The new regulations of the financial authorities state that since January 1, 2020, PC-based cash register systems in Germany must be equipped with a technical security device (TSE) certified by the BSI. However, only two manufacturers have received this certificate: Swissbit and Epson.

Things are slowly getting tight for retailers. Although the tax authorities have granted a delay until September 2020 for compliance with the KassenSichV, certified manufacturers of TSE solutions have only existed since December 2019. Swissbit, a leading manufacturer of flash memory and security solutions, has come up with an easy-to-integrate variant for tamper-proofing POS data. The Swissbit TSE is simply connected via the SD, USB or microSD interface. Thus, the TSE can be integrated by providers of classic cash register systems. However, this also applies to POS software manufacturers for PCs/tablets. In addition, it is a particularly cost-effective solution for retrofitting existing POS systems.

"The Swissbit TSE modules (Technical Security Equipment according to BSI TR-03153), which are available in three variants, received "preliminary approval" as part of the certification process at the BSI (German Federal Office for Information Security) on Dec. 20, 2019." 

Epson has opted for a similar variant. The technology company also offers a plug-in TSE solution via USB. In addition, however, two printer models (TM-m30F and TM-T88VI-iHub-F) in which the TSE is already installed or which could be retrofitted "within a few minutes". According to Epson, this ensures that the TSE is in the local environment of the cash register and that compliant protection also works offline. In addition, Epson works with a variety of external POS vendors, so companies can easily upgrade existing systems to meet the new regulatory requirements if needed.

Christoph Ruhnke, Head of Business Systems at Epson Germany GmbH, explains: "With the certification of our TSE, we have cleared the last hurdle. From now on, we and our partners offer a fiscal compliant and certified solution. The integration has already been completed. As a global company, Epson has already accompanied this process in a large number of countries and has a great deal of experience in this area. Retail companies of all sizes are assured with Epson that they will have a legally compliant POS system by the deadline."

Is upgrading with a certified TSE sufficient?

In our opinion, it is not enough to focus on the cash register and the requirements that are currently in focus. A closer look at the new and old requirements quickly reveals that a large number of existing requirements are not being met. And not just at the cash register itself, but across the board into financial accounting. Formally, there is procedural documentation to keep information together. What is missing, however, is the technical system clamp. This can provide the data required for an audit in a timely manner - and for the entire duration of the retention obligation.

For SAP® users, we have therefore developed Receipt4S®. An add-on that serves as a central entry point to archive, audit and manage all relevant data in an audit-proof manner. How this looks in detail, you will learn here.