In this article, you will learn more about possible system architectures which, according to our current knowledge, can be implemented in Germany with the help of RetailForce Fiscal Middleware and the TSE variants connected to the middleware. All variants are basically independent of the selected integration variant of the RetailForce Fiskal Middleware. For more information, see Installation and Integration variants.

With all variants, the DSFinV-K data is archived in the Secure Archive of the RetailForce Cloud.

Local cash register systems

Single POS with local TSE

This variant is suitable for individual cash registers / stand-alone POS systems. Here, the RetailForce Fiscal Middleware is installed on the respective cash register and the certified Technical Security Device (TSE) is connected directly to the cash register hardware. 

The following requirements apply to this architectural variant:

• one licence of the RetailForce Fiscal Middleware per POS system
• one hardware TSE unit per POS system

Centralised POS systems

For centralised POS systems, there are several variants to choose from, depending on the actual architecture of the POS system.

Central branch POS system with local TSE

In central branch POS systems, the actual POS application either runs on a server within each branch / store or is provided on a back office PC. The individual tills (= clients) is connected to the central system via the local branch network (LAN). The central system must be installed in each individual store.

Hier wird der Fiscal Client, die Fiskal Middleware) auf dem Zentralsystem installiert.

Here the Fiscal Client (the Fiscal Middleware) is installed on the central system.

In this variant, the TSE units are connected directly to the central branch / store server or the back-office PC.

With this system architecture, a distinction must be made as to whether the clients can really be regarded as separate POS systems. This is the case if the individual clients can be distinguished in the database of the POS system. For example, if a separate document number range is managed for each client. In contrast, the server can also be defined as a cash register. In this case, the clients would work sequentially, i.e. they would share a voucher / document number range. In this case, each client waits until other clients have finished creating receipts.

Prerequisites for this architecture variant:

• a (central) installation of the RetailForce Fiscal Middleware - this manages all POS clients
• either
  • one licence per POS client (if the clients can work in parallel) or
  • one licence per central system (if document processing on the client is sequential),
• likewise for the TSE, either
  • one hardware TSE unit per POS client or
  • one hardware TSE unit per branch server or back-office PC.

Central branch POS system with Cloud TSE

As an alternative to local hardware TSEs, cloud TSEs can also be used on centralised branch POS systems for securing receipt documents.

As with the variant described above with locally connected hardware TSEs, the RetailForce Fiscal Client is also installed on the central POS system.

In addition, the SMAERS part of the TSE (SMAERS for Security Module Application for Electronic Record Keeping Systems) must also be installed on the central system. The SMAERS is a software component which establishes a secure connection to the remote CSP (Cryptographic Service Provider), being the signature unit of the TSE.

The prerequisites for this architecture variant are:

• A (central) installation of the RetailForce Fiscal Middleware - managing all POS clients (multi tenant mode),
• a (central) installation of a TSE Cloud Connector (SMAERS),
• either
  • one licence per POS client (if the clients can work in parallel) or
  • one licence per central system (if document processing on the client is sequential),
• likewise for the TSE, either
  • one hardware TSE unit per POS client or
  • one hardware TSE unit per branch server or back-office PC (if the clients can work sequentially).

Central POS System with Cloud TSE

In contrast to the two previous variants, the central system here is not a server available for each branch or the store's back-office PC, but a remote server. The POS application runs on this server. The individual tills access the POS server via the internet (WAN - Wide Area Network), for example via a remote desktop connection. In this case, the tills are not offline-capable and require a permanent online connection to the POS server during the checkout process. 

Just as with the previous architecture variant, the RetailForce Fiscal Middleware and the SMAERS component must be installed on the POS server.

In order to be able to use this variant, the following prerequisites apply:

• a (central) installation of the RetailForce Fiscal Middleware on the POS server - managing all POS clients,
• a (central) installation of a TSE Cloud Connector (SMAERS)
• one licence of RetailForce's Fiscal Middleware per POS client
• one Cloud TSE licence per POS client

In this case, sequentially operating POS systems are not described, as countrywide versions of those systems do not meet the fiscal requirements in our opinion.

Cloud POS System with Cloud TSE

The architecture of cloud-based POS systems is essentially identical to that of central POS systems where the connection between the central server and the clients is established via the internet.

Again, the RetailForce Fiscal Middleware and the SMAERS component must be installed on the POS server.

The important thing with this architecture variant is that the mobile clients need a regular online connection in the course of the checkout process. The clients must have no or only limited offline capabilities.

Requirements for this variant:

• a (central) installation of the RetailForce Fiscal Middleware on the Cloud server, managing all mobile clients (multi tenant mode),
• a (central) installation of a TSE Cloud Connector (SMAERS) also on the Cloud server
• one licence of RetailForce's Fiscal Middleware per Mobile POS client
• one Cloud TSE licence per Mobile POS Client