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Solution Features Comparison

March 25, 2026

Description

Overview and feature comparison of Essentials, Essentials Light, Restaurant and Retail Solutions

What's in this article?

Solution: Essentials Light | Essentials | Retail | Restaurant

 

Solution Overview

The Essentials Light, Essentials, Retail, and Restaurant Solutions from Bank of America include an Android application that runs on a variety of payment terminal options, including the A60, A920, E700 and E800. Solutions are deployed through the Cloud and offer remote access to the Back Office for setting configuration preferences, running reports, and accessing other features. Receipt customization, the ability to email a receipt, a partial refund option, payments through a digital wallet, and card not present transaction capability is available on all solutions. The Android application used by Essentials Light, Essentials, and Retail Solution is referred to as the Essentials Suite App. The Android application for Restaurant Solution is the Restaurant App.

Bank of America offers different solutions tailored to your business needs:

Essentials Light
  • Essentials Light supports a single location.
  • Essentials Light can support more than one device in a single store.
  • Online Ordering is not supported for Essentials Light.
  • An external weight scale may be sourced and used to sell items by weight using manual entry.

table of features that are limited for Essentials Light
FeatureEssentials Light supports
InventoryUp to 10 categories
Up to 500 items
Discounting an open item/ticket by amount or percentage off
Adding items and categories in Back Office, but not on the POS
EmployeeUp to 10 employees
Default user roles of Cashier and Account Manager
TaxTwo tax categories
One tax jurisdiction
TippingInline tipping only
AlertsLimited to three alerts 
Essentials

Simple quick/counter service or simple retail establishments that do not need the advanced features of the Restaurant Solution like table management or kitchen routing, or the advanced options of the Retail Solution such as large inventory and SKU/PLU tracking. No limit to category creation. Inventory can be up to 10k items. Supports five Alerts. 

Restaurant

The Restaurant Solution ("Restaurant") offers advanced features for managing tables, multiple modes of operation like take out and delivery, and kitchen routing. Supports five Alerts. Inventory of up to 50K items.

Retail

The Retail Solution ("Retail") offers more inventory capacity, the ability to manage inventory by SKU or PLU code, subcategories for items and the ability to create kits of items offered at a special price. Supports 5 Alerts. Inventory of up to 50K items.

Device and mode features

Hardware Compatability

table of a comparison of hardware support features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
E700/E800/A920/A60 terminal
(Restaurant requires at least one E700/E800)

✔

✔

✔

✔

Peripherals

table of a comparison of hardware support features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Handheld barcode scanner for E700/E800

✔

✔

✔

✔

Countertop barcode scanner for E700/E800

✔

✔

✔

✔

Cash Drawer (16" with 5 bill slots)

✔

✔

✔

✔

Docking station with receipt printer for A60 only
(up to 7 devices)

✔

✔

✔

✔

Label printer




Receipt printer (built-in thermal printer) 
E700/E800/A920 only

✔

✔

✔

✔

Thermal external printer for E700/E800 
(Essentials Light only supports receipt printing)

✔

✔

✔

✔

Kitchen impact printer (for high heat areas), print in black or red


✔


Weight Scale - USB connected
(Essentials Light supports a client-sourced weight scale with manual entry)
✔
✔✔✔

Kitchen printing

table of a comparison of hardware support features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Enhanced print routing for multiple kitchen stations


✔

Share kitchen printer configuration among devices


✔

Print single items to kitchen chit


✔

Kitchen Display System (KDS)


✔

Device settings

table of a comparison of hardware support features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Integrated local server communication  (E700/E800 as primary device)


✔
Training mode
✔
✔
✔
✔
Manual and automatic data synchronization between host and POS
✔
✔✔✔
Alert management
(Essentials Light supports 3, otherwise supports 5)
✔
✔
✔
✔
Cash drawer behavior by device
✔
✔
✔
✔
Adjust font size, print in color


✔

Support for non-English language


✔

Order mode

table of a comparison of hardware support features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Quick Service/Cashier mode

✔

✔✔✔
Table Service mode


✔
Takeout, delivery, catering, drive thru mode


✔

Online Ordering

table of a comparison of hardware support features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Online Ordering  pay in store or online

✔
✔
✔
Online Ordering order validation and tax calculation prior to order submission

✔
✔
✔
Online Ordering pickup in store or curbside

✔
✔
✔
Online Ordering shipping




Online ordering integration to 3rd party apps such as Grubhub or Uber Eats




Multi-store management

table of a comparison of hardware support features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
One Back Office login to manage company and store (location) data

✔
✔
✔
View company and store-specific reporting
✔
✔
✔

Payments, taxes and cash management features

Payment method

table of a comparison of payment processing support features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurant
Retail
Custom tenders


✔

✔

✔

Contactless payments 
(Card Verification Method (CVM), signature or PIN is required and varies by card type for amounts greater than or equal to the threshold: VS/MC/DS | $100, Amex | $200)

✔

✔

✔

✔

EBT / Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)





Digital wallet payment via QR code





Gift cards - closed loop





Gift cards - open loop

✔

✔

✔

✔

Manual card entry
(merchant-facing available on E700/E800)

✔

✔

✔

✔

Pay in/Pay out tracking for cash drawer  
(customizable for Restaurant)


✔

✔

✔

PIN debit





Offline payments 
(payments when not connected to internet)





Save credit card to an order



✔


Signature capture and receipt recall

✔

✔

✔

✔

Surcharge





Taxes

table of a comparison of payment processing support features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurant
Retail
Tax categories

✔

✔

✔

✔

Exclusive tax 
(tax as a separate line item)

✔

✔

✔

✔

Inclusive tax
(tax included in item price)

✔

✔

✔

✔

Tax exemption for inclusive taxes



✔


Tax by order mode



✔


Tax tables



✔


Tax by location (unique selling location)


✔

✔

✔

Tax jurisdictions

✔

✔

✔

✔

Cash Management

table of a comparison of payment processing support features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurant
Retail
Device-based cash management

✔

✔

✔

End of shift cash reconciliation

✔

✔

✔

Recount cash, based on employee access level


✔


Designate cash amount left in drawer (starting and ending cash amounts)

✔

✔

✔

Multiple cash drawers

✔

✔

✔

Assign multiple users to a cash drawer


✔


Employee-based cash management (cash liability, tip payout/adjustment at end of shift)


✔


Subtract tips from financial shifts


✔


Safe drop management



✔

Lottery payout controls



✔

Reopen a financial shift


✔


User roles and employee management features

User roles and login

table of a comparison of user role features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Default customizable user roles 25No limit5
Assign multiple user roles

✔

✔

✔

✔

Exclude user role from labor calculations for salaried employees



✔


Customize and assign a default pay rate to a user role


✔


Sort user role ranks

✔


Employee PIN login

✔

✔

✔

✔

Biometric login (Face ID) or Employee swipe card login



Employee time management

table of a comparison of user role features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Clock in/clock out on POS

✔

✔

✔

Edit clock in/clock out time

✔

✔

✔

Employee breaks


✔


Labor law audit view


✔


Track employee activity, including cleared tickets, cleared items, and no sales

✔

✔

✔

Inventory/menu management features

Categories

table of a comparison of inventory menu management features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Add a category from the POS

✔

✔

✔

Re-arrange categories on the POS

✔

✔

✔

Hide categories on the POS

✔

✔

✔

Subcategories (up to 6)



✔

Departments

table of a comparison of inventory menu management features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Add a category from the POS


✔

✔

✔

Re-arrange categories on the POS

✔

✔

✔

Hide categories without items on the POS

✔

✔

✔

Inventory

table of a comparison of inventory menu management features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Inventory management including unit cost

(Essentials Light has a limit of 500 items, Essentials 10K, Restaurant and Retail 50K)

✔

✔

✔

✔

Inventory item count

✔


✔

Inventory import

✔

✔

✔

✔

Inventory export

✔

✔

✔

Vendor management

✔

✔

✔

Inventory item re-order point

✔


✔

Count or receive inventory (Back Office only for Essentials)

✔


✔

Items

table of a comparison of inventory menu management features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Item as both menu item and modifier


✔


Edit items on the POS




Edit multiple items at once

✔

✔

✔

✔

Assign to a printer group


✔


Set an item's print priority


✔


Control item availability on POS

✔


✔

Kits (bundle individual items)



✔

Link item to barcode (UPC or EAN-13)

✔

✔

✔

SKU/ PLU field for items



✔

Sell by unit or by weight/measure (Essentials Light client-sourced weight scale for manual entry)

✔

✔

✔

✔

Prompt for item price at POS

✔

✔

✔

✔

Commissions



✔

Item purchase restrictions



✔

Modifiers and variations

table of a comparison of inventory menu management features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Use item as a menu item and a modifier




Set a default modifier


✔


Force modifiers when an item is selected


✔


Suppress printing non-priced modifiers on receipt


✔


Assign variations to modifiers


✔


Variations, including price by variation

✔

✔

✔

✔

Promotions, events, and discounts

Events

table of a comparison of inventory menu management features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Create events




Event-based pricing


✔

✔

Price lists



✔


Promotions and events

table of a comparison of inventory menu management features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Discounts at item and ticket level

✔

✔

✔

✔

Promotions - Buy One Get One (BOGO) 

✔

✔

✔

Advanced promotions


✔


Order entry on the Point of Sale app

Order entry

table of a comparison of order entry on the POS features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Customer lookup and assignment to a guest check

✔

✔

✔

✔

Favorite items for quick selling

✔

✔

✔

✔

Split payments by equal amounts

✔

✔

✔

Override tax amount

✔

✔

✔

Return or refund ticket or line item

✔

✔

✔

✔

Add a returned item back to inventory

✔


✔

Override a price

✔


✔

Charge for non-sales revenue items, such as delivery charge or fee

✔


Item or ticket level notes

✔

✔

✔

✔

Future orders (available on Restaurant through online orders)

✔

✔

✔

Hold and recall a ticket

✔

✔

✔

✔

Reopen a closed ticket

✔

✔

✔

✔

Share orders across devices (Primary POS)

✔


Save a credit card to an order

✔


Hold and fire course timing

✔


Tips

table of a comparison of order entry on the POS features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Accept inline tips

✔

✔

✔

✔

Accept tip adjustments (eligible MCCs only)

✔

✔

✔

Suggested tip prompts for inline tipping

✔

✔

✔

✔

Suggested tip prompts for tip adjustment


✔


Receipts

table of a comparison of order entry on the POS features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Receipts



Receipts - email or paper

✔

✔

✔

✔

Gift receipts

✔


✔

No receipt option

✔

✔

✔

✔

Customizable QR code for receipts


✔


Table management

table of a comparison of order entry on the POS features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Floor plans


✔


Split check by seat


✔


Transfer tables, tabs, or seats


✔


Take ownership of a table or tab


✔


Add seats to a guest check


✔


Order items for the table


✔


Waitlist management




Customer management

table of a comparison of customer management features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Customer database, including import/export

✔

✔

✔

✔

Customer categories

✔

✔

✔

✔

Customer attributes

✔

✔


✔

Add customer information at the POS

✔

✔

✔

✔

Bulk delete of customer information

✔

✔

✔

✔

House accounts

✔


Email marketing

✔

✔

✔

Customizable email receipts

✔

✔

✔

✔

Customer survey code on customer receipts

✔


Email discount offers

✔

✔

✔

Spam score evaluator

✔

✔

✔

Social sharing

✔

✔

✔

Loyalty program (punches or points) 

✔

✔

✔

Reporting

Back Office and device reporting

table of a comparison of reporting features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
At a glance snapshot reports (MyStore)

limited

✔

✔

✔

Limited reporting on devices

✔

✔

✔

✔

Back Office Operations reports
(Shifts, store summary, device, employee, and location activity, discounts & promots, price overrides, taxes, time clock and tips)
limited

✔

✔

✔

Back Office Sales reports
(Department sales, item sales, non-sales revenue, modifier sales, sales summary)
limited

✔

✔

✔

Back Office Sales Commission report



✔

Back Office Customers reports
(Bulk email, customer notes, customer sales)

✔

✔

✔

Back Office Lists
(Items, modifiers, customer & devices)
limited

✔

✔

✔

Export credit batch data and POS transactions

✔

✔

✔

✔


Business Advantage 360 Merchant Services

table of a comparison of reporting features between Bank of America POS solutions
FeatureEssentials LightEssentialsRestaurantRetail
Manage chargebacks and disputes

✔

✔

✔

✔

Access and view merchant statements

✔

✔

✔

✔



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