Articles | Updated 29 October 2026
What Is a POS System? Types of POS and Which One Suits a Small Shop
POS stands for Point of Sale. A POS system is the in-store sales system used to ring up sales, take payment, issue receipts and keep each day's sales totals. A good POS does not stop at taking money: it also takes items out of stock, sends sales to the books and adds up output tax, so the shop does not record everything again at closing time.
What does a POS system include?
A POS system has hardware and software parts. A small shop does not need every piece from day one.
Sales screen
Used for: Choose items, ring up and take payment
Needed?: Yes; a tablet or phone you already have works
Barcode scanner
Used for: Scan product codes instead of typing
Needed?: Optional; some systems scan with the phone camera
Receipt printer
Used for: Print a slip for the customer
Needed?: Optional; receipts can be sent as files
Cash drawer
Used for: Keep cash separate for each shift
Needed?: Optional, but it helps count cash at shift close
Back office system
Used for: Stock, sales reports, accounting and tax
Needed?: Yes, if you do not want to record things twice
| The | Used for | Needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Sales screen | Choose items, ring up and take payment | Yes; a tablet or phone you already have works |
| Barcode scanner | Scan product codes instead of typing | Optional; some systems scan with the phone camera |
| Receipt printer | Print a slip for the customer | Optional; receipts can be sent as files |
| Cash drawer | Keep cash separate for each shift | Optional, but it helps count cash at shift close |
| Back office system | Stock, sales reports, accounting and tax | Yes, if you do not want to record things twice |
How many types of POS are there?
POS machine installed in the shop
Advantages: Durable, works without internet
Good to know: Upfront cost for the machine; hard to check sales from outside the shop
POS app on a tablet
Advantages: Easy to start, low price
Good to know: Sales usually have to be exported for accounting and tax
POS inside an ERP system
Advantages: Stock, accounts and tax update after each sale in one system
Good to know: Most need internet while selling
| Form | Advantages | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| POS machine installed in the shop | Durable, works without internet | Upfront cost for the machine; hard to check sales from outside the shop |
| POS app on a tablet | Easy to start, low price | Sales usually have to be exported for accounting and tax |
| POS inside an ERP system | Stock, accounts and tax update after each sale in one system | Most need internet while selling |
Example: what a POS system does after one sale
Say a shop sells 2 chilli paste gift sets at 299 baht each, seafood dipping sauce for 55 baht and roasted chilli paste for 250 baht. That is 903 baht before tax, VAT 7% of 63.21 baht, and 966.21 baht in total. If the POS connects to the back office, one press of take payment does all of this:
- Issues a receipt or tax invoice for the customer and works out the change
- Takes all 3 items out of stock
- Posts revenue, output tax and cost of goods to the books
- Adds the bill to the month's output tax report, ready for PP.30
- At shift close, the system shows how much cash should be in the drawer, to compare with what you count
Abbreviated tax invoices from a POS machine need approval first
A VAT-registered shop that wants slips from its sales machine to count as abbreviated tax invoices must first file form PP.06 with the Revenue Department for approval to use a cash register, then print the machine code it receives on every invoice. Until approval comes, you can issue full tax invoices instead.
Which POS should a small shop choose?
- A few bills a day and not VAT registered: a simple POS app or a POS inside an ERP both work
- VAT registered or filing tax every month: choose a POS that adds up output tax for you
- Several branches: choose a POS that shows sales and stock for every branch in one place
- Unstable internet in the shop: ask the vendor first whether you can keep selling when the connection drops
POS in GORINY
GORINY has a touch sales screen that runs in the browser on a tablet or phone. It scans barcodes with the camera or a scanner, takes cash, transfer, card, PromptPay and cheque, opens and closes shifts with a shift summary report, and records cash in and out of the drawer. Each sale takes items out of stock, posts to the books and adds to output tax. The limitation: it needs internet while selling. If the connection drops, you cannot sell until it is back.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a POS system, in simple terms?
- A POS system is a smarter cash register for the counter. It rings up sales, issues receipts and remembers every bill for you, with no manual records.
- What does POS stand for?
- Point of Sale, meaning the place in the shop where the customer pays.
- Do I need to buy a POS machine?
- No. If the system runs in a browser, the tablet or phone you already have will do. A printer and cash drawer can be added later.
- How is a POS system different from accounting software?
- POS is for selling at the counter; accounting software is for bookkeeping and financial statements. If they are separate, sales have to be keyed in again. If they are in the same ERP, sales post to the books automatically.
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