Integrated operations
One retail workflow
POS, stock, purchasing, transfers, customer activity, promotions, reporting and financial processing remain connected instead of operating as isolated functions.
IMS Retail Management System — Documentation
Searchable, step-by-step guidance for IMS 9.4.4 — from multi-company sign-in and POS to VAT, inventory, reporting, external integrations, Shopify, automation and administration.
What is IMS?
IMS (Inventory Management System) is an integrated retail management platform designed around the day-to-day needs of multi-store fashion retail.
IMS brings point-of-sale sales and returns, inventory and stock movement, purchasing, merchandise master data, promotions and loyalty, reporting, financial integration, e-commerce and background automation into one operational system. It connects the work performed by Stores, warehouses, head office and online channels through the same retail data and transaction history.
Fashion merchandise is managed through dimensions such as Style, Color, Size, Season/Statistical Period, Supplier, Brand, Category, Product Group, Age Range and Gender. These dimensions flow into stock control, replenishment, sell-through, sales analysis, gross-income reporting and other operational decisions throughout IMS.
Fashion retail
Built around merchandise
Style/color/size variants, seasons, brands, suppliers and merchandise classifications are first-class parts of both daily operations and reporting.
Control & visibility
From transaction to analysis
Permissions, audit history, stock traceability, financial journals, Shopify workflows, automation and detailed reports keep operational activity visible and controlled.
Recommended learning path
New to IMS? Follow these pages in order to understand the workspace, complete the core POS workflow, then move into inventory, master data and reporting. If you already know what you need, use Browse by IMS area below.
01
Start, login & main screenLearn workstation authorization, sign-in, the IMS workspace, menus, shortcuts and connection status.
02
Sales overviewUnderstand the five Sales toolbar functions and how a normal Store/POS workflow fits together.
03
Open/Close POSOpen the POS shift, select active card machines, reconcile closing cash and close the business day.
04
Sales TransactionsLearn the main POS transaction screen for sales, returns, exchanges, payments, customers and loyalty.
05
Items SearchFind merchandise, prices and Store availability while working at the POS.
06
Transactions ExpertReview existing receipts, logs, journals and the controlled correction tools available to your policy.
07
Inventory overviewMove from POS activity into stock transfers, receiving, replenishment, purchases and inventory control.
08
Manage overviewUnderstand the master data and retail definitions that drive transactions, stock and reporting.
09
Reports overviewUse IMS operational and management reports after understanding the transactions and master data behind them.
10
VAT & Tax ConfigurationConfigure VAT, purchase tax codes, supplier VAT data and understand how VAT flows through Purchases and Sales.
11
Integration CenterConfigure outbound integrations, preview source data and investigate synchronization results.
Browse by IMS area
The documentation follows the same top-level organization users see in IMS. Menu visibility in the application depends on each user's access policy.
Module
Sales
The five direct POS toolbar functions covering transactions, item lookup, POS shifts, cash drawer access and transaction administration.
Sales overview · Sales Transactions · Items Search · Open/Close POS · Open Drawer · Transactions Expert
Module
Inventory
Move, receive, replenish, purchase, adjust, value and trace stock across IMS locations.
Stock Transfer · Transfer Following · Replenishment · Purchases · Stock Depreciation · Stock Adjustments · Stock Level · Item Movement
Module
Financial
Configure accounting integration and purchase VAT/tax codes, control financial periods, prepare and reconcile journals, maintain financial master data, record customer receipts and manage gift vouchers.
Financial overview · Integration Setup · Close Fin Period · Posting · Posted Transactions · Journals Monitoring · Banks · Currencies · Sales Payment Types · Purchasing Expenses · Cash Receipts · Gift Vouchers · VAT & Tax Configuration
Module
Reports
Operational, sales, customer, profitability, inventory-performance and purchasing reporting.
Reports overview · Cash Report · Store Sales Report · Main Sales Report · Sell Through · Purchasing · User-Defined Reports
Module
Manage
Retail master data and configuration for suppliers, Stores, merchandise, promotions, customers, communications and Special Cards.
Manage overview · Suppliers · Stores · Items · Special Offers · VIP Customers · Special Cards
Module
Tools
Operational utilities, scheduled maintenance, background automation and configurable reporting tools.
Tools overview · Label Printing · Stock Maintenance · IMS Autos · Custom Views · Custom Reports · Reporting Scheduler · Custom Attributes
Module
System
User security, permissions, audit history, company-wide settings, workstation authorization, diagnostics and update functions.
System overview · Change Password · Options · Users Accounts · Group Policies · Users Activity · Settings · Workstation Admin · System Dashboard
Module
Shopify
Connect online channels with IMS order processing, background order import, Store fulfillment, inventory synchronization, sales/refunds/exchanges, JIT purchasing and financial journals.
Shopify overview · Incoming Orders · Fulfillment Requests · Manage Profiles · Integration Server
Module
Integration
External workflows for stock taking and V-Count, plus Integration Center for configurable outbound endpoints, source previews and synchronization monitoring.
Integration overview · Starco Stock Take · V-Count Settings · Integration Center
Access & permissions
IMS adapts the main toolbar and menus to the logged-in user's permissions. A menu or command that another user can see may be hidden on your workstation if your account does not have the required access.
Documentation rulePages describe where a feature normally appears. If the feature is missing in IMS, check user access with your system administrator rather than assuming the installation is incomplete.
No matching topic on this page yet. More IMS pages will be added as documentation grows.