What are POS Abbreviations?

POS abbreviations are short forms of commonly used "point of sale" terms. All the above are used throughout POS terminals, reports, receipts, and dashboards for the main reasons of space-saving and as a general way of conveying information. The abbreviations can be seen at front-of-house and back-office and are used frequently by business owners, managers, and employees.

Knowing how to read and understand the 'POS' abbreviation allows users to better read the data provided by the POS System, reduce confusion, and work more effectively with the software.

Why are POS abbreviations used?

POS systems manage large quantities of transactional and operational data. Due to this, most POS systems use shortened versions of words rather than the actual words so that each can be displayed on screens, receipts, and reports clearly.

These abbreviations also make sure all of the reports are consistent and will help your team communicate faster, especially during busy periods, as without understanding basic abbreviations, information could be missed or confused.

Most Used POS Abbreviations

Although there are minor differences in the way that they are used between systems, many of the same abbreviations are used throughout the industry.

• POS – Point of Sale
• SKU – Stock Keeping Unit
• PLU – Price Look-Up
• COGS – Cost of Goods Sold
• EOD – End of Day
• Z-Report – End-of-day sales summary
• X-Report – Mid-shift or interim sales report
• GST/VAT – Goods and Services Tax or Value Added Tax
• Tx – Transaction