AUTOMATED TAXABLE TRANSACTION REPORTING/COLLECTION SYSTEM

An automated transaction tax reporting/collection system. The system includes individual point of sale terminals disposed at each remote vendor location. The point of sale terminals are networked to a central computer, preferably via a plurality of intermediate data collection sub-stations. Each terminal includes means for inputting and storing data regarding taxable transactions, as well as for storing data reflecting the tax accrued on each transaction. This stored data is collected on a periodic, rotating basis by the corresponding data collection sub-station according to control signals generated by the central computer. All of the collected data is ultimately transmitted to the central computer, which is operative to generate reports reflecting the transaction tax due from each remote vendor location. These reports may then be sent to the taxing authority, the individual merchants, and/or to other taxing authorities, such as the federal government. Preferably, each point of sale terminal also includes a printer which prints an official tax receipt for each transaction recorded.