Microsoft Releases Dynamics POS 2009 for Retailers--Analysts See Major Significance

Microsoft has released Microsoft Dynamics POS 2009 targeted to help medium-size retail businesses increase productivity and improve customer service .

According to Microsoft, POS 2009 features an intuitive and highly customizable user interface that gives all employees access to critical information such as inventory levels and purchase history. The software, which features a touch screen, also allows retailers to create custom buttons.

POS 2009 can run as a standalone solution or connect to backend headquarter systems (such as Dynamics ERP so Dynamics GP, NAV and third party systems) through partners leveraging the SDK (software development kit).

POS 209 offers new features including:

• Smart search: This feature lets employees and managers search databases to quickly retrieve pertinent information.
• Security-enhanced payment processing. This helps protect cardholder information and cuts down on fraud by supporting the Payment Card Industry's (PCI) security standards and guidelines.
• Software development kit (SDK). This feature lets partners develop add-on products such as multi-channel and mobility capabilities.
• Real-time inventory management and flexible reporting tools. This feature allows integration with Microsoft SQL Services and Microsoft Office, to help retailers make more informed decisions

Sarah Frustenburg, owner of Clover Toys in Seattle, who has been using the POS product for three years, said she will be using the software's new features.

"We're a small retail store and when we opened, we were just using an electronic cash register and we really weren't using anything to manage our inventory," she said. "As our business grew and our inventory became a little more unmanageable, the electronic cash register was limited in its functions. So we use POS to track sales, including what our regular customers are buying. We can really get detailed reports on how ...