Installing and first run

RKCoders POS installs like any other Windows program and keeps everything on the machine you install it on. There is no server to set up and no account to create.

Before you start

You need Windows 10 or Windows 11, 64-bit, with about 250 MB of free disk space plus room for your own data. A 4 GB machine is enough; go to 8 GB if you expect a large catalogue.

If you have a receipt printer or a barcode scanner, plug them in and let Windows install its drivers before you run the setup wizard. That way you can test printing straight away.

Running the installer

Download the installer and double-click it. It installs for the current Windows user, so you do not usually need an administrator password.

Because the build is not code-signed yet, Windows SmartScreen may show a blue panel saying Windows protected your PC. Click More info, then Run anyway. If you want to be certain the file is genuine first, check its SHA-256 against the value published for that release.

The installer lets you change the install folder, and it creates a desktop shortcut and a Start menu entry named RKCoders POS.

The setup wizard

The first time the app opens it runs a one-time wizard. It only ever appears once per installation.

Demo data or an empty store

The wizard’s first real question is how the store should start:

• Demo data fills the catalogue with sample products, categories and images so you can practise on a realistic till. Use this if you are evaluating the app.
• Empty store gives you a clean database with nothing in it. Use this if you are setting up for real.

You cannot switch between them later without starting over, so if you are unsure, install demo data now and do a fresh install when you are ready to go live.

Store name and administrator PIN

Next you name the store and set the administrator PIN. The store name appears on receipts and reports, and you can change it later in Settings.

The PIN is what you will type to sign in, so choose something you will remember but a customer watching over your shoulder will not guess. You can change it later, and you can add more users with their own PINs once you are in.

Finishing

Click through to the end and the app restarts into the sign-in screen. Setup is done.

Where your data lives

Everything is kept in a single SQLite database file inside your Windows user profile, under AppData. Nothing is sent anywhere. Copying that file is a complete backup, and Settings has a backup button that does exactly that for you.

The installer and the uninstaller both leave the database alone, so upgrading or even removing the app will not lose your sales.

When a new version is published, the till shows a notice. Open Settings → About to see the version you are running, then click Update only after you have finished any open sale. The app closes itself to install; it never restarts on its own.

What next

Sign in and take a look around, then start building your catalogue.