Poster POS

Discovery and scoping (1–2 weeks)

• Identify business needs: outlets, devices, payment methods, inventory structure, staff roles, reporting requirements.

• Decide required modules: POS, Online Ordering, Kitchen Display, Inventory, Analytics, Loyalty, CRM, Employee Scheduling.

• Data assessment: what existing data will be migrated (products, categories, customers, suppliers, stock levels).

Account setup and onboarding (0.5–1 week)

• Create Poster account, assign roles, set permissions.

• Connect hardware (tablets/terminals, receipt printers, barcode scanners, cash drawers, printers for kitchen/display screens).

• Configure payment providers (card processors, Apple Pay/Google Pay, gift cards if applicable).

System configuration (1–2 weeks, can run concurrent with onboarding)

• Product catalog: categories, SKUs, pricing, taxes, discounts, modifiers.

• Store layout: outlets/locations, register assignments, floor plan mapping (if multi-site).

• Workflows: order flow (in-store, curbside, online order pickup/delivery), kitchen ticket routing, back-office processes.

• Roles and permissions: staff, managers, admins; limit sensitive actions.

• Tax, tip, and currency settings per region.

• Loyalty programs, discounts, promotions, and price rules.

Data migration (0.5–2 weeks, depending on data volume)

• Import products, customers, suppliers, inventory levels, historical transactions (if available).

• Data cleansing: deduplication, standardization (e.g., product naming, SKUs).

Product and menu customization

• Flexible product hierarchy: departments, categories, subcategories; modifiers and option sets (e.g., add-ons, sizes, customization).

• Pricing rules by location, time, or customer group; volume discounts and promos.

• SKU customization and barcode configurations.

Store and multi-location configuration

• Separate tax rules, currency settings, and price lists per location.

• Shared vs. location-specific inventory and vendors.

• Employee roles per location with location-scoped permissions.

Workflows and processes

• Custom order routing: dine-in, takeout, delivery, curbside; kitchen display integration; printing templates per station.

• Loyalty and CRM customization: tiered programs, points rules, birthday rewards, targeted promotions.

• Discount rules and approval workflows for managers.

Subscriptions

• Monthly per-location or per-user license fees.

• Base plan vs. higher-tier plans with additional features (inventory, online ordering, loyalty, analytics, etc.).

• Possible tier differences for cloud features (reporting depth, API access, multi-location capabilities).

Hardware

• One-time purchase or rental of devices (tablets, receipt printers, barcode scanners, cash drawers, kitchen display screens).

• Any mandatory or recommended hardware bundles from Poster partners.

Setup and migration

• Professional services for data migration, initial configuration, and integration setup.

• Data cleansing and migration fees, if offered as a paid service.

Training

• On-site or remote training sessions; sometimes included, sometimes billed as a separate line item.

Add-ons and integrations

• Online ordering module, loyalty program, advanced inventory, kitchen display system (KDS), find-and-settlement integrations.

• Third-party integrations (accounting, eCommerce platforms) may have separate costs or usage-based fees.

Maintenance and support

• Ongoing support plans (standard vs. premium) with defined SLAs, response times, and scope (phone, chat, email).

• Software updates and feature releases typically included in the subscription, but premium support or dedicated account management may incur extra fees.

Transaction costs (if applicable)

• Payment processing fees charged by the processor (not directly a Poster fee, but a cost to consider in total cost of ownership).

Structure of training

• Admin/manager training: covers system configuration, reporting, inventory, reconciliations, user management, security roles, and multi-location setup.

• Staff training: hands-on with point-of-sale operations, order flow (in-store, takeout, delivery), payments, refunds/voids, discounts, and basic troubleshooting.

• Role-based training: tailored modules for cashiers, shift leads, kitchen staff (if using KDS), and managers.

Delivery methods

• Online (self-paced) training modules and video tutorials.

• Live virtual training sessions with an instructor.

• On-site training options (vendor or partner-led) for hands-on rollout.

• Knowledge base and in-app help center with step-by-step guides, FAQs, and best practices.

Training content coverage

• POS operation: sales flow, tickets, payments, refunds, split tenders.

• Menu configuration: categories, modifiers, pricing, promotions.

• Inventory and vendors: stock updates, cycle counts, low-stock alerts.

• Reporting: how to run standard and custom reports, dashboards, exporting data.

• Security and compliance: user roles, permissions, data handling practices.

• Troubleshooting: common issues, reboot sequences, where to get help.

Training duration

• Typical durations range from a few hours for basic onboarding to multi-day sessions for larger teams or complex setups.

Training materials and follow-up

• Quick-start guides, cheat sheets for common tasks, and access to a recorded training library.

• Post-training check-ins and refresher sessions as needed during go-live and beyond.

Data encryption and secure transmission

• Data encryption in transit (TLS) for all communications between devices, apps, and Poster servers.

• Encryption at rest for stored data where applicable.

Access control and authentication

• Role-based access control (RBAC) to restrict actions by user role.

• Secure login options (strong passwords, and depending on region, optional two-factor authentication).

• Audit trails logging user activity (logins, changes to pricing, inventory, permissions, etc.).

Payment security

• PCI considerations: Poster typically tokenizes payment data and interfaces with compliant payment processors; PCI scope is reduced by not storing raw card data on Poster systems.

• Compliance alignment with PCI DSS requirements via processor integrations and best practices.

Data privacy and retention

• Data retention policies configurable per region and legal requirements.

• Access controls and monitoring to detect unusual or unauthorized activity.

Infrastructure security

• Cloud-hosted environment with standard security practices (firewalls, intrusion detection, regular security patches).

• Regular security assessments and updates as part of maintenance.

Incident response

• Defined procedures for security incidents, including notification timelines and remediation steps.

Compliance considerations

• Compliance features and configurations tailored to regional requirements (e.g., data residency options if available, GDPR/CCPA alignments where applicable).

Update cadence

• Poster typically releases regular platform updates—ranging from monthly to quarterly—covering bug fixes, security patches, and feature enhancements.

• Major feature releases may occur periodically, with release notes outlining new capabilities and impact.

How updates are delivered

• Cloud-based updates: most changes are applied server-side, requiring minimal or no action from users.

• Client-side components (POS app, mobile app, or drivers) may receive push updates or require manual updates, depending on device and platform.

Change management and communication

• Release notes are usually provided to customers, detailing new features, deprecations, and any configuration changes required.

• Optional early access or beta programs for select customers to trial features before general release.

Training and adoption for update

• When significant features are introduced, Poster may offer updated training materials, webinars, and updated documentation.

• In go-live planning, you can schedule windows to implement substantive updates with minimal disruption.

Compatibility and deprecation

• Poster typically provides advance notice on deprecations or breaking changes and offers migration guidance or timelines to minimize impact.

Data ownership

• In general, you (the customer) own the data you input into Poster POS, including product catalogs, customer records, sales data, and inventory data.

• Poster typically acts as a data processor/host, storing and processing your data to provide the service, with obligations to protect and securely handle it.

Data access and extractio

• Customers should have access to their own data via exports (e.g., CSV, Excel, or API-born data) and standard reporting tools.

• Bulk data export options for products, customers, orders, inventory, reports, and other relevant records are commonly offered.

Data portability

• Standard export formats (CSV/Excel) for key data sets.

• API access or API-based data exports may be available for ongoing integrations and data syncing.

• Data retention during/after cancellation: typical policies outline how long Poster retains data after contract termination and how customers can retrieve data before/after cancellation.

Data retention and deletion

• Poster should specify retention periods (e.g., data retained for a defined period post-cancellation for record-keeping and compliance) and the process for secure deletion on request or after retention window.

• Deletion requests may be governed by regional data privacy laws (e.g., GDPR-like rights) and Poster’s data processing agreement (DPA).

Data jurisdiction and privacy

• Data residency options might be available in some regions, with data stored in specific data centers.

• DPAs or data processing addenda should outline roles, sub-processors, and geographic transfers, plus security and breach notification commitments.

Scaling up (growth)

• Typically involves upgrading plan tiers, adding locations, more user accounts, additional hardware, and expanded modules (inventory, online ordering, loyalty, etc.).

• Pricing adjustments are usually proportional to added locations/users/features.

• Onboarding support and project management may be scaled up to handle data migration, multi-location rollout, and additional integrations.

Scaling down (downsize)

• Reduction can mean removing locations, reducing active users, or downgrading feature sets.

• There may be minimum-term considerations or notice requirements before downsizing.

• Some contracts may require a notice period (e.g., 30–90 days) before changes take effect to assess billing and data handling implications.

Flexibility and termination options

• Month-to-month vs. multi-month term options can affect how easily you scale.

• Pause or temporary suspensions of services can be offered in some plans, often with limitations on data retention and access.

Data and migration implications

• When scaling down, ensure you have data exports for legacy data and understand how long you retain access to historical records.

• When scaling up, confirm data migration timelines, onboarding windows, and any staged rollout plans to avoid business disruption.

Renewal model

• Most Poster contracts are subscription-based with auto-renewal unless canceled within a specified notice period.

• Renewal pricing can be fixed for a term or subject to increases based on plan changes, location additions, or market adjustments.

Renewal notice and termination windows

• Typical notice periods before renewal or price changes: 30–90 days.

• Early renewal pricing discussions may be offered before the end of the current term

Cancellation process

• Usually requires written notice (email or portal submission) within the designated cancellation window.

• Termination may be effective at the end of the current term; some plans allow immediate termination with potential early termination fees or refunds depending on the contract.

Data handling on cancellation

• Post-cancellation data access: customers should have continued access to their data for a grace period if defined (e.g., 30 days) to export data.

• Final data export: ensure you obtain a complete data export before termination, including products, customers, transactions, and inventory.

Fees and refunds

• No-penalty refunds for unused months may be offered in some cases; otherwise, refunds are typically not provided for partial terms.

• Early termination fees are possible in some enterprise arrangements or if service-level commitments were breached.

SLA and support during renewal

• Support levels and SLAs during renewal term should be clarified, including any changes in response times or coverage.

General data protection and privacy

• Poster may offer or require a data processing agreement (DPA) aligning with regional privacy laws (e.g., GDPR-like frameworks, CCPA/CPRA in applicable regions).

• Data minimization, access controls, encryption, and breach notification obligations typically included in DPAs.

Security standards

• Data in transit and at rest encryption (TLS for transmissions; encryption-at-rest where applicable).

• Access control with role-based access control (RBAC), MFA options where available, and audit logging.

• Regular security patches, vulnerability management, and incident response procedures.

Payment and PCI considerations

• Cardholder data handling is typically tokenized or processed through PCI-compliant processors; Poster does not store raw card data on systems that fall under PCI scope.

• PCI DSS scope is reduced by using compliant processors and tokenization; ensure your merchant agreement with your processor remains compliant.

Data sovereignty and cross-border transfers

• If data residency options exist, these should be detailed in the DPA and region-specific terms.

• Cross-border data transfers should be described, including any standard contractual clauses (SCCs) or other legal mechanisms if data moves outside the region.