Classification of the products to be sold in retail is very important for the sector. The number of classes should be left to the decision of the company that will use the application, without any restrictions. At this point, a configurator that will effectively manage the product classes should be supported under the product datasheets. Classes can be used for reporting purposes in the future as well as the main data source for pricing policies. The product group, gender, season, type of supply, etc. can be given as examples of product classes. In addition, product images, quality criteria and specifications if any, accounting connections, barcode list, product design, design information if it is made within the company, are some of the static data under the product data-sheet. This information should be available at all stages of the application.

The variant concept, which we can summarize as an additional tool in defining the product, is a feature of canias4.0 material cards management application. It can be described as the option of the product and the features detailed below. For example quality (first quality, second quality, third quality), degree of hardness (0,1,2,3)… Color and size in textile and shoes (size in jacket, length in jean pants) in the retail industry; pattern, size, color (palette), edge form on the carpet; color in the dowry; color, width, height in furniture; we can describe the width, length and thickness options in the roofing panel as the variant properties of the related products. In this description, for example, each color under the color feature refers to the options for that material. The variant should be determined based on the identity of the product and created on the basis of the norms accepted in the industry. There should be no restrictive factor in the variant concept of the software. It should enable an unlimited number of options, but support from an application consultant should be sought to determine the most appropriate number of options. With the concept, product information sheets should be opened as the main product, and combinations of variants should be managed without opening a new leaflet. The application manager should also be able to use pricing options according to the variant if necessary. The effective variant configurator of canias4.0 shares its solutions that have been used and stabilized for many years with the industry.

Discount applies to a certain product group in a certain date range is very common in the sector. Discounts can be a percentage or can be evaluated at a single price. It may be desirable to make an increase, albeit very rarely. It is very easy with canias4.0 to quickly define a new price for a group of products through the classes defined in the product data sheets. The new price can be applied directly to the product or can be defined in the system as a discount difference. If Loyalty-VIP card usage is available, additional discounts can be defined on the discount made. Therefore, pricing transactions are made quickly with reference in product class and/or customer class groups, since the history-based system can easily be kept in history.

Since campaigns are limited to the imagination of retail managers today, software that is flexible enough to respond to this power is needed. “buy 2 get 1 free, get 2, one on us, buy red, white on us, spend 250 EUR, 50 EUR will be discounted”, etc., samples can be integrated into the software. With its flexible software architecture, canias4.0 can respond to these needs of the industry instantly.

Finance connections defined on product cards and sales invoices are collectively recognized with a single click. With the payment options entered during retail sales, what will be the POS blocked balance due, can be seen quickly with financial applications. POS approval number can be matched with the invoice issued in the system and it can be reported which approval payment has been received. Firms usually form 108 (A) – 102 (B) accounting records for overdue POS blocked solutions. In bank transactions, this voucher is created separately for each invoice. For example, in two stores, an average of 30/day accounting receipts are created for 15 sales receipts per day. As can be seen, the number of slips adds burden to the accounting department, making data entry and control difficult. With the integration work with banks within the scope of canias4.0 EDI module, these slips can be automatically entered into the system and only the control function can be loaded into the accounting department. If the store has been authorized to make expenses within a limit, expense records can be kept again with the canias4.0 Retail module and it is taken into consideration in the cash register. In addition, gift voucher applications, control and financial integration are offered to the management of users through canias4.0.

Depending on the sector in which the firm operates and the level of institutionalization, different warehouse management approaches can be developed. While these approaches are planned at a level to fulfil the basic functions of the company, they should be open to additional process developments. Implementation should be concluded as a result of an analysis by the experienced application consultant and the company. To give an example of some warehouse management systems adapted in the sector with canias4.0.

In this method, the store manager enters the product he wants to see in his warehouse into the system together with the amount and date of need. An internal request record is created and the stores are submitted to the approval of their general control. If the confirmation is positive, the document is sent to the central warehouse as an order and the shipment takes place. The application can be used by the store manager or directly by the general manager of the stores, without the need for approval. Shipments can be tracked depending on the status (open, closed, partial).

In this approach, which is mostly used by the general manager of the stores, an order transfer between stores or between stores/warehouses is created through a report. This order falls to the store/warehouse and the shipment is made.

In this approach, the product stock does not fall directly into the stock of the store or warehouse in transfer operations. The target warehouse is transferred to the previously identified “warehouse on the road”. When the products physically arrive at the target warehouse, the transfer process is transferred automatically to the main warehouse by reading or approving the barcode. This is mostly possible in stores with a structure that is called back-office.

Demand trends can be estimated through the classes defined in the product data-sheet.

They are the most basic tools of retail solutions. In case it is used effectively in sales and logistics operations, it increases speed and accuracy in the operations performed.

Data exchange is provided in the digital environment with the supplier company.

Customer information can be obtained during sales as well as external data from any source. In companies that do not use cash registers, their names, surnames, districts and telephone information can be obtained during sales if desired. Firms using cash registers access customer information more inductively. The customer information associated with the sales documents can be used to report when the client’s history came last, total sales amount, special products of interest, etc.

The role of information tools by mail and/or message in promoting the product or marketing activities is very important. These tools need to be managed through the app.

It is a very up-to-date approach to trigger social media tools directly from the application. Retail companies can pass instant discount and promotional information to their followers, especially through social networks; they can advertise on social networks for free or at very affordable prices.

Whether the cards created by the retail company (loyalty, VIP etc.) or issued by a third party company the main goal of customer cards is to follow customer information, reward and create addiction. Applications such as the ability of the customer to collect bonuses and spend via cards should also be managed through the existing software. Processing and tracking of 3rd party cards to the company can be done through canias4.0 EDI module.

The product demands of the stores from each other’s stocks can be managed with internal demand and transfer applications in canias4.0. In this way, the products move faster among the stores, contributing to the reduction of inventory turnover and square meter unit costs.

Software manufacturer firms, whose main goal is to offer modern retail applications to the service of users, should include functions such as tax-free sales, diplomatic exception sales, sales returns, exchanges, customer-specific orders (in boutique merchandising) and repairs, as well as normal sales functions canias4.0 Retail module contains related solutions.

Weighing tools and barcode printers can be integrated as part of the module by integrating it with the retail module, similarly in the jewellery industry, where weight is important. In this way, it saves the user from manual data entry and error risk.

Firms need more dynamic reports as well as reports such as sales/leftovers, product shelf life, and m2 productivity that are frequently used in retail. These reports can be converted into data cubes and reorganized in detail with various datasets via the canias4.0 IQ module, which forms the business intelligence infrastructure of canias4.0. The fact that the retail solution is a module of ERP rendered the data produced in retail together with the data produced with other modules.

We can evaluate this item under the title of “online marketing”. Communication of all actions taken at virtual POS points with canias4.0 can be provided full-time through the web service infrastructure of canias4.0. Current stocks, prices and other information can be made synchronized with web/mobile applications without using any intermediate applications. The data source of the applications is the first and one-stop ERP software.

Store-safe-cashier-sales consultant definitions, User authorization, Defining additional discount based on user, User roles and access control can be managed by canias4.0 standard applications.

Main functions of the head office:
// Supply chain management (demand planning, central warehouse and purchasing functions)
// Pricing policies and promotions
// Human Resources
// Public relations
// Accounting
// Financial applications, inventory valuation, profitability analysis
// Marketing
// Customer relations management
// Budget, investment
// Stock count

“Back-Offices” serve as sales support in stores, but are generally deployed in large stores. In stores without “Back-Office” sales support functions are carried out by the store staff.

“Back-Offices” main functions are:
// Product barcoding, alarming (if necessary)
// Warehouse operations (stock entry, return etc.)
// Internal product demand entries
// After-sales services, warranty tracking
// Return, exchange and repair procedures follow-up

In cases where the online structure is set up in chain stores, the main server should be in the head office. In this case, the stores will be connected to the main server online. EDI (data communication) module should be adapted in stores where the offline structure will be built. In terms of ease of maintenance and simultaneous operation, it would be more correct to choose the online connection structure. The offline structure is installed only when there is no internet access. During this period, invoices and inventory transactions made at the store are synchronized with the main server when the system goes online. This synchronization is done through the EDI module of canias4.0.