Performance Updates
This version and the version immediately before it are particularly focused on performance improvements for additional stations and cloud users, particularly around large transactions and searching for customers. Item searching performance has also improved everywhere in the system.

Large improvements have also been made in adding items to the transaction and closing out the transaction. Repairs and special orders in particular have been addressed on this. Even on the server, you may notice some improvements in doing large transactions of 50 or more items. Purchase orders and vendor returns should also have a noticeable improvement.

As such, we recommend everyone install these updates as soon as possible.
Transactions Management
Transactions Management is one of the most important tools available to you as an owner or manager of your store. It's also received several updates recently to make it friendlier to work with.

Several of the functions available here are restricted to specific permissions, or to managers.

To access this screen, simply hit the transactions button on your register or go through the Store menu in the backoffice.

By default, only completed transactions will be shown. To search for more transactions, or to filter by fields such as the date range or by the amount paid in different tenders, hit search in the bottom left.
The recall button can be used with the register open to either recall a suspended transaction, or as an administrator only to recall an active transaction that was interrupted, such as by an unexpected restart of the computer. This, along with the search being by a range, is new in the most recent release of the software.

Administrators or those with the permission may also void transactions that had been completed today using the void button.

If you have configured email receipts, you may email a receipt for a transaction to any address, not just the one of the customer on the transaction, through this screen.
Spring Clean your Finances
With tax season behind us, now might be a good time to tidy up your business finances. It might not be quick or easy, but with a good portion of the year still ahead of us, you can “clean up” your business's financial situation and make this your best year ever. Even one or two small changes can help.

Here are five tips to help you set your finances in order.

1. Dust off your business plan.

A great deal can change in an ordinary year, and we all know that 2020 was not ordinary. Even in the best of times, you should revisit your plan at least once a year to review your original business goals and update them to keep pace with changes in the marketplace. Ask yourself, am I on track? Which goals have I accomplished? How have they changed? Has the pandemic affected my business model for the long term? Make sure any changes you make to your plan are S.M.A.R.T. – specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.

2. Update your budget.

A business budget is an overview of your company's finances. It focuses on the current state of your income and expenses. There are several reasons why this review is essential. It helps you make sound financial decisions and identify areas where you can cut costs or increase revenue. It may also highlight the need to obtain funding to grow your business.

3. Review your expenses.

Determine both fixed expenses (rent, internet, phone costs, payroll, and website hosting) and variable expenses (usage-based utilities like gas and electricity, shipping costs, sales commissions, or travel). If you find you’re spending more than you earn, consider cutting costs and finding new clients. Alternatively, if your income is significantly higher than your expenses, you might consider investing your profits back into your business (like upgrading your P.O.S. system or software).

4. Consolidate your debt.

If you have multiple loans and credit cards with different interest rates and payment dates, it might be time to consider debt consolidation. Paying off high-interest credit cards and loans via a business cash advance may help reduce your financial stress. If you have debt that you’re trying to pay down without much success, you are wasting money paying interest that you could use to grow your business.

5. Improve your cash flow.

Even the most profitable business can struggle with poor cash flow. Cash flow problems can arise when a company has net cash outflow due to expensive purchases or timing of certain payments such as debt or large inventory buys. COVID 19 also negatively impacted 65% of small to medium-sized businesses (S.M.B.s). Solving the cash flow conundrum can be complex with traditional sources. We do partner with financing sources that use merchant cash advances that are secured with your credit card revenue. If you are interested in this route, contact us and we can put you in touch with our partners.
We will be closed Monday, May 31st for Memorial Day.

The current version of the software, available for supported users, is 21.5.1. Following our most recent release, we've changed the way we release versions to make it easier for you to tell if you are up to date, or how far behind you might be. Going forward, the version number will follow the format of (year).(month).(release).0. To get back on support, or to upgrade to phone support from email support, contact sales at (919) 387-7597 x100. If you are not on phone support, and you call, a response will be sent to the email address on file. You can also buy a support incident from our website.

As a reminder to users of Windows 7, Microsoft's support of this version of Windows has ended as of January 14th, 2020. We highly recommend getting onto Windows 10 if you are on older versions of Windows. Versions of ExtremePOS, Musicware, Praiz, and ThunderPOS 4.0 and above should all be compatible with Windows 10; versions before 4.0 were sunset for support as of the end of 2019.

If you are on a version older than 4.0 that has been sunset, you can contact sales for information on purchasing an update.