Revel Systems' retail POS system for the iPad and iPhone — called "Atlas" — is now available worldwide.

Atlas features software innovations that include unprecedented levels of analytics that allow users to see trends in sales to increase or decrease staff at certain times of the day and an enhanced kiosk mode that increases usability for customer ordering, Lisa Falzone, co-founder and CEO of Revel Systems, said in a company press release. This version also allows the ability to create icons or descriptive images for items for purchase by taking photographs using the iPad to allow a more personalized user interface for brands to position themselves to customers.

Designed for both medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, Revel Systems' POS solution eliminates the need for back-office servers, combining the power of the cloud and the security of a local iPad application, Falzone said. It's easily customizable for payroll, inventory tracking, Web ordering and email receipts and manages everything from menu and ingredients to order-taking, secure payment processing and real-time reporting.

Processing millions of dollars with major brands such as Camille's Sidewalk Cafe, Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen, Belkin and Twistee Treat, Revel Systems charges 2 percent per swipe for all major credit cards, versus almost 3 percent of other payment options, Falzone said.

She said other Atlas features include:

• Purchase ordering system that allows users to send vendor e-mails when inventory is low and accepts inventory when it arrives in the system directly from the iPad or via the Web administration console.
• Time scheduling/time clock with iPad picture-taking that verifies identity of users when clocking in via a personal identification number.
• Payroll for employees that prints payroll for staff with different roles (e.g. waiter by day, chef by night) so employees get paid at varying pay rates without hassle.
• Offline mode to allow the POS system to be used anywhere, even if you lose Internet connection; with the database located in the cloud and the iPad, offline mode allows the iPad(s) to re-sync when you're back online.
• External CSV support for enterprises that want access to data in their POS system for import into bigger systems.
• Kitchen display support which eliminates the need for printers in the kitchen and saves hundreds of dollars per year on paper and ink.
• Digital Menu Board support with third-party API allows menu displays to be changed from within the POS, including "combo menu" options.
• Receiver iTouch support that shows customers what they are buying and allows customers to sign with their finger on iTouch screen, eliminating the need to flip the iPad.
• Kiosk support that includes person-less kiosk mode, allowing customers to use the system without an attendant.
• Multi-location support that delivers location-specific support for pricing and taxes.
• PCI-compliant software that does not store credit card information in the iPad. Instead, customer data is encrypted as it passes though the system.