PoS Testing: Components, Testing Approach, And Challenges

PoS(Point of Sale) systems are designed to feed on all the data from sales, inventory, and customers to create a more streamlined flow for service distribution. POS software application eases the task of financial transactions along with other business operations in the field of hospitality, and retail. With POS, you can ditch the manual methods, cash register, Excel for bookkeeping.   

And since, these systems run as enterprise solutions or dedicated software technology, it becomes necessary to foster software testing services within the process. To define, Point-of-Sale software testing is a process where PoS application or system is evaluated to check if it has an acceptable level of quality in all the domains and is executing its operations without a breakdown. 

Since POS or Point of Sale software is crucial to carry out retail transactions effortlessly from anywhere, testing a PoS application require a thorough understanding of the little operations and complexities. Especially, when PoS systems are mostly integrated with technologies managing supply chain, merchandise planning, purchase order management, warehousing, etc. It becomes necessary to understand the domain from inside out.  

With that being said, let us quickly walk through all the details of PoS testing as a part of retail testing services, by beginning with the components of the system, the architecture, key considerations to PoS testing, and other details surrounding PoS testing solutions.  

What is POS Testing?

In Point of sale software testing, generally PoS application or system is evaluated to check if it has an acceptable level of quality in all the domains and is executing its operations without a breakdown.

Components Of PoS System 

PoS (Point of Sale) is a combination of hardware and software which brings the merchant’s ecosystem together. When a customer makes a payment for the products or services he purchased, he is completing a PoS transaction.  

POS software application eases the task of financial transactions along with other business operations in the field of hospitality, and retail. With POS, you can ditch the manual methods, cash register, Excel for bookkeeping. 

• Software Components Of PoS System 

POS system consists of software as well as hardware components, which makes the daily operations of your business smoother and faster. There is On-Premise PoS and Cloud PoS. 

In On-Premises PoS, the buyer purchases the license and installs the software on the computer system. Buyer is responsible for updating and maintaining the software; the maintenance part may require dedicated IT personnel. On-Premises POS requires upfront hardware purchase, which may prove to be a costly affair. 

On the other hand, in cloud POS, the buyer can access the software on any device, provided there is an internet connection. The software updates are pushed to POS. One or two individuals can manage POS. Cloud POS has a lower upfront cost. 

• Hardware Components Of POS System 

Now, let’s talk about the hardware components of a POS system. Point of sale testing responsibilities include taking care of hardware components as well. Below are the things required to get your POS running. 

1. Monitor or Tablet: You will be able to see the product database and other important functions, such as sales reports, employee clock-in, etc. 

2. Barcode Scanner: Barcode scanner automates the checkout process. By scanning the barcode, the product information is pulled and added to the checkout total. 

3. Credit Card Reader: EMV compliant credit card readers are a necessity as they are secure. EMV chips are more secure than the magnetic stripe. They encrypt the bank information, hence are more secure. 

4. Printer: You need to provide the customer with the receipt, and for that, you need to have a printer. Text and email receipts are gaining popularity, but cash receipts are preferred by customers. 

5. Cash Drawer: Cash may fade away in years to come, but it is still used widely. That’s why it is important for you to keep a cash drawer to place the amount of the transaction securely. 

The Testing Architecture of a POS System

Three components of a POS system that are evaluated while assuring its quality:

•   POS Terminal

•   Local Server

•   Enterprise Server

POS Terminal

Various performance aspects and functionalities are checked in POS terminal testing, such as barcode reader, printer, scanner, check reader, etc. along with other performance attributes.

Local/Store Server

Local/store server has important data related to business, transactions, and POS terminal, and it is internally as well as externally linked to enterprise-level server. It requires security testing, business intelligence and analytics testing, interface testing, and recovery testing.

Enterprise Server

Enterprise server requires the same testing as local/store server.

How To Do PoS Testing: The Key Considerations

• Connected Devices

It is important to take connected devices into consideration while performing POS system testing. Peripheral devices such as barcode scanner may cause issues that must be considered by the QA team.

• Positive and Negative Scenarios

The test cases should cover positive as well as negative scenarios to prevent any issues at the customer end. Scenarios such as expired card, invalid pin etc. should be considered by the QA team.

• PCI Compliance

The base of any POS payment is electronic payment. The QA team should ensure the POS system is meeting the globally accepted security standards to protect the data of the cardholders.

Besides, to ensure high-quality POS solution, the following things must be considered: 

• The Activities Of the Cashier

The QA engineer should check

1. The correctness of the entry of items purchased
2. The total of the items purchased
3. The validity of gift cards and discount coupons

• Sales

Retail software testing is crucial for businesses. The things that should be kept in mind while testing are sales with debit or credit card, management of exchange and return, prices, quantities.

• Data of loyalty members

Point of sale test data is one of the crucial factors that should be checked properly. The system should be able to track the loyalty customers, how often they make purchases, and what type of purchases they make.

• System Performance

As a component of PoS performance testing, the system needs to be measured for finding how much time it takes to send a request and get a response within the applyied transaction rules.

• Smart

The system should have a smart ability to read various types of cards.

POS Testing: Test Case Scenarios

In this section, we are going to make you aware of POS test cases.

There are POS testing scenarios that must be considered, such as:

• Validating the encryption as well as decryption of the card details
• Processing financial transactions with and without the printing receipts
• Time taken to process and respond to a query
• Examining card details (credit and debit) and transaction information

PoS Testing: Challenges And Solutions

Point of sale system testing can be performed manually as well as with the help of automated POS testing tools; since quality evaluation of POS system ensures that it is working as expected. However, PoS software testing at times could turn to be an extremely daunting task. It can be the extensive integrations or inability of testers to establish the right test strategy that might cause the delay.  

There are unique challenges and solutions in manual POS terminal testing; some of the challenges are described below: 

• Multiple Configurations

Multiple configurations require an enormous amount of time and efforts for manually preparing and executing the test cases. To avoid any problem at the customer end, both valid, as well as invalid scenarios, are covered.

• Complex Interfaces

As there are a number of internal and external connections, the system inherits a vast amount of complexities.

• Upgrades

There are always new advancements in technology; the advancements are happening too fast. Therefore, it is important to upgrade the software.

• Peripheral Issues

There could be issues with the peripheral devices connected to the POS terminal.

• PCI compliance

It is a must for organizations to adhere to PCI compliance. Security should never be compromised.

Learn How We Enabled A Web & Mobile Based PoS System Thrive? 

Check Case Study 

PoS Test Automation

Point of sale test automation saves time and efforts required in testing. There are multiple devices in stores such as mobile self-checkout solutions; with these solutions, customers can complete their purchase quickly through mobile phones. POS software/application  runs on different types of the operating system. Toshiba runs on its own custom-built operating system, NCR runs on Windows. Companies choose automation testing tools that can run on these operating systems.

Concluding It All... 

Implementing the POS system for the first time can be overwhelming. You should make a list of features that are necessary for you. It is also advisable to talk to your fellow business owners who are working with a POS system.  

While looking for solutions, make sure vendors cover the points that are essential for your business. In a POS component system, vitality and agility are of utmost importance. While choosing the solution, consider data security, quality of customer service, and ease of use. 

All in all, it is a necessity to go for a POS system when you need any online or offline business to succeed. Stats show that retail stores and hospitality businesses are investing in POS systems to provide a smooth experience to customers. However, Retail POS systems must undergo strict testing so that customers can complete their purchase without any issue. 

If you too are looking for some expert assistance on anything like testing your existing PoS system or establishing a PoS Test Automation strategy, our experts at BugRaptors could help you with everything you need to prosper.  

For more information, contact us today!