An encoded information reading terminal comprising: a microprocessor communicatively coupled to a system bus; a memory communicatively coupled to said system bus; a communication interface coupled to said system bus; an EIR device communicatively coupled to said system bus, the EIR device selected from the group consisting of: a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, an NFC reading device, and a card reading device, characterised in that said EIR device is configured to obtain an identifier from an external authentication token; wherein said EIR device is further configured to perform one of: outputting raw message data containing an encoded message, and outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message; and wherein said EIR terminal is configured, responsive to being powered on, to: initiate communications with an external authentication token; and receive an identifier from the external authentication token; and responsive to receiving the identifier from the external authentication token, to ascertain whether said identifier identifies a user allowed to operate said EIR terminal, at least in part by: transmitting an authorization request to an external computer (131, 133, 171), the authorization request comprising querying the external computer via said communication interface; receiving an authorization response from the external computer, the authorization response indicating the user's authorization to operate said EIR terminal; and responsive to receiving the authorization response, to execute one or more operations requested by the user. a microprocessor communicatively coupled to a system bus; a memory communicatively coupled to said system bus; a communication interface coupled to said system bus; an EIR device communicatively coupled to said system bus, the EIR device selected from the group consisting of: a bar code reading device, an RFID reading device, an NFC reading device, and a card reading device, characterised in that said EIR device is configured to obtain an identifier from an external authentication token; wherein said EIR device is further configured to perform one of: outputting raw message data containing an encoded message, and outputting decoded message data corresponding to an encoded message; and wherein said EIR terminal is configured, responsive to being powered on, to: initiate communications with an external authentication token; and receive an identifier from the external authentication token; and responsive to receiving the identifier from the external authentication token, to ascertain whether said identifier identifies a user allowed to operate said EIR terminal, at least in part by: transmitting an authorization request to an external computer (131, 133, 171), the authorization request comprising querying the external computer via said communication interface; receiving an authorization response from the external computer, the authorization response indicating the user's authorization to operate said EIR terminal; and responsive to receiving the authorization response, to execute one or more operations requested by the user. initiate communications with an external authentication token; and receive an identifier from the external authentication token; and responsive to receiving the identifier from the external authentication token, to ascertain whether said identifier identifies a user allowed to operate said EIR terminal, at least in part by: transmitting an authorization request to an external computer (131, 133, 171), the authorization request comprising querying the external computer via said communication interface; receiving an authorization response from the external computer, the authorization response indicating the user's authorization to operate said EIR terminal; and responsive to receiving the authorization response, to execute one or more operations requested by the user. transmitting an authorization request to an external computer (131, 133, 171), the authorization request comprising querying the external computer via said communication interface; receiving an authorization response from the external computer, the authorization response indicating the user's authorization to operate said EIR terminal; and responsive to receiving the authorization response, to execute one or more operations requested by the user.