POS software in Canada: how to choose and use it well
Choosing POS software in Canada (in Montréal as elsewhere) means checking a few points: your customers’ payment methods, working without internet, the price in CAD and local rules. Here is a simple method to compare.
What a till must do for a business in Canada
Whether you run grocery stores, restaurants and cafes, boutiques and neighbourhood shops, the till must check out fast, give the right change, keep a record of every sale with its payment method and update the stock.
The Canadian dollar is divided into cents: check whether your displayed prices include your province’s taxes or not, and be consistent everywhere.
Payments to support in Canada
Your customers can pay by cash, card and Interac. Good POS software lets you record the method of each sale and shows the total of each in the evening.
- Cash: the change due calculates itself; count the float in the morning and check the discrepancy in the evening.
- Card: record it as a payment method so you find it in your totals; the payment terminal stays your bank’s.
- Interac: electronic payment from the customer’s phone; record it as a payment method and reconcile the total every evening.
Working without internet
A till that stops when the network drops loses sales. Choose software that keeps taking payments offline and sends the sales as soon as the network returns: Kaislo does.
Keep the phone charged and, if possible, a power bank: the till depends on the device.
Five checks before choosing in Canada
- Is the price shown in CAD, with no exchange-rate surprise?
- Can all your customers’ payment methods (cash, card and Interac) be recorded?
- Does the software work without internet?
- Can you export your data (Excel, PDF) and take it with you if you leave?
- What requirements exist in Canada for cash register hardware or software? Ask the tax authority or a local accountant.
Kaislo as POS software in Canada
Kaislo works in CAD, offers cash, card and Interac, works without internet and manages stock and customer credit. 30-day free trial, then from 21 $ CA per month depending on your business.
Kaislo is a sales and stock management tool: if your country requires certified fiscal hardware, check that point before replacing your register.
Sales, stock, customer credit and evening accounts in one place, on phone or computer. 30-day free trial.
POS software in Canada: how to choose and use it well
Which POS software should I choose in Montréal?
Pick one that accepts your customers’ payment methods (cash, card and Interac), works offline, shows prices in CAD and lets you export your data. Test it for three days before committing.
Do I need a cash register in Canada?
It depends on your activity and local rules: ask the tax authority or an accountant. For managing sales and stock, a phone app is enough in most small businesses.
Can I take payments without internet?
Yes with Kaislo: sales are kept on the device and sent as soon as the network returns.