Hardware Requirements

We hope so and we'll try very hard to make it work. If it is relatively new there should not be any problems

We do sometimes have trouble with hardware that was sold by competing POS vendors as part of their systems. Such hardware can be configured at the factory in such a way that it can't be converted. It doesn't happen often but it is always a possibility.

When it does happen the owner of the equipment can tend to get upset. We understand their frustration - they have usually paid a lot for it - and appreciate their understanding that it is not our fault.

We don't sell hardware so there is no motivation for us to not make what you have work. We just want to get you up and running and will do whatever we can with whatever hardware you have.

FloristWare is compatible with most Windows and Mac systems. You can even use both platforms on the same network. For more information please see the platform-specific information below.

One of the great things about FloristWare is that it lets you specify different printers & paper sources for different job types and then prints to those printers automatically.

For example - you might want worksheets to print in the production area, and enclosure cards to print on special card stock that is kept in a different tray on that same printer. You might want all reports to print in the office. And you might want all receipts to print to a receipt printer at the from stations.

FloristWare lets you automate all of that and easily override those settings whenever you like.

If you are going to use FloristWare you will need a standard Letter-Size printer. This will be used to print reports, worksheets, reports, receipts, invoices, statements and more.

We encourage you to avoid inkjets and go with a laser printer. Lasers are much faster and, while more expensive to buy, they cost much less to run. Since you will be doing a lot of printing a laser will pay for itself very quickly. Another problem with inkjets is that the ink runs if it gets wet - something that happens very often in flower shops! Laser printers avoid this problem.

If you plan on using FloristWare on more than one computer you need a true network printer. This means that instead of connecting the printer directly to a computer you will connect it to your network and share it between all computers.

Some people ask about color laser printers. FloristWare can automatically print your logo in the top left corner of receipts, invoices, statements etc., and having a color printer would allow you to print your logo in color.

This is the only place where FloristWare will allow you to take advantage of color printing - everything else will be grayscale. Since color printers are generally much more expensive to buy and operate than black & white printers you need to think hard about whether a color logo is worth the extra money. If however you plan on doing a lot of color printing from other applications a color laser may make sense.

FloristWare can - if you wish - automatically print Enclosure Cards/Delivery Slips. If you do wish to take advantage of this feature it is generally best to add a second printer dedicated to just this task.

Don't worry - you don't need to spend a lot of money. There are some really inexpensive options and we'll get into them below.

While a receipt printer is entirely optional (you do not need one to use FloristWare) many florists do choose to use them.

The receipt printer we use in testing (for both Windows and Mac OS X) is an Epson TM-T20II. It works very well but is by no means the only choice.

If you are going to buy a receipt printer please remember the following:

Make sure the device you select will connect to your computer or network. Nowadays that generally means USB or ethernet. In the past you may have used printers with parallel or serial interfaces, these are unlikely to be compatible with current computers.

Please call us to confirm the model before purchase so we can check to see if we are aware of any compatibility issues.

The Citizen CBM 1000 II is the one that we endorse. You can read more about this printer on the Citizen website.

Why? There are a lot of reasons. These units are tough and durable and have been proven in the marketplace over many, many years. They were designed for the food service industry and are essentially spill-proof. This is an important consideration in a flower shop, where flowers are often handed back and forth over the counter. Receipt ribbons are readily (and inexpensively) available from stores like Staples.

Most important is the fact that most FloristWare users that use a receipt printer use this model. That means that we know it works!

Finding A Citizen CBM 1000 II

There are a lot of places where you can find these printers. If you live in a good sized city you are probably served by one or more POS hardware suppliers and they can get you one of these. However, prices from dealers of this type can be very high.

We suggest that you buy online. One online vendor that offers very good prices is Point Of Sale MAX. Call (877-676-9445) or e-mail Gary Swart and be sure to tell him you are a FloristWare user.

Another great option is eBay. You will notice that there are both new and units for sale. The new units are often a little less expensive than you will find anywhere else but the used printers offer even greater savings if you don't mind taking a little risk. A unit that has been used will probably not last as long as one that is brand new but, since most florists aren't really that busy relative to many other types of business, there is a good chance that a used printer could last you for years.

While a receipt printer is entirely optional (you do not need one to use FloristWare) many florists do like them for printing smaller receipts and merchant copies on credit card sales.

The receipt printer we use in testing (for both Windows and Mac OS X) is an Epson TM-T20II. It works very well but is by no means the only choice.

If you are going to buy a receipt printer please remember the following:

• Make sure the device you select will connect to your computer or network. Nowadays that generally means USB or ethernet. In the past you may have used printers with parallel or serial interfaces, these are unlikely to be compatible with current computers.
• Please call us to confirm the model before purchase so we can check to see if we are aware of any compatibility issues.

Finding A Receipt Printer

There are a lot of places where you can find receipt printers. If you live in a good sized city you are probably served by one or more POS hardware suppliers and they can get you one of these. However, prices from dealers of this type can be very high.

We suggest that you buy online. One online vendor that offers very good prices is Point Of Sale MAX. Call Gary Swart at 877-676-9445 and be sure to tell him you are a FloristWare user.

Another great option is eBay. You will notice that there are both new and units for sale. The new units are often a little less expensive than you will find anywhere else but the used printers offer even greater savings if you don't mind taking a little risk. A unit that has been used will probably not last as long as one that is brand new but, since most florists aren't really that busy relative to many other types of business, there is a good chance that a used printer could last you for years.

 

If you are going to use FloristWare to replace your cash register (most users do and so should you) you will need a place to store cash.

Some stores simply use a cash box that they pick up at a store like Staples. This works very well if you don't do a lot of cash business.

Some florists remove the cash drawer from the register that they retired when they switched to FloristWare.

In many cases the user wishes to buy a proper cash drawer. If you go this route there are a few things than we suggest that you keep in mind...

1. Consider The Type

"Automatic" cash drawers open automatically when they need to, but also cost much more than "Manual" models - often twice as much. If you want to use an automatic cash drawer you will need to buy one with a serial interface (which also requires a serial connection to your computer. This is the only type of automatic drawer technology officially supported by FloristWare. Manual drawers - that require a key or push button to open are much more affordable.

2. Consider The Installation

You can get cash drawers that sit on your counter or ones that mount below it. Mounting the drawer below the counter in this fashion can clear up a lot of valuable space and allow you to have a nicer looking counter top. If you think you want to mount your drawer under the counter please be sure to select one that is designed for this type of installation.

Where Can You Find A Cash Drawer?

There are a lot of places where you can find cash drawers. If you live in a good sized city you are probably served by one or more POS hardware suppliers and they can get you one. However, prices from dealers of this type can be very high.

We suggest that you buy online. One good spot to find these is Point Of Sale MAX. Call (877-676-9445) or e-mail Gary Swart and be sure to tell him you are a FloristWare user.

Another option is eBay. Because these drawers can be big (especially when packed) and heavy be sure to factor in shipping when calculating your costs.

If you are going to run FloristWare on more than one computer you will need a hub or switch to create a network.

We strongly discourage you from using a wireless network for connecting computers running FloristWare. If you want to have a wireless network in addition to the wired network you use to connect computers running FloristWare that is okay, but we really want to see all FloristWare machines connected over a wired network.

When purchasing the hub or switch that you will use to connect your machines please keep in mind that a switch is generally better than a hub, and that faster is better than slower. With this is mind we suggest that you buy a "Gigabit Switch". While not all of your current computers may be capable of networking at this speed any computers that you buy in the future almost certainly will. And, since Gigabit switches cost only slightly (if anything) more you really should make the investment.

Bar Code Scanner Notes...

More information from our POS hardware expert - Gary Swart of POS Max.

There are literally thousands of scanners out there. Why this one? Its durable. It's fast. It's "accurate". It's modestly priced:

First, there are really cheap scanners and there are really expensive ones. On a scale of 1-10 where 1 is cheap and 10 is expensive this scanner is about a 3 at $189. FloristWare customers need to stay away from cheap scanners. This scanner is my choice because it has an "aggressive scan engine" which means it will scan barcodes cheap scanners can't (ie faded or damaged barcodes), and it will scan faster. I often use the word accuracy, but really when I say accuracy I'm really saying it scans those hard to read barcodes that happen when water has wrinkled a label or sun has faded a barcode... really, a scanner will either scan a barcode or it won't, it will either see the code and quickly decode it or it will sit and think about it for a while... once the cheap scanner gets the code it will be accurate.... it just may never get a good read on the barcode. So in that sense this scanner is more accurate than the cheap scanners.