A unified solution for Retail, Restaurant, and Hotel operations with hybrid online/offline architecture and European market focus
Project Foundation
What We're Building
XOVO is a universal POS platform designed to serve three distinct industries under one integrated system: Retail, Restaurant, and Hotel operations. This Phase 1 document defines our complete scope, user requirements, and implementation roadmap.
Our approach combines detailed user stories with real-world journey narratives to ensure we build exactly what our clients need.
Core Platform Principles
Hybrid Architecture
Online and offline operation ensures business continuity during network outages. Transactions continue seamlessly and sync when connectivity returns.
European Focus
Multi-currency support, robust VAT/tax handling, compliance with EU data privacy laws, and multi-language capabilities built from the ground up.
Unified Platform
One system managing retail sales, restaurant orders, and hotel operations with shared customer data and consolidated reporting.
Our User Personas
We've identified four key personas whose needs drive every feature decision:
Platform Administrator (XOVO Team) – System setup and maintenance
Business Owner/Manager – Configuration and oversight
Frontline Staff – Daily operations and customer service
End Customer/Guest – Recipients of service quality
Requirements Framework
MoSCoW Prioritization
Every feature is categorized to ensure we deliver critical functionality first while maintaining flexibility for enhancements.
Priority Categories Defined
Must Have
Critical features required for day-one availability. These form the backbone of daily operations and cannot be compromised.
Should Have
Important enhancements planned for Phase 1 if resources allow. These significantly improve user experience and efficiency.
Could Have
Optional features that are nice-to-have or candidates for later phases. These represent future innovation opportunities.
Platform Administrator Role
XOVO Team
Manages the entire SaaS platform, creates tenant accounts, maintains system health, and ensures security compliance
Key Responsibilities
Multi-tenant account creation and configuration
System health monitoring and performance tracking
Security audit logging and backup management
Device registration and authorization
Support access with full audit trails
Platform Admin Must-Have Features
Tenant Management
Create isolated environments for each client with appropriate industry modules enabled
Security & Audit
Comprehensive logging of all critical actions with 2FA and role-based access control
System Monitoring
Real-time health dashboard tracking uptime, response times, and error rates
Data Protection
Automated daily backups with point-in-time recovery and integrity verification
Device Control
Register and monitor all POS hardware with ability to deactivate lost/stolen devices
Client-Side Users
Business Owner/Manager
The client's owner or manager who configures their business on the platform and manages staff and operational settings across Retail, Restaurant, and Hotel modules.
Retail Module Overview
Store managers need comprehensive tools to manage products, inventory, staff, and daily sales operations.
Core capabilities include:
Product catalog with categories and variants
Real-time inventory tracking with low-stock alerts
Tax configuration and payment methods
Staff account management with permissions
Daily sales summaries and reconciliation
Retail Must-Have Features
Product Management
Create and maintain product catalogs with SKUs, barcodes, pricing, and categories
Inventory Control
Automatic updates on sales, manual adjustments with reason codes, and reorder alerts
Tax & Payments
Configure VAT rates and enable appropriate payment methods for the business
Staff Management
Create accounts with role-based permissions and audit trails for accountability
Reporting
Daily summaries, top-selling products, and end-of-day Z reports for reconciliation
Offline Mode
Continue operations during outages with automatic sync when connectivity returns
Restaurant Module Overview
Restaurant managers configure menus, table layouts, and service workflows to optimize dining operations.
Essential features:
Menu items with custom modifiers and options
Digital floor plan with table management
Kitchen order routing to displays and printers
User roles for servers, hosts, and kitchen staff
End-of-day sales and tips summaries
Restaurant Must-Have Features
Menu Setup
Create items with descriptions, prices, categories, and custom modifiers for preparation styles and add-ons
Floor Plan
Visual layout of dining area with table assignments and real-time availability status
Kitchen Display
Route orders to appropriate preparation areas with timing alerts and status updates
Permissions
Role-based access with manager authorization required for voids and comps
Service Charges
Automatic gratuity rules for large parties and tip tracking for distribution
Hotel Module Overview
Hotel managers set up room inventory, rates, and policies to manage the complete guest lifecycle from reservation to checkout.
Critical capabilities:
Room inventory with types and status tracking
Rate management with seasonal adjustments
Tax configuration including VAT and city taxes
Guest folio management with charge posting
Housekeeping and maintenance coordination
Hotel Must-Have Features
Room Management
Define room types, rates, and track status (clean, dirty, occupied, out-of-order)
Reservations
Create and manage bookings with cancellation policies and guest preferences
Folio System
Track all charges and payments with ability to post from other departments
Housekeeping
Task lists and status updates that sync with front desk availability
Check-In/Out
Streamlined processes with ID scanning, payment authorization, and key encoding
Tax Handling
Configure VAT, city tax, and tourism levies with automatic calculation
Daily Operations
Frontline Staff
Cashiers, servers, front desk agents, and other staff who use the platform in day-to-day operations. Their priorities are speed, ease of use, and accuracy.
Retail Staff Workflow
Cashiers need fast product lookup, flexible payment options, and the ability to handle returns and discounts efficiently. The system must work even when internet connectivity is lost.
Retail Staff Must-Have Features
Transaction Processing
Fast barcode scanning and product lookup
Edit cart items and quantities easily
Apply discounts with manager approval
Automatic tax calculation
Multiple payment methods including split payments
Cash drawer management with safe drops
Customer Service
Print and email receipts
Process returns and refunds
Void or cancel transactions
Quick PIN or biometric login
End-of-shift cash count and reconciliation
Offline mode for uninterrupted service
Restaurant Staff Workflow
Restaurant staff coordinate seamlessly from front-of-house to kitchen, with real-time order transmission and status updates ensuring smooth service during busy periods.
Restaurant Staff Must-Have Features
Host Functions
View live table status, seat guests, assign servers, manage reservations and waitlist
Server Tools
Enter orders by table, add modifiers, send to kitchen/bar, modify orders, split bills
Kitchen Display
View orders with timing alerts, mark items in progress or ready, notify servers
Payment
Generate checks, split bills multiple ways, process payments, track tips
Hotel Staff Workflow
Front desk agents manage the complete guest lifecycle with housekeeping and maintenance staff coordinating room readiness through integrated status updates.
Hotel Staff Must-Have Features
Front Desk Operations
Real-time room status dashboard
Create and modify reservations
Streamlined check-in with ID scanning
Credit card pre-authorization
Key card encoding integration
Guest folio management
Post charges from other departments
Check-out with final billing
Support Operations
Housekeeping task lists
Update room cleaning status
Notify front desk when rooms ready
Report maintenance issues
Track out-of-order rooms
Guest profile and preference tracking
Walk-in check-in capability
Enhanced Capabilities
Should-Have Features
Important enhancements that significantly improve user experience and operational efficiency. These will be included in Phase 1 as resources allow.
Retail Should-Have Enhancements
Product Variants
Manage items with multiple attributes (size, color) as a matrix with individual SKUs and stock levels
Bulk Operations
Import/update products via CSV files and perform bulk price changes
Loyalty Program
Configure points earning and redemption with customer enrollment at POS
Performance Tracking
Monitor sales per cashier with metrics on transactions, voids, and average values
Advanced Analytics
Sales trends by day, time, and season with year-over-year comparisons
Mobile Tools
Staff can check stock and product info on handheld devices while on sales floor
Restaurant Should-Have Enhancements
Time-Based Menus
Automatically switch between breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus based on time of day
Reservation Management
Full booking system integrated with floor plan to prevent double-booking
Server Sections
Assign servers to specific tables or areas with automatic workload balancing
Menu Analytics
Identify top and bottom performers to optimize menu offerings
Performance Reports
Track server sales, upsells, and table turnover for coaching and recognition
Tip Distribution
Calculate tip pooling and distribution based on configurable rules
Hotel Should-Have Enhancements
Out-of-Order Management
Track maintenance duration and lost revenue from unavailable rooms
Performance Metrics
Calculate ADR, RevPAR, and occupancy by room type for revenue optimization
Multi-Currency
Accept payments in foreign currencies with automatic conversion
Split Billing
Divide folios for shared rooms or corporate/personal charge separation
Group Bookings
Manage blocks of rooms for events with rooming lists and group rates
Channel Tracking
Tag reservation sources to analyze which channels drive bookings and revenue
Technical Foundation
Hybrid Architecture
Our platform is designed to work seamlessly both online and offline, ensuring business continuity regardless of connectivity status.
Online/Offline Operation
Online Mode
When connected to the internet, the system operates with full cloud capabilities:
Real-time data synchronization across all devices
Immediate payment processing and authorization
Live inventory updates across locations
Instant access to customer profiles and history
Cloud-based reporting and analytics
Automatic backups and data protection
Offline Mode
When connectivity is lost, core functions continue uninterrupted:
Local caching of product catalogs and pricing
Transaction recording with secure card data capture
Queue management for pending operations
Automatic synchronization upon reconnection
No data loss or duplication after sync
Clear visual indicators of offline status
Data Synchronization Flow
The system intelligently manages the transition between online and offline states, ensuring data integrity and preventing conflicts during synchronization.
European Market
Regional Compliance
Built from the ground up with European standards in mind, ensuring compliance with local regulations and business practices.
European Market Features
Multi-Currency
Handle Euro and other currencies with proper conversion, rounding, and exchange rate management
VAT Handling
Robust value-added tax configuration with support for multiple rates and categories
City Taxes
Configure local tourism taxes, occupancy fees, and other regional charges
Data Privacy
GDPR compliance with proper data handling, retention policies, and user consent management
Multi-Language
Staff interfaces and customer outputs support multiple European languages
Local Formats
Date, time, number, and currency formatting adapted to regional preferences
User Experience
Journey-Based Design
We've mapped complete user journeys from initial setup through daily operations to ensure intuitive workflows and seamless experiences.
Platform Onboarding Journey
XOVO administrators prepare a new client environment before handoff to the business owner:
01
Create Tenant
Set up isolated environment with selected modules and initial configuration
02
Configure Profile
Upload logo, enter tax IDs, set currency and language defaults
03
Add Locations
Create multiple store/restaurant/hotel locations under one account
04
Register Devices
Authorize POS terminals, tablets, printers, and other hardware
05
Create Admin User
Set up primary business owner account with full permissions
Retail Business Setup Journey
Store managers configure their business before going live:
1
Store Profile
Verify details, upload logo, configure taxes and payment methods
2
Add Products
Create categories, enter items individually or bulk import from CSV
3
Staff Accounts
Create employee logins with appropriate roles and permissions
4
Test Hardware
Verify scanners, printers, cash drawers, and card readers work correctly
Restaurant Setup Journey
Restaurant managers prepare their system for service:
1
Restaurant Profile
Configure name, logo, tax rates, and service charge rules
2
Floor Plan
Design digital layout matching actual dining room with table assignments
3
Menu Items
Add dishes with descriptions, prices, categories, and custom modifiers
4
Kitchen Routing
Configure which items go to which printers or kitchen displays
5
Staff Setup
Create accounts for servers, hosts, bartenders, and kitchen staff
Hotel Setup Journey
Hotel managers configure their property management system:
1
Hotel Profile
Set check-in/out times, cancellation policies, and tax configuration
2
Room Types
Define categories with base rates, occupancy, and amenities
3
Room Inventory
Add all physical rooms with numbers, types, and initial status
4
Rate Management
Configure seasonal pricing and special event rates
5
Staff & Devices
Create front desk, housekeeping accounts and test key encoders
Daily Operations
Real-World Scenarios
We've documented detailed workflows showing how the system handles typical business days, including edge cases and offline situations.
Retail Daily Operations
A typical day at a retail store using XOVO:
Morning Open
Cashier logs in, enters starting cash float, system ready for sales
Our phased approach ensures we deliver critical functionality first while maintaining flexibility for enhancements.
Phase 1 Priorities
We focus development resources on must-have features that enable day-one operations, then add should-have enhancements as time permits, with could-have features deferred to future phases.
Success Metrics
100%
Must-Have Coverage
All critical features delivered for retail, restaurant, and hotel operations
80%
Should-Have Target
Aim to include majority of enhancement features in Phase 1 timeline
3
Month Timeline
Targeted launch window for Phase 1 with all must-have features
Documentation
What We've Delivered
This comprehensive document provides everything needed to guide Phase 1 development and design.
Document Components
User Personas
Detailed profiles of platform admins, business owners, frontline staff, and customers
User Stories
200+ requirements organized by persona and prioritized with MoSCoW method
User Journeys
Step-by-step workflows from setup through daily operations with screen references
Screen Inventory
Complete list of all interfaces needed for Phase 1 implementation
Technical Specs
Architecture details including offline mode, security, and integration points
Regional Focus
European market requirements including VAT, multi-currency, and GDPR compliance
Next Steps
Moving Forward
With requirements defined and journeys mapped, we're ready to proceed into design and development phases.
Immediate Actions
01
Design Phase
Create Figma prototypes for all screens using the inventory as a checklist
02
Technical Architecture
Finalize database schema, API design, and offline sync mechanisms
03
Development Sprints
Begin implementation starting with must-have features for each module
04
Testing Strategy
Develop test cases based on user journeys to validate real-world scenarios
05
Stakeholder Review
Regular check-ins to ensure alignment with business objectives
Key Deliverables Timeline
Month 1
Complete UI/UX design in Figma
Finalize technical architecture
Set up development environment
Begin core platform development
Implement authentication and RBAC
Month 2
Develop retail module must-haves
Develop restaurant module must-haves
Develop hotel module must-haves
Implement offline mode
Hardware integration testing
Month 3
Add should-have features
Complete cross-module integration
Comprehensive testing and QA
Documentation and training materials
Phase 1 launch preparation
Ready to Build
XOVO Phase 1 – A Solid Foundation
This comprehensive specification provides clear direction for creating a unified POS platform that serves retail, restaurant, and hotel operations with enterprise-grade reliability and European market compliance.
By combining detailed requirements with real-world user journeys, we ensure the development team builds exactly what businesses need while designers create intuitive interfaces that delight users.