Electronic Journal in SAM4s Cash Registers

Electronic Journals (EJ) have replaced the traditional journal or audit tape in traditional cash registers. The way the EJ works is that it stores the transactions in memory instead of printing them on the internal audit tape like older registers.

Keep in mind this has nothing to to with your sales report. The old journal tapes and now EJ's are an AUDIT tape or record not a sales report. Even if you new cash register has an EJ you will still get your traditional X and Z reports (sales reports)

With the old school audit tapes when you had a balancing issue or massive over ring to resolve you would open the printer cover and start going through the printed audit tape or journal tape (same thing) until you spotted the problem. The EJ works in a similar way other then it prints to memory as you go rather then paper. So when you need to look into the audit tape to resolve an issue you have to print out the EJ and look at it. After it is printed it it exactly like the traditional audit/journal tape. Some registers allow you to print portions of the EJ to the screen of the register (if it has a screen) instead of printing it out.

There is one HUGE difference between between an old school physical audit tape and an EJ. A physical tape is limited by the size of the roll but when at and end the register in most cases prompts the user to change the paper. We the EJ has limits by the amount of memory in the cash register and it adjusted by programming in most cases. An EJ is sized by number of lines. So for an example a single item sale is about 7 lines (depending on the make and model of the cash register) you would have a line for date and time a line for register # Transaction # Cashier#, a line for the item and price, line for subtotal, line for sales tax, line for total, maybe a line for amount tendered and another for change. So a 2 item sale would be about 8 lines. So most registers when the EJ limit is reached the machine will start overwriting the oldest entries of the EJ. Some machines can be prompted to warn the cashier and prompt if the EJ should be printed, some machines have an option of stopping the cashier and forcing the cashier to print the EJ.

I recommend taking your Z every end of day and if the Z is good ignore your EJ and let it overwrite! But think about it before you start using your register. With some registers once you allocate that memory you may not be able to alter it without making changes you may not want to make in the rest of you program.

No one think I can tell you for sure is no one can tell you how long an EJ will last etc cause it all depends on the amount of items, number of sales etc! Every business is different. Your SAM4s Cash Register Expert can help you more

SAM4s SPS-2000 POS System

SAM4s SPS-2000 Cash Register

Many people think the SAM4s SPS-2000 is a cash register and they often call me and ask what software they can load on it or rather what software DO THEY HAVE TO LOAD. The answer is NONE! The SPS-2000 is self contained and is not a computer. It is a ROM based cash register with a large touch screen and modular componets like cash drawer, printer, etc.

ROM based systems tend to last longer then computers because there are no moving parts, no operating system, can't get a virus etc etc.

Check it out and I'll bet you like it. Three great places to buy this register

1. SAM4s SPS-2000 Dealer
2. Reseller for the SPS-2000
3. SPS-2000 Cash Registers Online

SAM4s Cash Registers and the Cancel Key



SAM4s Cash Registers

Almost all SAM4s Cash Registers have a feature called Cancel which can be a very handy function. It wipes out a transaction before payment like it never happened with the push of one button. No of course you sure want to watch employees use of this feature to ensure ity is not being abused. Liek always look at your Z tapes to monitor use of this feature. This feature only works pre payment in the case of post payment you will still need the void mode or return function.

The cancel key can bu turned off, placed in Manager Control, or removed from the keyboard on most machines.

What is the differance between the SAM4s ER-5240M and the SAM4s ER-5215M



SAM4s ER-5240M

 The 5240M and the 5215M are nearly the same machine. The big differance is in the number of maximum groups each register can have. The model number says it all. The SAM4 ER5215M can have 15 groups but comes out of the box with only 5 while the SAM 4 ER- 5240M (pictured) can have 40 groups abd comes out of the box with 15 double size group keys.

Both registers support credit card interface with a Datacap Twin Tran, both support bar code scanning, and both have polling and programming software available both free and for fee!

These two cash registers use the same thermal printer and feature both a receipt and journal tape of 2.25" thermal paper.

Both models are heavy duty and commercial grade. Metal cash drawer with a hard plastic insert that is very long lasting. Both program and report alike and I think you could use either manual with either machine.

Supplies for the SAM4s ER-5200M

The SAM4s ER5200M uses thermal paper rolls in both the receipt and journal printers. Even if you don't issue a receipt you should have the paper installed and you wuill be able to use the receipt copy feature in case a customer does ask for one. I think it is law in most states that a customer must be given a receipt of some type if they request one.

Bond paper rolls WILL NOT work in the SAM 4s ER-5200M. This register also does not need an ink ribbon as it uses thermal paper. This machine also will use the large roll of paper, don't wast time with the 80' or 150' foot rolls, get a 200' to 230' foot roll.

Click here for supplies for the ER5200M like the paper and keyboard covers or click here for another source of supplies and service for the SAM4s ER-5200M

The SAM4s ER-180 and 180T are they the same?

At first glance you would think the ER-180 and the ER-180T are the same with the exception that the 180T has a thermal printer. We though so for sure but while looking closer we saw several more important differances.

Here are the differances

Feature                          180                           180T
Departments                  Same                         Same
PLU's                            100                           500
Clerks                           4 Max                       10 Max
Receipt Messages     NO                           Programmable
EJ                                 NO                           2500 lines

So no they are not the same other then the printer. Granted most people buying little machines like this will most likely never use the features but it does surprise me! Maybe it is a typo on the printed material from SAM4s? 

SAM4s Cash Registers and DVR Text Interfaces

SAM4s Cash Registers

We get this question all the time, can my DVR interface to my SAM4s cash register? The simple answer is maybe! Here is the problem there are hundreds of DVR systems on the market today. I can only speak for one of the hundred plus systems and that is the Talon DVR system for which the answer is YES for most models. The other part of the question I can answer is that all most all SAM4s Cash Registers can interface to DVR systems however keep in mind I did not say all DVR systems or your DVR system! YES the SAM4s can export the required information via a serial port now the question is can my DVR system use it?

So now that you know almost every SAM4s can get the data out it is up to your DVR company to tell you not the cash register dealer. We have people call every week and we try to explain this and they ask us to come out and connect their cash register to their Brand X DVR system. Most cash register dealers like us can not do this and that is a question for your DVR people not us. The SAM4s registers that I know can export teh data needed are.

• ER-650
• ER-650R
• ER-5215M
• ER-5240M
• ER-5240M
• ER5200M
• SPS-520R
• SPS-520F
• SPS-530R
• SPS-530F
• SER-7000
• SER-7040
• SPS-2000

You will have to have an available serial port on your register in order to connect it to a DVR system.

So before you buy your DVR system ask them is your SAM4s register on their list of approved registers? If not don't call a register dealer they won't know! If your DVR dealer can't tell you then find another DVR dealer. I have worked with many that have a list of registers by model number that they work with and the required cable and the setting! Those are the DVR dealers you want to work with!

Hope that helps and remember to do your homework before you buy!