2. Understanding the Departments Main Page

By clicking "Departments" from the left panel as shown in Figure 1, the "Departments" listing page will be redirected as shown in the below figure.

                                                                                                                  Figure 2

1. You will see the list of the existing departments in the grid view.

2. Filter the department list records:
      - Dept #: This column represents the number of the department.

      - Dept. Group: This column represents the name of the department group.

      - POS Flag: This column represents the POS Flag that is assigned to the particular department.

3. Add To Sales: This column represents whether the department is enabled for product sales or not. If it is enabled, it shows a green check mark or a red cross icon.

4. Margin: This column represents the margin that applies to the products of the department.

5. Actions:

- Edit: This button helps the user modify the details of the department.

- Delete: This button helps the user remove the department.

6. Add New: This button helps the user add a new department.

3. Adding a Department

Follow the steps mentioned below to add a new department and classify the product in it:

1. Click the "Add New" button highlighted in Figure 2 to add a department.
   
2. After clicking the "Add New" button, you will be redirected to the page where you can see the 4 different tabs to configure the department. See Figure 3.1
   Details | Options | Accounts | House Accounts

                                                                                               Figure 3.1

3.1 Details Tab

You can configure the following settings from the "Details" tab:

1. Name: Enter the relevant name of the department to identify which types of products are in the department.

2. Department Group: Select the relevant group for the department. You will see the drop-down selection of the newly created department group. See Figure 3.1.1

                                                                                                     Figure 3.1.1

"Department Group" is a mandatory field that must be selected. If you want to add a new group, enter the name of the group in the edit box, and it will be added as a new Department Group.

About Department Group

Multiple departments can be assigned to a Department Group. Department Group is a top-level attribute to manage the departments. Groups will have no functions or settings, but when an admin user is utilizing the "Mass Updates" utility or generating reports, the "Department Group" is a quick way to sort out unwanted information during the filter.

-> How to assign/manage a department(s) in a Department Group is explained separately in the "Manage Department Groups" KB article.

3. Disclaimer: Select the Disclaimer from the drop-down selection. You will see the list of disclaimers in the drop-down selection that is created from "Point of Sale -> Maintenance -> Restrictions -> Disclaimer from the menu drop-down selection," as shown in Figure 3.1.2.

                                                                                                           Figure 3.1.2

The "Disclaimers" field is not mandatory, so you can keep it as "non-selected" if it is not required. The cashier can proceed further after reading the instructions (Disclaimer) and, if necessary, also showing them to the customers.

About Disclaimers

"Disclaimer" is a simple and instructive message that will be printed on a receipt. How to create a Disclaimer is explained in the "Disclaimer" KB article separately.

4. POS Description: The POS description will be displayed only when "Open Dept. Sales" occurs. The description will be visible on the POS screen during the checkout and printed on the receipt for record purposes. The POS description is entered at the department level, so you can enter the relevant POS description for the different departments.

Note:

- The products that are not added to the Pricebook Zones and do not have a proper inventory will be sold as Open Dept. Sales.

- The department that you want to add for the "Open Sales Dept." could be managed from the "POS Panel setting" on the button settings.

                                                                                                           Figure 3.1.3

5. Dept #: Enter a unique department number. It is simply a reference number that will be used to identify the department's records. You will see the department name along with the department number on the product listing page.

6. Save: You can save the details that are configured.

3.2 Options Tab

After configuring the "Details" tab, you need to configure the settings in the "Options" tab. You can configure the settings related to POS Flag, Open Dept., Orders, Sales, and others.

- Open Depart Min Amount: Enter a minimum amount for product sale. If the product's amount is lower than entered in Min Amount, the product sale will be denied during checkout.

- Open Depart Max Amount: Enter a maximum amount for product sale. If the product's amount is higher than entered in Max Amount, the product sale will be denied during checkout.

Note: This setting is also provided at the product level to override specific products and set the discount for another department.

5. Target Margin: Enter the target margin value to determine the cost of the products that are sold via the open department. Such products don't have a record in the inventory (no UPC or barcode), so this target margin will help calculate the cost of the products and calculate the margin to avoid a 100% or 0% margin. The different departments will have different target margins.

About QOH: This field is directly linked with Purchase Order details, Part Numbers, and Replenishments Purchase Order Method from the Purchase Order. This will be used to supersede reorder settings at the department level when reordering.

                                                                                                Figure 3.2.3

7. Override Order Days: Enter days of inventory orders and allow all items in the selected department to supersede order rules.

8. Override Type: For overriding order parameters, select the type from the dropdown to Override, Decrease, or Increase the set order parameters.

9. Include in Transfers: If you want to allow the transfer of any product from one store to another store belonging to this department, enable this setting.

10. Can Evaluate: This setting is not used for POS transactions or any other activities, just for internal usage i.e., Business Intelligence.

11. Add To Sales: By enabling this option, sales are totaled and included in standard sales reports. If you disable it, it will not be included in the sales reports, but it may be useful for store or company transactions but is not intended for standard daily sales reports.
Ex. If a customer reaches out to the store to redeem the Lottery Tickets of $10, a store needs to pay out on winnings to the customer. If this option is enabled, it will be included in the general sales report, which is irrelevant. So, if the department is for lottery pay-out, you can disable this option to avoid inclusion in the sales reports.

                                                                                                Figure 3.2.4

12. Allow Returns: By enabling this option, the system will allow returning the products belonging to this department. Products will not allow for returns if you disable this option.

13. Non Tax: By enabling this option, the system will specifically filter this department as a non-taxable department while generating a department sales report. When disabled, it will be considered a taxable department in the report. 

14. Is Lottery: Enable this option if you want to make a separate lottery department. If this option is disabled, this department will be considered a General Department.

15. Allow Sales for $0: Some of the items might be sold at a $0 retail price, but they are needed to manage and track the inventory. You can see the "Global" option is selected by default. But, by clicking the drop-down option, you can enable the "Custom" option. By enabling "Custom," you allow the cashier to sell the items with a price of 0 that belong to this department.

Note:

"Allow Sales for $0" is the exceptional (override) option to sell such items for $0. You can find the "Allow Sale of Item If Price is 0.00" setup in "Register Settings" (POS Device Global Settings). If you have disabled it in "Register Settings," you can override item sales for $0 at the department level. Similarly, if you have enabled it for all (Global Settings), you can restrict the item sales to $0 at the department level by selecting the "Custom" option. 

16. Save: You can save the settings that are configured.

3.3 Accounts

After configuring the "Options" tab, you need to enter the different types of account numbers applicable to each department. The following codes are utilized for account exports:

1. Sales Account | COGS Account | INV AP Account | Returns Account | Shrink Account | Adjustments Account | Excise Account

- Sales Account: Enter the account number for the sale. The sales transactions from this department will be synchronized with the sales accounting system.

- COGS Account: Enter the account number for Cost of Goods Sold (COGS). The costs of the products sold from this department will be synched with the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) accounting system.

- INV AP Account: Enter the Invoice Accounts Payable (INV AP) account number. The invoices with pending payments in this department will be synched with the Invoice Accounts Payable (INV AP) accounting system.

- Returns Account: Enter the account number for product returns. The returned products associated with this department will be synched with the returns accounting system. Returns may be from a company or a customer.

                                                                                                Figure 3.3.1

- Shrink Account: Enter the Shrink Account number. The stock discrepancies that occurred in this department, will be synchronized with your shrink accounting system.

- Adjustment Account: Enter the account number for the Adjustment of incoming and outgoing money. The adjusting entries of incoming and outgoing money in this department will be synchronized with the adjustment accounting system.

- Excise Account: Enter the account number for the Excise taxes. The excise taxes applied to products of this department will be synched with the excise accounting system.

2. Save: You can save the details that are configured.

3.4 House Accounts

After configuring the "Accounts" tab, you need to manage the discount levels for House Accounts from the "House Accounts" tab.

By clicking the House Accounts tab, you will see the list of discount level records with "Discount Percentage (%)," where you need to set the discount values to manage the discounts of house accounts at the department level.

Note: If you have created the "House Account Discount Level" records from Point Of Sale -> House Accounts -> House Account Discount Level, only then will the records of discount levels be listed here.

                                                                                                Figure 3.4.1

Buttons: Once the department details are configured, save the department. See Figure 3.4.1 above

1. Save & Close: Click on this button if you want to save the Department details and close them. 
   
2. Save & New: Click on this button if you want to save the Department details but also want to add a new department.
   
3. Save: Click on this button if you want to stay on the Department details page after saving it.
   
4. Cancel: The department will not be added (saved) and you will be redirected to the Departments listing page.

Once you save a new department, it will be listed on the Departments listing page.

                                                                                                Figure 3.2

4. Assigning a Department to Products

After creating a department, you need to assign it to the products to apply the rates, age restrictions, discounts, sales and order-related options, and other rules to the products.

Follow the steps below to assign a department to the product:

1. Navigate to any product details where you will see the "Department" drop-down field separately.
   
2. The list of departments will appear in the list after clicking the drop-down. 
   
3. Select the required department for the product.

                                                                                                     Figure 4.1

In this way, you can assign the department to the product, and automatically the tax rates, POS Flag (age restriction, excise tax), sales and order-related options, discounts, etc., at the department level will be applied to that product.

Adding a New Department from Product

There is a quick way to add a department from the product details page. So, you can easily create a department by setting up its option from the product details page rather than navigating to the department.

                                                                                                     Figure 4.2

You will get the "Add" button beside the drop-down box. By clicking it, you will see a popup to add a new department with the same setup and options as adding departments from the Department menu individually.

5. Editing and Deleting Departments

Editing Departments

1. To edit the departments, click the "Modify" button that is highlighted, or simply click on the department name from the list.

                                                                                                           Figure 5.1

1. In both cases, you will be redirected to the department details page.
   

                                                                                                     Figure 5.2

You will see the existing department details and setups for different tabs. You can change the details and configurations as needed. You will have an additional "Delete" button on the editing page of the department.

1. Delete: By clicking the "Delete" button, you can delete the department record, and it will be removed from the system. If you click, a warning message will pop up on the screen to confirm the deletion.

3. Buttons: Once the details are modified, save the department details. (The Save button explanations will be similar to “Adding Departments.") 

Deleting Departments

Follow the steps mentioned below to delete the department:

1. Click on the "Remove" button from the listing page of the departments to delete it. You can delete the department record from its editing page as well. You will see the "Delete" button on the top-right side See Figure 5.3
   

1. In both cases, a warning pop-up will ask you to confirm the deletion.
   

Deleting an Assigned Department

Note:
If you want to delete any department, you must move and organize all the products to another department; only after that can you delete the department. You can change the assignment of the department to the products using the "Mass Update" functionality.