The checkout solution LUCAS (Logware‘s Universal Commerce Application System) optimizes all organisational processes of the different forms of the retail trade. LUCAS is based on a flexible architecture with Java as platform-independent programming language and the implementation of international standards, such as the ARTS data model. LUCAS is compatible with Windows NT/2000 and other operating systems, such as Linux. The software makes the retail trade independent of operating systems, ensures safe transactions and enables the display of all imaginable business procedures in a predefined database structure. Due to ist sophisticated architecture, LUCAS can directly communicate with other applications, for instance applications for discount promotions e.g. Mix&Match or data mining programs.