Help with choosing the right hardware

[BofBArtStudio]

Hi, All,

We recently acquired another location as of January 1st.  This location had Square Register hardware in place and it is pretty cool with that customer-facing device and the sleek look.  HOWEVER, we have discovered that under Customer Accounts, FILES is not available on Square Register.  We did some researching here in the community and found that FILES is definitely not available on Square Register.  Therefore, I am going to have to replace this right quick as we have thousands of customers with Files uploaded for them and we need our team to be able to see these at the POS during customer lookup.

So, I was looking at the different options, and I see that I can purchase the square stand with iPad that we are used to and that supports Customer Files, however, it shows that the square stand no longer has a mag stripe reader built into it.  Our current stands at our original location have the mag stripe reader built in and we use it to swipe gift cards and also swipe cards that do not have chips.  

Can someone help with the right equipment to purchase?  Should I just add the mag-stripe little dongle reader to the Square Stand?  Is there a better way to swipe cards on the Square Stand?  I suppose we can manually type in the card.  That is probably an OK option.  I just want to make sure I get the right equipment.

Also, if we already have the scanner, receipt printer and cash drawer for Square Register, will those same square hardware pieces work with the Square Stand with iPad?  Or do we have to get entirely new hardware across the board?

Finally, why the heck is it that the Customer Account cannot show the FILES section on Square Register???    Seems that the functionality of the entire application looks the same as it does on the iPad on Square Stand and that the only feature I have seen that is NOT available is the Files feature in the Customer Account.  Seems very strange.  But it was stated plain as day when I looked it up that "Note: Square Terminal and Register do not support or read file attachments."

https://squareup.com/help/us/en/article/5532-manage-your-customer-directory-from-the-square-app#uplo...

When I do get the new system, the Square Register system that is currently in place is VERY new and perhaps I can sell it.  Is there a market place for selling Square Hardware Equipment?

Thanks for all your help.  I really need to get this figured out soon.  In the mean time, we have a mobile phone with square pos on it so we can look up the customer accounts and view the files attached, but this is definitely not ideal when the customer is standing there ready to check out.

[Candlestore]

@BofBArtStudio ;

Cheryl,

The Register and Terminal are on Android based systems from my understanding and I am not even sure if the Android App on a cell or Tablet can see the files your referring to.  I am not sure on the designs of the apps just that there are limits and differences between what can and cannot be done between Android and Apple app programming.  Also as far as I know you are correct that the little Dongle earpiece adapter is the only way to use the magnetic card reader with the 2nd gen stands.  As for hardware I would look up here: https://squareup.com/shop/hardware/v2/us/en/products/accessories which accessories you would like to switch from Register to the New stand to see if they are compatible.  For the most part I believe the hardware should be compatible.  From seeing the hardware and looking it up most hardware works with the Stands, but may not work with the register.  So if your going from Register to a Stand you should be fine, but double check the link.  As for selling used Square hardware, I have seen some ppl in situations like yours that make a post in the forums here, not sure if Square it is acceptable but I do see it.  As a moderator.  I also see Used Square eguipment for sale on Ebay, even 1st gen Stands.  There are many reasons they could be here on ebay, Business closed, wanted the Stand 2nd gen or switch POS systems entirely. So you could list your Register on Ebay.  

The thing you point out is some of the problems I run into helping people in the forum, I try to help with the 'buttons' I click on a stand but they are different on the register or terminal.  If you have a Dongle that came free when you signed up I believe that is the one you need, not the Ipad / Iphone version for the new stands.  I was watching a review of the new stands when they came out which is where I saw the android type dongle plug into the new stands.  Not sure and there is no clear statement on the hardware or Sand pages saying which Dongle you would need.

[BofBArtStudio]

Thank you, @Candlestore , for your detailed response.  Much appreciated.  I will look into all that you mentioned and suggested.

[ndixon]

@BofBArtStudio one big thing we found out after buying the square register that we were disappointed with is that you can't do inventory counts with the square register. It was a huge bummer finding this out at the end of our fiscal year. Another thing we found out is that you can't even do inventory counts in the dashboard. You need to have an iOS device with the iphone/ipad app to do them.

That said the square register works great. The front facing screen is very handy and makes checking out really nice.

[BofBArtStudio]

Yeah the limitations on the Square register just aren't going to work for us. I'm going to have to buy the square stand with iPad and hope that I can sell the Square register somewhere. Not being able to do inventory counts and not being able to add files to customer accounts is two things so far that are strike against the register. Although I do agree with you that that front facing screen for the customer is very nice.

But the square stand spins and can face the customer as well and that's what we usually do at our other location.

[TCSlaguna]

@BofBArtStudio I think the new gift cards have a barcode or QR code you can scan. No need to swipe. 

Very few of our customers swipe anymore, the majority tap to pay. 

I would just go with the Square Stand with dongle to swipe. 

[Sam_400º]

I’m interested to know what files you use for your customers? 

Having a read through the comments I think I’d want to keep the register and maybe have an iOS device near it?

With the Tap To Pay on iOS I’ve loved having a phone alongside the main POS for mobility and queue busting etc. Would think that would be a perfect device for inventory counts too. 

All this said - I’m not a retail location so probably don’t understand the ins and outs of the set up. 

[BofBArtStudio]

We provide services that require assigned agreement on and we attach those to the customer record. So that when they walk in the next time we can look up that they already have the signed agreement.

We also attach all of paper documents for items that get fired in the kiln and show the dates and times of each item through the process all the way to them picking it up.