Using Option [4.1] Item Database (with Query), you can create a wide variety of lists of Item PLUs, including a list that includes specific PLU numbers.

Create a new Query (option [4.1]) using “Department” as the first Selection Criteria, and then press ESC. From the list of your Departments choose Produce. Press ESC to continue on to running the Query.

An Item Group is a group of any random assortment of Items. An item is not limited to being in just one group, as they are in Item Categories, making Item Groups very powerful for tracking Items for reporting and creating coupons.

A Hotlist is a list of only Items that are in stock and for sale in a department. Because only relevant Items will be listed in search results, a Hotlist provides a way for the cashier to quickly narrow down the search for an Item. The cashier only need type “=dept#=text” to get a list of dept Items that begin with text.

For example: Typing “=dept=pizza” will produce a list of all Items in the department’s (dept) Hotlist that begin with ‘pizza.’

A Hotlist can be set up as the Default Hotlist. If a Default Hotlist has been specified, the cashier only needs to type “=text” to bring up all Items beginning with text. (Note that text is not case sensitive.)

For example: Typing ‘=apple’ will produce a list of all Items in the Default Hotlist that begin with ‘apple.’

Hotlists are fully compatible with PLUs or UPCs, and can also be used to print shelf tags.

For Hotlists to be useful, department managers must maintain them assiduously. Hotlists are specified and updated using Option [10.2] Hotlists.

Import information into CoPOS easily and smoothly by using CoPOS Templates, Excel files used to facilitate maintaining data in the store database.

There are several Templates available; use them to maintain information for the store’s Items, Members, Ingredients, Allergens, Employees, and more.

Templates can be found at www.copos.com/downloads/templates.

“We want to upload Item Categories and want an automated way to do it.”

You need to use the template, “CoPOS Item Category Template” to add new Item Categories.

Yes, and not only that, you can provide the starting PLU number. For example, you want CoPOS to use the next available PLU number after 6000.

To do this go to option [4.1] Item Database (with Query)

1. [Add]
2. “.PLU” (that is type a period and the letters PLU)
3. CoPOS will now prompt for you to enter a PLU number and CoPOS will return the first unused PLU number after the PLU number you enter.

For example, if your current inventory has PLU 6000, 6001, 6003, 6004 and you type in “6000” to this prompt, CoPOS will add a new item with PLU 6002.

“Alt Code” is Alternate Code, another Item code used to refer to a particular Item. Being able to assign alternate codes to an Item allows different users the ability to refer to the same item using different UPC codes or PLU numbers.

Example: Many Items are from multiple sources, so an Item can have multiple PLU/UPC codes. Being able to assign alternate codes to an Item accommodates the different codes. A 5 lb. bag of oranges can come from 6 companies and will have multiple UPC/PLU codes. The Item, 5 lb. bag of oranges, would have 6 Alt Codes to differentiate between the UPC/PLU codes.

See KB article How to use Alt Codes for additional situations where Alt Codes are useful.

Donating to more than one organization in the same day

Currently, there is no way to designate more than one organization donation in CoPOS.

These donations are presented on the [3.1] “Sales Recap” report. Unfortunately there is only one spot for Register Donations and there are no other reports in CoPOS to see donations that might go to other organizations on that day. For these reasons, only one organization can be chosen for donations on a single day.

No, CoPOS can run a register without being connected to the CoPOS server. This allows stores to easily sell items at events, at a co-op food truck or at the plant sale outside the front door.

Yes, CoPOS can be run in Training Mode. In Training Mode, the trainee is able to access most CoPOS functionality, including printing on the Label and Receipt Printer, without affecting the main (live) Database.
The Controller, System Printer and Credit Card Interface are not available.

Several resources are available for the trainee to learn about CoPOS. Menu option [11] “Help and Resources,” and in particular, option [11.3.3] “Cashier Training” is a good place to start for a new employee. Pressing F10 at any Menu will give general help for Options in that Menu.

There is an option for automatic backup and shutdown in CoPOS. You can schedule CoPOS to back up and then shut down at a specified time every night. (CoPOS has found that the system runs better when it is shut down on a nightly basis.)

Once a backup concludes, CoPOS can send you an email notifying you if the backup was successful.

You can set up CoPOS to look for possible alternatives if a member name isn’t found. When the cashier provides a member name that can’t be found, the system will provide a list of similar member names.

For example, if the cashier types John Smith, a non-existent member name, a prompt will let the cashier know that a John Smyth was found.

To enable this functionality, set the System Constant #133=Y – Enable Spellchecker.

CoPOS has a feature that enables customers to weigh their own bulk Items and print a label, which can then be scanned at the register later, saving time at checkout.

Here’s a video that demonstrates using the kiosk to weigh and label bulk coffee.

A weigh station provides the tools for weighing a package or item and then printing a label for it.

Labels have a barcode which is scanned at the register to ensure rapid and accurate throughput of repackaged items. Here is an example of a repack label (LPQ02):

Here is an example: If you buy $20 worth of groceries you get 5% off; if you buy $50 worth of groceries you get 10% off; and if you buy $100 or more dollars worth of groceries you get 20% off.  This can all be done with one tiered coupon that gets scanned at the register and the amount off (5%, 10%, or 20%) is determined when the coupon is scanned.

Random Weight Item – an item sold by weight or in partial increments as opposed to sold by the “each” or whole numbers.

Use the SPINS category to match CoPOS Items with reports from SPINS (www.spins.com).

Logic Boxes are no longer available. CoPOS now uses CoTERMs, a
complete replacement for Logic Box Terminals. CoTERM is fully compatible with your CoPOS server and removes the past hardware limitations of Logic Boxes while also increasing speed using a unique mix of modern software and hardware. And, just like Logic Box Terminals, up to 15 CoTERMs can be connected to a single CoPOS Server simultaneously.

To upgrade to CoTERM, give us a call today! (855) 772-6767

The Training Mode database can be automatically updated each time an automatic backup is completed.

Automating the updates is set up in the CoPOS controller.