Introduction

The Odoo Point of Sale (POS) module is a robust solution designed to streamline everyday sales transactions and related operations for shops and restaurants. The virtual store management module boasts advanced features and user-friendly tools, providing an efficient means of managing virtual stores. Operability on iPads, tablets, and desktops ensures convenience and accessibility. The Odoo POS module is highly adaptable, offering customization and flexibility to cater to your company’s unique needs.  The module is extensively used in different industries, allowing for customized coding to suit specific needs. It seamlessly integrates with accounting, inventory, sales, and other departments, guaranteeing efficient operations and a smooth workflow. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of setting up and leveraging the full potential of the Odoo 16 Point of Sale system.     

1. Initiating Your POS Session:

When you’re ready to begin, access the POS dashboard and click on “New Session.” If you’re starting your business day, choose “Open Session” to initialize a new POS session. In case a session is already active, click “Continue Selling” to pick up where you left off seamlessly.

2. Effortless Product Selling: Simply click on the desired products to seamlessly add them to the cart. Should you wish to adjust the quantity, utilize the “Qty” option, and conveniently input the quantity using the on-screen keypad. Adding discounts or altering product prices is just as straightforward – click on “% Disc” or “Price,” respectively, and enter the applicable amounts.

When an order is ready for completion, smoothly transition to the checkout phase by selecting “Payment.” Here, you can opt for the preferred payment method and enter the received amount. With a click on “Validate,” the transaction is confirmed. To proceed to the next customer, easily click “New Order.“

3. Efficient Customer Management

Incorporating customer information into your POS system is crucial for delivering personalized experiences and optimizing your business operations. By registering customers, you enable the collection of loyalty points, rewards allocation, automatic application of designated pricelists, and even the generation and printing of invoices. To streamline this process, follow these steps:

• 1. Accessing Customer Management: From within an active POS session, access the customer management feature by clicking on “Customer” on the POS interface.

• 2. Selecting or Creating Customers: When you access the customer interface, you can choose to either pick an existing customer or establish a new one. To create a new customer, click “New,” fill out the required form with their details, and save the information.

Seamlessly incorporating customer profiles enhances your ability to offer tailored services, accumulate customer loyalty, and effectively manage transactions. Odoo 16’s Point of Sale module empowers you to build strong customer relationships and elevate your business’s competitiveness.

4. Adding Customer Notes and Specifics:

In the pursuit of exceptional customer service, Odoo 16’s Point of Sale module offers a unique feature that allows you to add customer notes directly from an active POS session. These notes serve various purposes, from offering maintenance advice to tracking specific customer preferences. Here’s how to effectively utilize this feature:

• 1. Adding Specific Notes: While in an open POS session, you can seamlessly attach notes to individual products. For instance, you could provide cleaning and maintenance tips for certain items or accommodate a customer’s special request, such as requesting a product not be assembled.
• 2. Accessing Customer Notes: To do so, select the desired product and click on “Customer Note” on the pad. This action opens a pop-up window where you can conveniently add or modify the content of the note.

It’s important to note that product notes imported from a sales order (SO) are presented in the same way within the cart. Furthermore, customer notes appear on customers’ receipts and invoices just as they do within the cart – positioned under the corresponding product.

By utilizing this feature, you enhance customer communication, cater to unique preferences, and elevate their overall shopping experience. The integration of customer notes into Odoo 16’s Point of Sale module reflects a commitment to delivering personalized service that stands out and resonates with your customers.

5. Streamlining Returns and Refunds:

Managing returns and refunds efficiently is a key aspect of delivering a satisfying customer experience. Odoo 16’s Point of Sale module simplifies this process, enabling you to effortlessly handle returns and refunds in a few simple steps:

• 1. Initiate a POS Session: Start a new POS session from the dashboard to kick off the process.
• 2. Initiate the Refund: Within the session, click on “Refund” and select the relevant order that requires a return or refund.

• 3. Specify Product and Quantity: From the selected order, identify the product that needs to be returned. Using the keypad, input the quantity of products to be refunded.

• 4. Confirm Refund: Click “Refund” to navigate back to the previous screen, confirming your decision to refund the specified products.

• 5. Process the Refund: Once the order adjustments are complete, proceed to the refund process. Click “Payment” to initiate the refund transaction.

• 6. Validation and Next Order: To finalize the refund, click “Validate.” Afterward, proceed to the next customer’s order by clicking “New Order.”

Additional Tips and Techniques

• Order Filtering: Utilize the search bar to filter the orders list based on various criteria such as Receipt Number, Date, or Customer. This helps you quickly locate and manage the required orders.

• Alternative Refund Method: If desired, you can also refund a product by selecting it directly from an active POS session. Simply set a negative quantity equivalent to the number of products being returned. To achieve this, use the “Qty and +/-” function, followed by entering the quantity of the returned products.

Following these straightforward steps ensures smooth returns and refunds, contributing to a hassle-free customer experience. Odoo 16’s Point of Sale module empowers you to efficiently manage these processes, creating a win-win situation for your business and customers.

7. Efficiently Closing the POS Session:

Closing a Point of Sale (POS) session is a crucial step that ensures accurate financial reporting and prepares you for the next business cycle. Odoo 16’s Point of Sale module simplifies this process to provide a seamless experience:

• 1. Initiating Session Closure: To close the POS session, locate the “Close” button in the upper right corner of the screen. Clicking this button prompts the “Closing Control” pop-up screen to appear.

• 2. Gaining Insights: The “Closing Control” screen offers valuable insights, including the total number of orders processed during the session and the cumulative revenue generated. The amounts are categorized based on the chosen payment methods.

• 3. Cash Counting: Before proceeding, it’s recommended to count the cash in the drawer. Utilize the calculator icon to initiate this process. A pop-up window will allow you to manually count the coins and bills, calculating the total cash amount in the drawer.
• 4. Confirming Amounts: Once counted, click either “Confirm” or “Discard” to proceed. The computed cash amount is recorded in the “Counted” column; additional details can be added in the “Notes” section.
• 5. Finalizing Session Closure: After verifying and confirming the amounts, click “Close Session” to conclude the session and return to the POS dashboard.

Additional Considerations

• Session Management: 

Depending on your operational needs, you can opt to keep the session open by clicking “Backend.” Alternatively, if you wish to continue selling without closing the session, click “Discard.”

• Cash Matching Requirement: 

Depending on your setup, you might only be able to close a session if the expected cash revenue matches the counted cash. You can still close the session by clicking “OK” on the “Payments Difference” screen if there’s a discrepancy.

• Multi-Employee Management:

Odoo 16 supports the seamless involvement of multiple employees within the same POS session, fostering teamwork and collaboration while enhancing operational efficiency.

•  Receipts, Invoices, and Configuration:

One of the standout features of Odoo’s POS system is its automated registration of product moves within your inventory. This real-time tracking ensures that your stock levels are always accurate. Additionally, the system provides you with real-time statistics, enabling you to make informed decisions based on up-to-date data. All of this valuable information is consolidated across all your shop locations, providing a unified view of your business operations.

• Comprehensive Reporting for Informed Decisions:

Odoo 16’s Point of Sale module isn’t just about facilitating transactions; it’s also a powerful tool for gaining insights into your business’s performance. Utilize the comprehensive reporting and analysis tools provided by Odoo to make data-driven decisions, plan strategically, and continually optimize your operations.

By efficiently managing the closure of your POS sessions with Odoo 16, you ensure accurate financial tracking, enable a seamless transition between operational cycles, and maintain a well-organized business operation.

Conclusion

The Odoo 16 Point of Sale system stands as a testament to modern retail and hospitality innovation. Its user-friendly interface, comprehensive features, and seamless integration empower businesses to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and optimize inventory management. This guide has offered a glimpse into the foundational aspects of setting up and utilizing the Odoo 16 Point of Sale system. Stay tuned for the upcoming segments, where we will explore real-time stock tracking, consolidated data insights, and the broader impact of embracing Odoo 16 Point of Sale on your business success.