RKSV-Compliant POS Systems: A Guide for Providers

Compliance with the Cash Register Security Ordinance (RKSV) is not only a legal obligation for all cash register system providers in Austria but also a mark of quality that customers trust. Given the technical and administrative requirements associated with RKSV, ensuring compliance can be challenging. This guide offers practical steps for cash register system providers to make their products RKSV-compliant and thus achieve legal security.

Step 1: Understanding RKSV Requirements

Before you start adapting your cash register systems, it’s crucial to develop a deep understanding of RKSV requirements, which include:

• Individual recording obligation: Each transaction must be individually recorded and documented.
• Receipt issuance obligation: A receipt must be generated for each transaction and handed to the customer, whether in traditional print form or as a digital receipt.
• Security device (SE) or signature creation unit: Each cash register system must be equipped with an SE, specifically a signature creation unit (SEE), which signs transactions and stores them in a tamper-proof manner.

Step 2: Choosing the Right Technology

To meet RKSV requirements, POS providers must choose the right technology. This involves deciding between different types of technical security devices:

• Signature cards or
• Cloud-based solutions, such as those offered by fiskaly with SIGN AT.

While traditional signature cards require a physical component in each cash register system, cloud solutions offer a more flexible and often more cost-effective alternative that does not require hardware installation.

Step 3: Implementing the Security Device

After selecting the technology, cash register providers must integrate the security device (SE) into their products. For cloud solutions, this means setting up an interface to the cloud platform that handles signature creation and storage. It’s important that this integration is secure and complies with RKSV regulations.

Step 4: Ensuring Transparency and Compliance

To ensure full RKSV compliance, providers must also cover aspects such as automatic receipt generation and individual recording of each transaction. Additionally, cash register systems should be capable of receiving automatic updates to always meet current legal requirements.

Step 5: Support and Training for End Users

After implementing the necessary technical solutions, it's equally important to support end-users – i.e., merchants and cash register users. Comprehensive documentation and reliable customer service can greatly contribute to smooth usage and compliance with RKSV.

Conclusion

Adapting cash register systems to RKSV is a complex task that requires a deep understanding of legal requirements, selection of the right technology, and careful implementation. By considering these steps, cash register providers can ensure RKSV compliance, and also enhance the value of their products for end-users. Ultimately, complying with RKSV is not just a legal necessity but also an opportunity to build trust with customers and offer a fully compliant product.