Printers and BCSS

BCSS is compatible with most laser, inkjet, bubblejet and dot matrix printers.

About Printer Drivers

A 'driver' is software that converts data to be printed to a form the printer recognizes. Like any software, drivers sometimes become corrupted or lost and need to be reinstalled.

When basic troubleshooting steps don't resolve printing issues, click on one of these links to locate the printer driver:

• Epson Receipt Printer
• Hewlett-Packard Support and Drivers
• POS-X EVO Thermal Receipt Printer
• POS-X XR210 Impact Receipt Printer
• Star TSP600 Thermal Receipt Printer
• Zebra Thermal Printers

With BCSS Intro Print:

• Address Labels
• Checks (1 per page or 3 per page)
• Lists of Consignors, Sales and Settlements
• Labels on a partially-used sheet of labels
• Price Labels (one per item - Information must be reentered each time labels are needed.)
• Reports (details about your business)
• Sale Invoices (Receipts) on 8.5" x 11" paper

With BCSS Deluxe, Diamond, and Virtual print these additional items:

• Bar Codes
• Hang Tags
• Lists of Inventory, Disbursements and Checks
• Lists of Buyers and Employees (Diamond and Virtual)
• 3" Multi-Ply Receipts using a Receipt Printer
• Multiple Price Labels for Same Item
• Reprint Price Labels for Existing Items
• Thermal Price Tags (Diamond or Virtual using Zebra Thermal Printers)

Document Printers

These are typically laser-style printers (inkjet, bubblejet, LaserJet) and dot-matrix printers that print on 8.5" x 11" paper.

Laser-Style Printers

Laser-style printers are the most common. They may be used with BCSS to print sales receipts on 8.5" x 11" but that may be a waste of paper and some store owners feel this style of receipt doesn't present a good image. Ink is also expensive so many stores use a special 'receipt printer' to print cheaper and more attractive 3" sales receipts (which may be printed in duplicate).

Dot Matrix Printers

A dot matrix printer or impact matrix printer refers to a type of printer with a print head that runs back and forth over the paper and prints by impact, striking an ink-soaked cloth ribbon against the paper, much like a typewriter. Unlike a typewriter or daisy wheel printer, letters are drawn out of a 'dot matrix' allowing varied fonts and arbitrary graphics. Because the printing involves mechanical pressure, these printers can create carbon copies.

Printing Receipts with Laser and Dot Matrix Printers

Laser and Dot Matrix printers print receipts (sales invoices) on full sheets of 8.5" x 11" paper. This is an example of the upper portion of the BCSS Sales Receipt:

While this method is convenient (no special setup, printers already in place and/or cheaper than thermal printers) and produces a professional-looking receipt, it can be the most costly in the long run because ink cartridges are expensive, more so if 2 copies of invoices are necessary. As seen below, special receipt printers cost more initially but use printing technologies (ink ribbon or thermal) that avoid laser-style ink cartridges.

Receipt Printers

BCSS is compatible with these printers: POS-X, Epson TM-U220, Star SP212, TSP600 and DP8340, Samsung SRP350

Receipt printers can be dot-matrix (impact with ribbon) or thermal (heat transfer with print head).

A receipt printer prints one or multiple copies of a receipt (on 3" roll paper) showing the details of the sale: date, items, quantity, price, subtotal, tax, total amount.

A dot-matrix-impact printer uses the older technology of ink ribbon and the impact of a printer head against the ribbon to place ink on the paper. The 'impact' does make it possible to use 3-ply paper and multiple ink colors are available. There is some (negligible) noise during printing.

A thermal printer uses thermal heat to apply ink to paper. Printing is silent. Copies of the receipt may be printed by reprinting the sale.

A cash drawer can be connected to a receipt printer. When a receipt is printed, the cash drawer is opened. (The POS-X drawer may be connected directly to the PC for operation without a receipt printer.) A cash drawer and receipt printer emulate a cash register.

BCSS will generally work with most receipt printers and has been configured specifically for the POS-X XR210 Impact Printer and the EVO Thermal Printer. BCSS has also been tested with the Epson TM-U220, the Star TSP 600, SP212 and DP8340). All printers are available from BCSS. Prices include manuals and shipping.

The easiest way to determine if a receipt printer (other than those mentioned) will work with BCSS is to install the printer, select the printer in BCSS Program Setup (Printers) and test it. If the printer doesn't work, confirm that the printer works with a test print then contact support to have the printer driver added to BCSS (for $79).

Receipt Printer Setup

Receipt printers are shipped with manuals explaining how to setup them up and use them. They should be used with USB ports for best performance. The cable should be tested with another piece of hardware to assure that it is functional.

In BCSS, go to File, Program Setup, Printers and select the printer to be used for printing receipts.

Font size can be adjusted for Headers and Text by changing the values for Receipt Printer Settings in Program Setup, Printers.

Thermal Price Tag Printers Please see Zebra Thermal Printers.

If you did not purchase telephone support, please email support for help. (Add the domain name mm.st to your email program's Approved Senders List or White List to lessen the chance that spam filters will block our emails to you. Instructions)