1. Tax Rates: The raw values that will be used to calculate taxes, and these rates will be location-specific.
   
2. Tax Groups: Tax rates will be added to the tax group. Whatever tax rates (single or multiple) are to be applied to the items sold, they are assigned to the tax group.
   
3. POS Flags: The tax group, age restrictions, and excise tax must be assigned to the POS flag. It is possible that one tax group could be assigned to multiple POS Flags.
   
4. Department: The POS Flag will be assigned to the department so that the products in that department are classified into a specific tax group, age restriction, and excise tax, if applicable. It is possible that one POS Flag could be assigned to multiple departments.
   
5. Products/Items: Only one department will be assigned. The department is to classify the products into specific tax groups, age restrictions, and other options.
   

1. Reaching "POS Flags"

To reach the "POS Flags" module: 

1. Step 1: Log into Control Center 
   
2. Step 2: Choose Point of Sale
   
3. Step 3: Choose Maintenance 
   
4. Step 4: Choose Taxes
   
5. Step 5: Choose POS Flags
   

Figure 1.1 below will help you understand the navigation better: 

                                              Figure 1.1

2. Understanding "POS Flag" Layout

By selecting "POS Flags" from the drop-down menu, you will be brought to the main POS Flags page, as shown below.

Figure 2.1

1. You will see a list of the existing POS flags in the grid view.

1. Click the "Add New" button highlighted in Figure 2.1 to add a new POS Flag.
   
2. After clicking the "Add New" button, the form highlighted in Figure 3.1 will appear on the screen.
   

Figure 3.1

About Negative Flag and Food Stamps

3. Negative Flag: If the Negative Flag is enabled, the money will be taken out of the cash drawer when an item assigned to the POS Flag is sold. This field is specifically used for giving coupons and lottery/lotto payouts, among other various reasons to have a "negative" dollar value. See Figure 3.2 below.

When a customer pays for an item, the store receives money. It means the transaction will show the amount as positive. However, if the customer has a discount coupon or needs to pay for a winning lottery ticket, the money will be debited in both cases, and the transaction will show the amount as negative.

Note: By enabling this feature, a user can assign the POS Flag to a payout-specific department. For the item that is in the payout-specific department, the system automatically displays a negative amount for that transaction.

As a result, you will not require a manual setup to calculate the payout. The inventory will automatically be updated with related deductions when the payment is made by the store to a customer.

 Figure 3.2

- About Food Stamps: Food Stamps, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a federal benefit designed to assist low-income US citizens in supplementing their grocery budgets intended to be used for healthy food. The government provides a food stamp card (also known as EBT- Electronic Benefits Transfer card), which is preloaded with funds. So, when any food item is scanned at the POS and the Allow Food Stamps field is enabled for the POS Flag that is assigned to that item's department only, the store will be able to accept food stamp cards from their customers.

1. If you set this button to "Yes," this setting will be applied to all your locations. 
   
2. If you want to apply the Force DL Scan for Age Verify setting only for the selected locations, please follow the steps below: 
   
1. Set the Force DL for Age Verify button to "Yes." Click the "+Add Location" button in the Manage Force DL Scan Locations section. 
   

 Figure 3.4

2. The Location Name drop-down and Force DL Scan button will appear, as Figure 3.5 shows. Select the desired location from the drop-down. The system defaults the Force DL Scan button to "Yes."  You can use the "Add Location" button multiple times to select all desired locations.  

 Figure 3.5

8. Use Grandfather Policy: This field provides you with an additional age restriction rule in certain states. The Grandfather Policy and Grandfather Policy Date fields will appear when this field is enabled. See Figure 3.4.

9. Grandfather Policy Age: Insert the value of age.

10. Grandfather Policy Date: Select the date to verify the age of the customer before that date. You will get a tiny calendar to select the date. The Grandfather Policy Age and Date fields are to verify the customer's age as per the specific date, whether the customer's age is above or below.

 Figure 3.6

Note: Grandfather Policy applies only in certain states. If you disable "Use Grandfather Policy," the system will consider the age entered in the Age Required field.

 Figure 3.7

1. Floor Price means the minimum price at which a product can be sold, as set by the store or company.
   
2. If you enable this setting, the "Floor Price Based On" setting will appear. 
   

Please refer to Section 3.1. Understanding "Floor Price" to better understand the "Floor Price" concept and calculations in detail. 

1. Choose the required option from Margin (%) or Markup (%) and enter the required value in the Floor Price field. 
   
2. Once you specify the required value in the Floor Price field, use the Manage Floor Price Locations section to select the locations where you want to apply this defined floor price. 
   

14. Excise Tax Name: Enter the excise tax name in this field. 

15. Excise Not Taxable: Set Excise Not Taxable to "No" if you want to keep the excise tax not applicable to this POS Flag. 

 Figure 3.9

Manage Excise Tax Locations

For specific products, the excise tax values differ between states. You can enter the applicable excise tax values at exceptional locations under Manage Excise Tax Locations. See Figure 3.9 above.

16. Add Location: Click the "Add Location" button to enter the excise tax value for the specific locations. By clicking on it, the Location Name and Excise Tax sections will be added in a row.

17. Location Name: You will get a drop-down selection of the locations. Select the location from the list where the excise tax is different.

18. Excise Tax: Insert the applicable excise tax value.

As shown in Figure 3.10, you can add the excise tax values for specific locations. So, the excise tax value will be 2% for all the locations except the locations that are added under Manage Excise Tax Locations (2.75% and 2.50%).

Figure 3.10

Manage Age Restrictions Locations

There will be different age policies at some of the locations. So, you can enter the applicable age values at locations under Manage Age Restrictions Locations. See Figure 3.11.

19. Add Location: Click the "Add Location" button to enter the age value for the specific locations. By clicking on it, the Location Name and Age Required sections will be added in a row.

20. Select Location and Age Required: You will get a drop-down selection of the locations. Select the location and apply the age restriction required. See Figure 3.11.

As shown in Figure 3.7, you can add the age restriction values for specific locations. So, the age value will be 18 years for all the locations except the ones that are added under Manage Age Restrictions Locations (21 years).

Figure 3.11

Figure 3.12

You can add multiple locations and specify different floor price parameters for each.

1. Save & Close: Click on this button if you want to save the POS Flag details and close it. After that, you will be redirected to the POS Flags listing page.
   
2. Save & New: Click on this button if you want to save the POS Flag details but also want to add another POS Flag.
   
3. Save: Click on this button if you want to stay on the POS Flag details page after saving it.
   
4. Cancel: The POS Flag will not be added (saved), and you will be redirected to the list of the POS Flags page.
   

Figure 3.10

3.1 Understanding "Floor Price"

In a POS system, the floor price is the minimum price at which a product can be sold. It is set to protect profit margins and prevent items from being sold below cost. This control ensures that discounts applied by cashiers, or the system do not exceed a defined limit. Floor pricing supports store policies and agreements with suppliers, such as Minimum Advertised Price (MAP). Overall, it helps maintain pricing discipline and ensures profitability.

3.1.1 How does the system calculate the floor price? 

The Apply Floor Price setting lets you specify the floor price.  

 Figure 3.1.1.1

1. The "Floor Price Based On" drop-down and the Floor Price field will appear if you enable this setting. 
   
1. From the "Floor Price Based On" drop-down, you can define the floor price based on Margin or Markup %.  
   
2. In the Floor Price field, enter the percentage value.

The Floor Price will be calculated as mentioned below based on the “Floor Price Based On” and “Floor Price (%)” attributes. This will apply to all price types.

For Margin (%):

1. For Margin (%), the maximum percentage you can enter in the Floor Price field is 99.99%. 
   
1. If you enable the Apply Floor Price setting but keep the value 0 in the Floor Price field, the system will not define any floor price for the POS Flag.  
   
2. The system will use the Floor Price = Cost / (1 - Margin (%)/100) formula. For example: 
1. If a product costs $8, you have entered 20% in the Floor Price field after choosing Margin% in the Floor Price Based on drop-down. 
   
2. Floor Price = 8 / (1 – 20/100)
   

1. Floor Price = 8 * (1 + 20/100) 
   

1. Floor Price = 8 * (1 + 0.20) 
   
2. Floor Price = 8 * 1.2 
   
3. Floor Price = $ 9.60
   

1. Buydowns
   
2. System Discounts
   
3. Manual Discounts (Flat or % Off)
   
4. Temp Price Change in POS
   
5. House Account Discount
   
6. Department Level Discount
   
7. Price Exception
   

3.2 Excise Tax Value on Price or Cost

As per the requirement, you can apply the excise tax to the product's price or cost from the POS Global Settings. See Figure 3.2.1 below.

For that, navigate to Maintenance > Settings & Panels > POS > POS Device Global Settings > Register Settings. You will see the Excise Tax Applied To option under Misc POS Settings. 

Figure 3.1.1

3.3 Assigning the POS Flag to the Department

You need to assign the POS Flag to the department to apply the tax rates, age restrictions, and other options to the product that is assigned to the same department. See Figure 3.3.1.

A separate KB article on Departments explains everything you need to know about them. 

Figure 3.3.1

3.4 POS Flag for a Product

By default, the POS Flag is pulled from the department, but if you need to change the POS Flag of the product as required, you will have an override option to select the POS Flag for the specific product.

For that, you need to follow the steps below:

1. Navigate to the product details page, where the "Additional Information" button is under the Quick Tools menu.
   
2. As shown in Figure 3.4.1, the Additional Product Information pop-up will appear on the screen when you click on the "Additional Information" button.
   
3. You will see the POS Flag drop-down option in the "Overrides" tab, from which you can select the POS Flag that you want to apply to the product and save the product.
   

Figure 3.4.1

1. To edit and modify the POS Flag, click the Modify button that is highlighted in Figure 2.1, or simply click on the POS Flag name from the list.
   
2. In both cases, you will be redirected to the Edit POS Flag page. See Figure 4.1 below.
   

Figure 4.1

5. Deleting a POS Flag

 Figure 5.1

You cannot delete the POS Flag if it is assigned to a department. Prior to deleting it, you must remove it from all departments it's attached to.

Need a visual walkthrough? Watch the How to Set Up Taxes and POS Flags video tutorial. 

Want to dive deeper? Check out the FTx Cloud POS | Maintenance section of FTx Academy – it’s packed with helpful videos and fun quizzes! Sign up using your email ID to access it.