Managing Item Images and Preview Photos
The Images tab on the Inventory Item form lets you assign a preview image to any product. This image is used throughout AccuArk to help cashiers and staff visually identify items.
Where Item Images Appear
| Location | How the Image Is Used |
|---|---|
| POS item grid | When the POS is configured to show items in a grid or tile view, each item's preview image is displayed on its button or tile |
| Inventory Browser | The item image can appear as a thumbnail in the item list |
| Reports | Some reports include a small thumbnail of the item image |
| Customer-facing display | If configured, item images can appear on the customer-facing display during a sale |
Uploading an Image
To add an image to an item:
- Open the item in the Inventory Item form
- Click the Images tab
- Click the Browse button (or the image placeholder area)
- A file picker dialog opens — navigate to the image file on your computer
- Select the image and click Open
- The image preview updates to show your selected photo
- Click Save to store the image assignment
Supported Image Formats
AccuArk supports the following image file formats:
| Format | Extension | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| JPEG | .jpg, .jpeg | Best for photographs. Smaller file sizes with good quality. |
| PNG | .png | Supports transparency. Good for logos and product shots with clean backgrounds. |
| BMP | .bmp | Uncompressed bitmap. Larger file sizes. |
| GIF | .gif | Supports simple animations, but only the first frame is used as a preview. |
Changing an Existing Image
To replace an item's image:
- Open the item and go to the Images tab
- Click the Browse button
- Select the new image file
- The preview updates immediately
- Click Save to apply the change
The old image reference is replaced. If the old image file is no longer used by any other item, it remains on disk but is no longer referenced.
Removing an Image
To remove an item's image so it shows no preview:
- Open the item and go to the Images tab
- Click the Clear button (or right-click the image and choose Clear)
- The preview returns to the default placeholder
- Click Save to apply
Image Best Practices
| Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|
| Use square images (1:1 aspect ratio) | POS grid tiles are typically square. Non-square images may be cropped or stretched. |
| Keep file sizes under 500 KB | Large images slow down the POS grid loading, especially when displaying many items at once. |
| Use consistent backgrounds | A uniform background (white or transparent) across all product images makes the POS grid look professional and easy to scan. |
| Use JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics | JPEG provides smaller files for photographs. PNG preserves sharp edges for logos and icons. |
| Name files descriptively | While AccuArk stores images by reference, descriptive filenames (e.g., `blue-widget-500ml.jpg`) make it easier to manage your image library. |
Items Without Images
If no image is assigned, AccuArk displays a default placeholder icon in the POS grid. The item is still fully functional — images are optional and do not affect pricing, stock tracking, or any other item behavior.