Candela is an excellent retail management system (RMS) for small to mid-size retailers and it is suitable for different retail market segments. Candela is suitable Point of Sale (POS) solution for single store retailers and it is complete supply chain software solution for multi-location or retail chain stores. Candela store module Point of Sale (POS) connects all shops and warehouses to Candela back-office using internet. Candela is flexible and can be configured to match requirements and preferences of individual retailers. Candela helps to increase customer satisfaction through operational efficiency and improved customer shopping experience. Candela incorporates retail industry best practices and helps the retailers to greatly improve their profitability

Customizable and flexible to adapt to business needs

The system contains data definition module which enables the user to feed all the data regarding the business. For example, the user can feed the new products and all data related to it, user can define vendors of different products, user can define shops etc.

Flexible Products and Product Code Definition

System provides options to define products and their attributes based on used preferences. Large number of user defined attributes can be assigned to products. Attributes can be hierarchical and linear. These product attributes are used to get reports for sales, order point, audit, and stocks.

• Flexible SKU definition is available in Candela
• Flexible Code Length – 3 to 15 Characters
• Product Code can be Numeric or Alpha-numeric
• Same product code with different sizes and colors
• Product prices can be different for different colors and sizes
• Product pictures can be attached and are available while making invoices

Complete Bar code enabled software

The system uses a bar code reader to enter sales and transfer of different products. However manual entry is also possible. This ensures the integrity of data and reduces the chances of manual errors.

• Facility of bar code generation from system
• Bar code style can be selected from the available templates
• Sales and returns through bar codes
• Physical audits through bar codes
• Stock dispatches and receipts through bar codes
• Support of Hand Held Scanners (data collectors) through out system

Invoice Generation and Point of Sale

Candela has integrated point of sales terminal which facilitates all the operations to be performed by sales staff at retail outlets. Point of sales is very easy to use and can be operated by salesmen who may not be very educated.

• Candela generates invoices for sales to customers. Shop staff can be restricted to change and view only limited number of previous sales invoices
• The system handles the customer sales and returns at the retail outlets.
• Multiple point of sales terminals can be used at any retail outlet
• During clearance sales, the discounts are calculated by the system and invoice is generated accordingly.

Inventory management and Re-order level

In any retail business the key to success is to maintain a sales-to-stock ratio as high as possible. This means that we should be able to generate maximum sales with minimum stock. Candela is capable of inventory management for head office, retail outlets, and synchronization of data between branches and head office. Inventory management enables the business to obtain a high service level with minimum stock-out (missed sales) cost.

• Re-order level for every stock item (SKU) can be defined
• Re-order for same stock item may be different for different locations
• Analysis of slow moving and fast moving products can be easily done
• Order point analysis can be done to check:
• Stock items above max levels
• Stock items below min levels
• Automated adjustment of Re-order levels based on sales history

Supplier Management Module

The system has integrated vendor module. This enables the users to manage the vendors and their accounts. Also there is provision for direct purchases and consignment purchases.

• Maintain vendor ledgers
• Generate Purchase Orders from System
• Create GRN (goods receipt notes) against the issued PO
• Tracking of balance receivable goods against POs
• Printing of Product pictures on Purchase Orders

Customer Loyalty Program - Member Club

The system enables the user to manage member club. It allows the user to print bar-code enabled membership cards. Complete track of member purchases and buying pattern is maintained. Member communication is facilitated through system generated letters.

• Ability to generate loyalty cards
• Make promotion schemes for members
• Communicate with members
• Analyze member sales

Pilferage Control at retail outlets and warehouses

If the owner of a business is not sitting at a retail outlet, pilferage control becomes a challenge. Candela enables the management to track the movement of goods at different retail outlets. Reconciliation between head office and retail outlets is done by the system and differences, if any, are tracked within seconds.

• Product audit to check the entire movement of stocks
• Re-conciliation capability to compare the head office and retail outlet records
• Daily movement and in-transit stocks tracking
• Analysis of wastage trends – physical audit and stock movement

Physical Audits and Stock Takes

The system stores the result of physical inventory checks and reports any discrepancies. It is possible to perform inventory check manually and enter the results or to carry out this action through bar code reader.

• Candela allows to carryout physical audit of every “Rack” or “Cabinet” Separately
• Candela makes its very easy to feed the physical audit data
• We don’t need to freeze the operations, until physical audit is finalized and approved
• The system allows the users to reverse the implementation of physical audits.
• Hand held scanner (data collector) can be used for physical audits
• Extensive Support for Physical Audit along with Business operations

User Access security Management

The system is secure and only authorized users can operate the system. There is a user access management system which allows access to the users to only those areas for which permission is granted to them. For example, a salesman may not be give the rights to inventory management section. Also, all the actions being performed by a user are logged and record is kept for any future use.

• The administrator of the system can define system users. Only these users can use the software.
• The administrator can make different user groups and assign different privileges to those groups. All users who are made part of a group will have the privileges associated with that user group.
• The system has logging mechanism. All the actions performed by the user, which change the state of system, are logged. Later on, user can see reports related to logging.

Comprehensive Reports for Business Analysis

Candela provides a variety of reports to analyze sales, stocks, inventory movement etc. For all the reports a flexible criteria can be given by the user. Reports can be exported to excel or comma separated files for further analysis. Reports are divided into following categories.

• Sales Reports
• Stocks Reports
• Audit Reports
• Movement Reports
• Member Reports
• Product Reports

Centralized Management of Retail Operations

Availability of complete data regarding sales and stocks, at a centralized location, is essential for accurate and timely business decisions. Sales and stocks information from different retail outlets is made available at the head office. Similarly, stocks information of all warehouses is available at the head office.

• Candela provides centralized data into one single, unified source
• Data from all warehouses and retail outlets is available at head office
• Centralized data helps in good decision making within the retail enterprise

One Step Data Transfer from Shops and Warehouses

Information transfer from shops and warehouses should be very simple, reliable, and one step process. This activity is to be done by salesmen and store in-charge, therefore, it should be very easy to perform. Candela makes this operation extremely simple and does not involve any one from head office. Salesmen can transfer the data to the head office with a click of a button

• Single-click data transfer from retail outlets and warehouses
• Extremely simple and efficient operation
• No head office involvement is required during data transfer
• Data transfer can be done over a phone connection (phone to phone)
• Data transfer can be done over the internet connection

Automated stock refilling at retail outlets

One of the core strengths of Candela lies in the automated stock distribution ability. Candela enables the users to transfer the stocks to the retail outlets automatically. The system has information about the sales and inventory of retail outlets. Based on this information, the system generates stock transfer orders for all retail outlets.

• Manually it is not possible to calculate, what is required at each outlet
• Candela calculates the required quantities automatically, according to inventory re-order levels
• Many Stock optimization algorithm are built in Candela to suit routine business needs
• Mismatch between the dispatched stocks and received stocks are handles by the system.

Stock transfer and Optimization algorithms

The system can handle the transfer of inventory from one branch to another. In such case the inventory of the source is adjusted on dispatch, while the inventory of the destination is adjusted on receipt of the goods. The system keeps the track of inventory and stocks which are in-transit i.e. which are dispatched from one location but are not received by other location.

• Stocks are optimized across retail outlets based on shop priorities
• Automated transfers based on inventory re-order levels
• Excess Inventory stock outs based on inventory levels
• Season End stock outs
• All transfers take care of in-transit stocks

Franchise Shops Management

Candela enables the management to configure the retail outlets as company owned or franchised. For Franchised shops, the profit and expense sharing mechanism is defined. Franchisee account management becomes effortless with complete history.

• Gross Revenue sharing ratio between owner and Franchisee
• Discount sharing ratio between owner and Franchisee
• Sharing of expenses between owner and Franchisee
• Sharing ratio for Member discounts

Reverse Logistics – Goods returned by customers in Claims

Effective customer service should be provided to maintain a long-term relationship with the customer. If the customer complaints and claims about defective products are handled quickly, the relationship becomes stronger.

• Ability to handle the customer complaints
• Customer complaints and claims against defective products
• Complete workflow is implemented