POS Integrations Guide
Your POS system doesn't work in isolation. The right integrations eliminate double-entry, sync data automatically, and give you a complete view of your business. This guide covers the most valuable POS integrations and how to choose them.
Accounting Integrations: Eliminate Manual Bookkeeping
Accounting integrations automatically send sales data, taxes, fees, and payment deposits to your bookkeeping software. This eliminates hours of manual entry and reduces errors. Most POS systems integrate with QuickBooks and Xero. The integration syncs daily sales summaries, itemized transactions, payment processing fees, and tax collected. Your accountant will thank you.
- •QuickBooks: Most widely supported, works with Square, Toast, Clover, Shopify
- •Xero: Popular with modern businesses, similar integration capabilities
- •What gets synced: Sales totals, payment fees, taxes, refunds, deposits
- •Frequency: Daily automatic sync is standard, real-time is rare
Inventory Management: Multi-Location and Advanced Features
Basic inventory is built into most POS systems. Advanced inventory integrations handle multi-location stock, purchase orders, supplier management, and demand forecasting. These are essential for growing retail businesses. Tools like DEAR, Cin7, or TradeGecko connect to your POS and provide warehouse-level capabilities.
- •When you need it: Multiple locations, wholesale + retail, complex products
- •What it adds: Purchase orders, stock transfers, low-stock alerts, forecasting
- •Popular options: DEAR Inventory, Cin7, Katana (manufacturing)
- •Cost: $200-500/month for mid-sized businesses
Ecommerce Integrations: Unified Inventory Across Channels
Selling both in-store and online creates an inventory nightmare without integration. Ecommerce integrations sync inventory counts in real-time—when you sell a product in-store, it's immediately unavailable online. This prevents overselling and manual inventory adjustments. Shopify POS has the best built-in ecommerce integration. Square and others integrate with platforms like WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Shopify.
- •Native ecommerce: Shopify POS (seamless), Square Online (decent)
- •Third-party platforms: WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento
- •What syncs: Inventory counts, product details, pricing, customer data
- •Caveat: Two-way sync can cause conflicts—test thoroughly
Loyalty and Marketing: Build Customer Relationships
Loyalty integrations track customer purchases, award points, and trigger marketing campaigns based on buying behavior. Some POS systems have built-in loyalty (Square, Toast). Others integrate with dedicated platforms like LoyaltyLion, Smile.io, or Marsello. The best setups automatically enroll customers, track lifetime value, and send targeted promotions.
- •Built-in loyalty: Square Loyalty, Toast Loyalty, Lightspeed Loyalty
- •Third-party options: Marsello, LoyaltyLion, Smile.io
- •Email marketing: Mailchimp, Klaviyo (powerful for ecommerce)
- •SMS marketing: Postscript, Attentive (high engagement for restaurants)
Payroll and Labor Management: Schedule and Track Hours
Payroll integrations connect time-clock data from your POS to payroll processors. Employees clock in/out on the POS, hours sync automatically, and payroll runs without manual timesheets. Labor management adds shift scheduling, break compliance, and labor cost reporting. This is especially valuable for restaurants and retail with hourly staff.
- •Payroll processors: Gusto, ADP, Paychex (all integrate with major POS)
- •Labor management: 7shifts (restaurants), Homebase, When I Work
- •What syncs: Clock-in/out times, tips, shift schedules
- •Compliance: Automatic break tracking helps avoid labor law violations
Delivery and Online Ordering: Third-Party Platforms
Restaurant POS systems integrate with delivery platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Orders from these apps appear directly in your POS and kitchen display system—no tablets to manage. This reduces errors and centralizes all orders in one system. Toast, Square, and Clover all support third-party delivery integrations.
- •Major platforms: DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, Postmates
- •What it solves: Eliminates tablet clutter, reduces order errors
- •Menu sync: Changes in POS automatically update delivery apps
- •Commission costs: Platforms charge 15-30%, integration doesn't reduce this
Choosing Integrations: Start Essential, Add as Needed
Don't integrate everything at once. Start with accounting (essential for everyone). Add ecommerce if you sell online. Add inventory management when you outgrow basic POS inventory. Add loyalty when you have steady customer traffic. Each integration adds complexity—only add what you'll actually use.
- •Essential first: Accounting (QuickBooks or Xero)
- •Second tier: Ecommerce (if you sell online), Payroll (if you have staff)
- •Advanced: Inventory management, loyalty, marketing automation
- •Test before committing: Most integrations offer free trials
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Integrating too many tools at launch
Each integration adds complexity and potential failure points. Start with accounting only, add more as you grow.
Not testing inventory sync thoroughly
Two-way inventory sync can create conflicts and overselling. Test with a small product set first.
Assuming integrations are free
Many integrations require premium POS plans or separate subscription fees. Factor this into your budget.
Ignoring data mapping and setup
Integrations need configuration—product categories, tax codes, account mappings. Budget time for setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all POS systems integrate with QuickBooks?
Most major POS systems (Square, Toast, Clover, Shopify, Lightspeed) integrate with QuickBooks Online. QuickBooks Desktop support is less common. Always verify before committing to a POS.
Are integrations included or do they cost extra?
It varies. Some integrations (like QuickBooks sync) are included in your POS plan. Others require premium plans or separate subscription fees. Check your specific POS pricing.
Can I build custom integrations?
Most modern POS systems offer APIs for custom integrations. Square, Shopify, and Clover have well-documented APIs. Expect to hire a developer—budget $2,000-10,000 for custom integrations.
What happens when an integration breaks?
Integrations can break when either platform updates their system. Good POS providers notify you and fix issues quickly. Always have a manual backup process for critical operations like accounting.