A Parallel Point-of-Sale Solution to Modernize Legacy System

This regional retail client desired a modernized point-of-sale (POS) solution as the legacy system was impeding its ability to expand locations across the country and quickly adapt internal processes and manage change. A legacy POS solution was identified as a major challenge to starting up new stores and offering new products and services.

The proprietary database system integrated with a National Cash Register (NCR) product that the client wanted to phase out for a new POS solution. The database system had known critical accounting and financial dependencies, but the true extent of the dependencies had not been determined. The client was seeking a centralized data layer to replace the siloed database system used by each location.

Trility conducted a discovery to more clearly define the extent of the dependencies on the existing POS solution and then developed a roadmap and solution pattern for the client to fully implement on its own.

With input from stakeholders and technical analysis of the databases, the team determined that a centralized data layer would not provide the desired outcomes for growth and streamlining of day-to-day operations and maintenance.

With an accurate and prioritized list of dependencies, the team built a working proof of concept for eliminating the dependency on the tax software. By creating a Google Cloud Pub/Sub that listens for changes in the tax software and pushes the updates to the shared database, it removed the need for a centralized data layer.

With a clear and accurate understanding of the problem, this client received a working solution that allows for 400+ locations to smoothly transition to a new POS solution.

The centralized functions of the business – accounting, finance, and more – are able to manage change and maintain systems in both the interim solution and the new POS solution.

The tax software successfully integrated with the new system and provides more robust capabilities to manage and adapt changes to taxes.

A dashboard and monitoring system was built to allow the client to trace and report on the working solution and future ones.