3. VSS configuration in POS Data Server (HO)

1. Go to RPOS7 application installed path and open VSS folder.

2. Run the VSS_Apache_Installer.

 

3. Select Store components as the installation type and click Next.

4. Select the drive to install VSS Sync manager library and click Next.

5. Once the setup process is over, you can see Raymedi VSS Sync Manager application running under windows task bar notification area as shown in the image.

     

5. Working with VSS Sync Manager

The menu options in VSS sync manager are explained below:

5.1 Configuration (Data server)

Configuring the IP connectivity
VSS is connected (via Internet) to the POS Data server using Static or Dynamic IP. For dynamic IP support, POS Data Server must be registered with Raymedi PEER Group .

Configuring Static IP (default)
A Static IP is an IP address that remains the same (static) and does not change over time. It is used when your network IP is not changed and remains constant .

Steps:

• Right click on Raymedi VSS Sync manager running under Windows task bar notification area

• Click Configuration >> Registration. The Registration screen will be displayed

         

• Select Static IP
• Click Save to save the settings

Configuring Dynamic IP
A Dynamic IP is an IP address that keeps on changing. It is mostly used if you do not need to have a consistent IP address.

Example: Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) assigns you an IP when you log on to the Internet. This IP address is used to surf the web. But, when you disconnect the internet you loose that IP address. If you login for the next time, you will be assigned a new IP. This new IP is your dynamic IP .

Steps:

• Right click on Raymedi VSS Sync Manager running under Windows task notification area
• Click Configuration >> Registration. The Registration screen will be displayed

       

• Select Dynamic IP. The POS Data Server is automatically registered with Raymedi PEER group services and generates a unique registration key. The generated registration key will be used while registering the VSS with the POS DATA SERVER (Ref. section 5.2)

• Click Save

Creating a VPN store location 

After configuring the IP, the location of a new VSS store must be created in the data server via Tools >> Master >> Location Master.The newly created VSS store location must be registered with the POS Data Server to become part of the store network.

5.2 Registration (VPN Store Server)

Before registration, know your POS Data Server configuration (i.e. Static IP/Dynamic IP connectivity) .

Steps for registration:
1. Right click on the Raymedi VSS Sync Manager.
2. Click Registration. The VSS Registration screen will be displayed .
 
   

3. Enter the store name, address and other details in the respective fields. This helps the POS Data Server administrator to know which VSS location has sent the registration request and map the right location to this store.
4. Select Connect to server using static IP if POS Data Server has Static IP and enter the Static IP (or) Select Connect to server using dynamic IP if the POS Data Server has Dynamic IP and enter the PEER group registration ID which you obtained from the POS Data Server.
5. Click Register to send the registration request to the POS Data Server.  A server response 'Registration request was sent. Please call to VPN Server admin to authorize your request' will be displayed.
6. Click OK.

5.3 Pending Authorization (Data Server)

The registration request sent from a new VSS location will be approved at the Data server. The received registration request  from the new VSS location will be stored as pending until it is approved by the manager at the POS data server. The pending registration requests will be controlled from the Pending authorization screen.

Follow the steps below to approve the registration from the VSS:

• Click Configuration >> Pending Authorization

         

• In the Assign location field, select the created VSS store location

• Click Approve. A confirmation message will be displayed to approve the registration request

• Click Yes to grant the authorization (or) Click Decline to decline the registration request

5.4 Download data (VPN store Server)

Click Download data to download all business configurations, masters etc. from the POS Data Serve r.
     

Automatic data download:
There is an option to automate the download process by which you are not required to manually download every time. For auto-download process, follow the steps below:

• Click Schedule >> Download schedule. The scheduler screen will be displayed

         

• Set the time intervals based on your business needs

• Click Save

Whenever there is a data inflow, the download process will start automatically in the scheduled time (e.g. for every 30 min). The download process will run in the background. A pop-up alert viz. 'Download begin', 'Download complete' etc will be displayed o n beginning and completion of each download.

5.5 Pending STI (VPN store Server)

 

When Stock Transfer Inward (STI)  transactions are sent from the data server (or) other retail outlets, a pop-up alert You have [n] pending STI transaction(s) will be displayed.

Viewing the pending STI transactions:
1. Click Pending STI  to view the list of pending transaction(s) (as shown in the below picture) .

     
     
2. To view the line item wise details, select a particular transaction number and click Open (or) double click the particular transaction number.
The line item details of the selected transaction will be displayed as shown in the below picture .
  
  

Always there will be a time gap between the Electronic data (ED) transfer and physical stock transfer as logistics & transit time are involved in the process. Therefore ED-STI will not be accounted in the inventory automatically.  It is necessary to check if the electronic data (STI) received is matching with the physically received items. If you find any discrepancy in the value between the two transfers (electronic data and physically received), acknowledge the same and f orward the discrepancy details to the originating location to take the necessary action.

In the above example SKU-345, 1 quantity is found short and the same acknowledged to the originating location.

5.6 STI Discrepancy list (VPN store Server)

It is the responsibility of the manager (of the stock originating location) to trace the missing items and take the necessary actions.
Click STI discrepancy list to view the STI discrepancies . T he discrepancy details forwarded by the manager of the recipient location is shown in the below picture .

     

The store manager based on his investigation will update the status (or) include his comments/notes for each line item. These details will be available in the database for future reviews.

5.7 Upload data (VPN store Server)

Upload process sends VSS location transacted data to the POS Data Server for synchronization.

Automatic data Upload:
Upload process can be automated similar to the download process. For auto upload process, follow the steps below:

• Click Schedule >> Upload schedule. The scheduler screen will be displayed

• Set the time intervals based on your business reporting needs

• Click Save

When the upload process is scheduled, the upload process will start automatically in the scheduled time and runs in the background.
On beginning and completion of each upload, an alert notification will be displayed as per the context. The upload process is shown in the below picture .
 
 

5.8 View (VPN store Server)

1. Click View >> Error log to view the list of errors occured (if any) during the Raymedi VSS Sync Manager operations
2. Click View >> Upload history / Error log to view history of each occurrence of upload process start time and end time
3. Click View >> Download history / Error log to view the history of each occurrence of download process start time and end time

6. VSS Sync Manager (POS Data Server)

The functions of other menus are explained below:

6.1 Manual Sync data (for manual data synchronization)

6.2 Schedule (for automatic data synchronization)

6.3 Pending STI

Please refer Pending STI under section 5.5 as this process is same for POS Data Server and VPN store server.

6.4 View

1. Click View >> Error log to view the list of errors if any during Raymedi VSS Sync Manager operations
2. Click View >> Sync history to view the details of each occurrence of synchronization process start time and end time

7. Prefix Configurations

7.1 Bill Prefix Configuration

After approving the registration request from the VPN store server, the data server administrator needs to configure the bill prefix for the VSS location.  This is because, each location must have a unique bill prefix to differentiate the bills made in multi-locations at the time of viewing the reports. Any user in the VSS can not make a sales bill unless the bill prefix is configured.

Steps:

1. Click Sales >> Masters >> Bill Prefix Master to open the Bill Prefix Master screen.

  

2. Enter the prefix in all the mandatory fields.

 

3. In the Status field, press F2 to select the option Active.

4. In the Location Name field, press F2 to select the Location.

5. Click Save to save the record.

Note: Make sure the VSS location is correctly mapped in the LOCATION NAME field before you proceed.

7.2 Location Prefix Configuration

For each VSS location, an unique location prefix need to be configured. This helps to identify from which VSS location, a particular stock transfer has arrived.

Steps:

1. Click Sales >> Masters >> Location Prefix Master to open the Location Prefix Master screen.

  

 2. In the Description field, enter the description.

3. In the Prefix field, enter the prefix name.

4. In the Location field, press F2 to select the Location.

5. Click Save to save the record.

8. Opening Stock download - Business Scenario

For a new VSS location (Retail outlet) to initiate the sales transaction, usually stock is transferred from the HO to the retail outlet. The VSS location receives the transferred stock via Data download in the VSS Sync manager. Transferring bulk data via stock transfer is a time consuming process at the data server. Hence, opening stock option is recommended.  

Opening stock is made for the particular VSS location in the data server and the same can be downloaded in the VSS location.

For using opening stock download, there are two conditions:

1. Before authorizing a particular VSS location in the data server, opening stock has to be done for the VSS location either manually or via MIT.

 

2. No transactions other than the opening stock should have been done in the data server for a particular VSS location at the time of registration. If any transactions have been done, system will not allow to approve that VSS location in the data server.

Instructions to be strictly followed:

Frequent data backup is important for retrieving the data in case of data loss or data corruption. But, restoration of database backup on your own is not advisable.

Restoration of database backup should not be done either at the data server or at the store server due to the the following reasons.

• Data mismatch occurs &
  

• Data sync will not happen

between the data server and store server. To have a synchronized data at both servers (data and store), proper IT infrastructure maintenance is required.

In case of unexpected data loss or data corruption either in the data or in the store server, please contact our 24x7 support. At this time, your data backup is required.

FAQs

1. What is VSS?. Who are the target users intended?

VSS is Virtual Private Network (VPN) Store Server. It is a system by which you can manage multiple stores operating in multiple locations. This is suitable and effective for small to medium-sized retail chain operations. This has been designed with an intention to track transaction data from different locations.

2. What are the components of VSS? / How does data sync. occur?

The VSS system includes a store server (Retail outlet) and a POS data server (Main outlet), these two servers are connected to each other via Internet. Data sync occurs between the two through a communication component called 'VSS Sync manager'. It hels in data sync i.e. upload/download of data between the two locations.

3. Which edition do I require to use VSS system?

Enterprise edition.

4. What are the functionalities of VSS?

1. To send new registration request (from store server to data server)
2. To approve the registration request (at the data server)
3. Manual and Automatic data sync between the two locations
4. To send stock transfer (from data server & store server)
   
5. To receive the STI (at the store server)
6. To view STI discrepancies (at the store server)

5. What are the transactions that one can do at the data server?

1. All purchase related transactions viz. purchase order, purchase, purchase return etc.

2. Stock transfer to VSS location on demand

3. Receiving the complete sales transaction data of VSS location(s) and stores in the POS data server database

4. To know the discrepancies in stock transfers reported by the recipient outlet using STI discrepancy

6. What are the transactions that one can do at the store server?

1. Receiving the stock transferred from the POS data (or) store server
   
2. Transferring stock to other VSS locations having demand
3. Transferring stock of non-moving items to the POS Data server (HO) for making Purchase returns
4. Enquiring product availability at the other VSS locations including the POS data server
5. Enquiring the customer outstanding details in the POS data server
6. Controlling EDI transactions. i.e. to find out any discrepancy between the transferred data and the physically received quantities

7. What are the advantages of VSS?

1. Supports static/dynamic Internet IP connectivity
2. Simple and cost effective solution for multi-location POS [1 to 10 outlets]
3. Getting the job done through same resource(s) for multi-location business
4. Centralised data management

8. Is there any option to see the sales and inventory reports of other location from the VSS store server.?

      No