. Salesmen can transfer the data to the head office with a click of a button.
- Single-click Bi-directional data transfer from retail outlets and warehouses
- Extremely simple and efficient operation
- No head office involvement is required during data transfer
- Data transfer can be done over a phone connection (phone to phone)
- Data transfer can be done over the internet connection (dial up or DSL connection)
Easy setup and flexible system configuration
Sa Soft retail management system is very easy to install, operate and carry out business analysis. There are different configuration options which can be set to adapt the software to different business requirements.
- Sa Soft RMS Store Operations installs and sets up easily. System users can learn point-of-sale (POS) functions in quickly and easily
- Configure POS screen functions to suit your business needs
- Customize receipts and select and price barcode labels from given templates
- Can have differet invoice patterns for different shops
- Setup the product code as per business requirements. Select the number of digits, numeric or non numeric, assortments or standard configuration
- User-defined fields for product information – for example product category, calendar season, product group, product packaging type
- Add protection for every menu item and user input button (view, save, update, delete, print, export) based on easy to configure security available
- System configuration option is available to the head office users and configuration for different shops can be managed centrally
Flexible Products and Product Code Definition
Sa Soft provides options to define products and their attributes based on user preferences. A large number of user defined attributes can be assigned to products. Attributes can be hierarchical and linear. These product attributes are used to get reports for sales, order point, audit, and stocks.
- Flexible SKU definition is available in Sa Soft. User defined attributes can be attached to product codes
- Flexible Code Length – 3 to 15 Characters
- Product Code can be Numeric or Alpha-numeric
- Same style code with different sizes and colors (assortment version)
- Product prices can be different for different colors and Sizes (assortment configuration)
- Product pictures can be attached and are available while making invoices
- All products are only defined at the head office and information is transferred to all shops and warehouses automatically
Complete Bar Code Enabled Software
Sa Soft uses a barcode reader to record purchases, enter sales and movement of products. However manual entry is also possible. This ensures the integrity of data and reduces the chances of manual errors.
- Facility of bar code generation from system. Barcodes can be generated for entered GRN
- Bar code style can be selected from the available templates
- Sales and returns through bar codes
- Physical audits through bar codes
- Stock dispatches and receipts through bar codes
- Support of Hand Held Scanners (data collectors) through out system
- Barcodes can also be printed at the warehouses outside the head office
Invoice Generation and Point of Sale (POS)
Sa Soft has an integrated point of sale terminal which facilitates all the operations to be performed by sales staff at retail outlets. Point of sales is very easy to use and can be operated by salesmen with minimum training effort.
- Sa Soft generates invoices for sales to customers. Shop staff can be restricted to change and view only limited number of previous sales invoices
- The system handles the customer sales and returns using same screen
- Multiple point of sales terminals can be used at any retail outlet
- During clearance sales, the discounts are calculated by the system and invoice is generated accordingly
Daily Accounts Closing and Cash Reconciliation
Sa Soft allows to install more than one POS terminal at shops. Cash reconciliation is done daily at close of business transactions. Sa Soft helps to reconcile cash for the entire shop and also for each of the terminals.
- Cash reconciliation checks cash sales, daily expenses, customer receipts, and vendor payments
- Daily reconciliation report is generated by the system
- System generates reconciliation for each point of sales (POS) installed. Also system keeps record of different shifts separately
- After accounts closing, shop staff cannot change the accounting entries
Product Search Facility at Shop POS
Sometimes a customer asks for a product which is currently not available at the store. This can result in customer dissatisfaction and missed sales. Sa Soft enables the shop staff to look for product availability at other stores and warehouses.
- Cash reconciliation checks cash sales, daily expenses, customer receipts, and vendor payments
- Daily reconciliation report is generated by the system
- System generates reconciliation for each point of sales (POS) installed. Also system keeps record of different shifts separately
- After accounts closing, shop staff cannot change the accounting entries
Product Pricing and Discount Management
Sa Soft provides a powerful discount management module to manage product pricing, promotions and product discounts. These discounts are automatically applied while making invoices. All discounts and price changes are carried out at the head office. This information is automatically transferred to all shops and warehouses.
- Discounts can be applied to selected or all products
- Discount can be configured for selected or all retail outlets
- Discounts can be percentage discounts, flat discounts, fixed price discounts, invoice value discounts, quantity discounts
- Discounts are applied only during a given date range. These discounts can be fed into the system well in advance
- Discounts can also be configured for certain days of the week. For example, Tuesday and Thursday. On other days discounts will not be applied
- Discounts can also be configured for certain clock time. For example, from 3PM to 5PM. Discounts will be applied only for these two hours
Inventory and purchase Management
In any retail business the key to success is to maintain a sales-to-stock ratio as high as possible. This means that we should be able to generate maximum sales with minimum stock. Inventory management enables the business to obtain a high service level with minimum stock-out (missed sales) cost.
- Three re-order levels can be defined for every SKU. This helps in managing the minimum stock level, optimal level, and maximum stock level
- Re-order level for every stock item (SKU) can be defined. These re-order levels for SKU can be different for different shops
- Analysis of slow moving and fast moving products can be easily done
- Order point analysis can be done to check stock items above maximum levels and below minimum levels
- Automated adjustment of Re-order levels can be done according to sales history
- Important inventory analysis like inventory turns, sales to stock ratio, return on inventory investment (ROII) can be performed
- Data presentation and entry in matrix format (assortment configuration) for entry of production, purchase order, goods receipt note (GRN), purchase return, inventory reorder levels and inventory reports
- Automatically calculate inventory replenishment based on reorder point/restock level or quantity sold
- Define master pack quantity for ordering and GRN. Inventory is automatically adjusted to basic stock unit
- Change item retail prices during purchase (configuration dependent) and entry of GRN
- Manage the cost price of inventory items as weighted average. Facility is available to bypass weighted cost price and manage cost price as per requirements
- Block products from being moved or transferred to selected shops or warehouses
Automated Stock Refilling at Retail Outlets
One of the core strengths of Sa Soft retail management system lies in the automated stock distribution ability. Sa Soft enables the users to transfer the stocks to the retail outlets automatically. The system calculates the sales, current stocks at retail outlets, reorder levels of inventory items, and available stocks at the warehouses, and stock replenishment priority of the retail shops. Based on this information, the system generates stock transfer orders for all retail outlets.
- Manually it is not possible to calculate which inventory items is required, at what time, and in which quantities. Sa Soft calculates the required quantities automatically according to inventory re-order levels and other factors
- Stocks are optimized across retail outlets based on shop priorities
- Excess Inventory stock outs based on inventory levels and season-end stock outs
- All stock transfers take care of in-transit stocks and thus help avoid transfer of extra stocks at shops
Stock Movement and Inventory Control
Sa Soft retail management system efficiently manages the movement of inventory between different retail outlets and warehouses. All movement of stock is carried out through head office stock transfer orders. Head office can make a stock movement order asking location A to transfer some inventory items to location B. The ordered, dispatched, and received quantities may be different and this diffence is easily resolved through the system.
- system keeps track of the inventory and stocks which are in-transit i.e. which are dispatched from one location but are not received by the other location
- System handels the difference between dispatched and received quantities. Inventories at the dispatch stores are adjusted automatically
- Stock movement from location A to location B can easily be redirected to location C
Centralized Messaging System
For a retail chain operation, all policies and instructions should be sent to all retail outlets. Because of geographical distance and different operating
hours, the communication becomes very essential. Sa Soft enables the business to carry out internal messaging along with history.
hours, the communication becomes very essential. Sa Soft enables the business to carry out internal messaging along with history.
- A tool to communicate the policies and decisions of head office
- Two-way messaging between retail outlets (warehouses) and Head-office
- All communication is logged and available for future use
- System alert about unread messages at the login time
Customer Loyalty Program - Member Club
Sa Soft RMS enables the user to manage member club. It allows the user to print bar-code enabled membership cards. Complete track of member purchases and buying pattern is maintained. Member communication is facilitated through system generated labels and letters.
- Ability to generate loyalty cards
- Make promotion schemes and setting up of different discounts for members
- Communicate with members and send information through letters
- Analyze member sales and design member based promotions
Franchise Shops Management
Sa Soft enables the management to configure the retail outlets as company owned or franchised. For Franchised shops, the profit and discount sharing ratios can be defined. Franchisee account management becomes effortless and complete history is maintained. Detailed reports about operation of franchised shops are also available
- Gross Revenue sharing ratio between owner and Franchisee
- Discount sharing ratio between owner and Franchisee
- Sharing of expenses between owner and Franchisee
- Sharing ratio for Member club discounts
Supplier Management and payable tracking
Sa Soft RMS has an integrated supplier module. This enables the users to manage the suppliers and their accounts and balance receivable against the issued POs.
- Maintain supplier ledgers and have complete history of transactions
- Generate Purchase Orders from System
- Create GRN (goods receipt notes) against the issued PO
- Tracking of balance receivable goods against POs
- Analyze GRN with respect to cost value and billing value
- Handle sales tax and discounts while making GRN
- Printing of Product pictures on Purchase Orders (optional)
Physical Inventory and Stock Takes
Sa Soft RMS stores the result of physical inventory checks, and reports any discrepancies. It is possible to perform inventory check manually and enter the results or to carry out this action through bar code reader. Complete history of stock takes is maintained.
- Sa Soft allows to carryout physical audit of every "Rack" or "Cabinet" separately
- Sa Soft makes it very easy to feed the physical audit data
- It is not mandatory to freeze the operations, until physical audit is finalized and approved
- The system allows the users to reverse the implementation of physical audits
- Hand held scanner (data collector) can be used for physical audits
- Physical audits can be carried out during the day along with sales and returns
Reverse Logistics – Goods Returned by Customers in Claims
Effective customer service should be provided to maintain a long-term relationship with the customer. Defective product claims are usually processed through headoffice approval and involvementIf to maintain central control over the operations. At the same time claims should be handled quickly. This will keep the customer happy and business relationship will becomes stronger. Sa Soft retail management system provides complete workflow to resolve the customer claims through head office approval.
- Ability to handle the customer complaints
- Approval of claims from the head office
- Tracking the status of in-process customer claims
- Complete workflow is implemented
Pilferage Control at Retail Outlets and Warehouses
If the owner of a business is not always sitting at a retail outlet, pilferage control becomes a challenge. Sa Soft enables the management to track the movement of goods at different retail outlets. Reconciliation between head office and retail outlets is done by the system and differences, if any, are tracked within seconds.
- Product audit to check the entire movement of stocks
- Re-conciliation capability to compare the head office and retail outlet data
- Daily movement and in-transit stocks tracking
- Analysis of wastage trends over a period of time
User Access Security Management
Sa Soft retail management system is secure and only authorized users can operate the system. There is a user access management system which allows access to the users to only those areas for which permission is granted to them. For example, a salesman may not be given the rights to inventory management section. Also, all the actions being performed by a user are logged and record is kept for any future use.
- The administrator of the system can define system users. Only these users can use the software
- The administrator can make different user groups and assign different privileges to those groups. All users who are made part of a group will have the privileges associated with that user group
- The system has a logging mechanism. All the actions performed by the user, and can be viewed and analyzed when required
Comprehensive Reports for Business Analysis
Sa Soft provides a variety of reports to analyze sales, stocks, inventory movement etc. For all the reports a flexible criteria can be given by the user. Reports can be exported to excel or comma separated files for further analysis. Reports are divided into the following categories:
- Sales Reports Stocks Reports
- Audit Reports
- Movement Reports
- Purchase Reports
- Product Reports
- Accounts Reports
- Member Reports
- Miscellaneous Reports
Integration with accounting software Sa Soft Lightwave (General Ledger)
Sa Soft RMS manages the basic accounts in the system. This includes customer ledgers, supplier ledgers, daily expenses at outlets, cash management at the outlets. However financial reporting like profit & loss, trail balance, balance sheet are not available. Sa Soft can be integrated with the excellent accounting software Sa Soft Lightwave (General Ledger) to have end to end financial management. Data from all retail outlets are consolidated in the general ledger at close of business on daily basis
