Chat Transcript - August 2008
Product: Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (RMS)
Topic: Open Forum (any topic)
Date: Thursday, August 7, 2008
Did you know? You can find helpful articles and announcements about upcoming chats and releases on the Using Microsoft Dynamics RMS site.
Questions about using Microsoft Dynamics RMS
Customer total sales calculation
Q: Does Total Sales displayed on the Purchase History tab of the Customer dialog include tax and shipping, or is it a line item total only? Is there a way to have the system recalculate this total through the Microsoft Dynamics RMS interface, or do we have to do it through SQL?
A: Good afternoon and thank you for your question. Microsoft Dynamics RMS will not add Tax or Shipping to the Total Sales field in the Customer Properties form. It only displays the item cost. We recommend that you modify a report to show the total sales rather than modifying the database.
Margins on receipts
Q: When I print receipts it gives about 1inch of space at the top and bottom. Is there any way to take that space out? I end up using a lot of paper.
A: We do not have a way of reducing the amount of space at the top and bottom of the receipt. This is a limitation of the OPOS drivers.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 issue
Q: Was the issue ever resolved to allow users of RMS 2.0 to install Windows XP Service Pack 3? I've been holding off on patching my RMS machines until I know it won't break anything.
A: A fix has been released for this issue; and this information was publicized on PartnerSource, CustomerSource, and the RMS Using site:
KB 952287: An application that uses the ADO interface may malfunction, or data loss may occur when the application connects to SQL Server in Windows Vista, in Windows XP, or in Windows Server 2008
RMS Using page
CustomerSource Hot Topic (login required)
PartnerSource Hot Topic (login required)
Using multiple cash drawers
Q: We recently bought an additional cash drawer for each POS terminal in order to prevent cashiers from having to "share" the same cash drawer while cashier A is on a short break or lunch break and gets temporarily relieved by cashier B. How to handle this?
A: Good afternoon and thanks for your question. You could do 1 of 2 things.
1. You could have the cashier Z-out before going on break. Then when the cashier is done with break, have the interim cashier Z-out as well before the original cashier takes over.
2. In Store OPS Administrator, you could change the register number when the interim cashier takes over for the original cashier.
Q: Solution 1 is not a solution at all because cashiers get multiple small (10 minute) breaks and Z’ing out and entering open/close amounts etc. for both cashiers would take up most of their break time. What's the benefit of 2 drawers?
A: Unfortunately those are the only options available through RMS as a standalone product. I believe there are third-party solutions that would help you with swapping casher drawers or changing cashiers. You can search for these using the Solution Finder.
Masking of credit card numbers
Q: How do I unmask the credit card number on the receipt?
A: For security reasons, this functionality is not available; you cannot unmask the credit card number.
Integration with PC Charge
Q: When I tender a sale with a credit card, RMS prints out correct receipt with the correct amount, but PC Charge actually charges a different amount (more than the actual amount). Trans Type is Post -Auth, same authorization number with last transaction and it creates transaction reference.
A: I have not heard of this happening. Are there different exchange rates set on the currencies in either RMS or PC Charge? Have you checked with PC Charge about this?
Q: When I tender a sale with a credit card in RMS POS, PC Charge automatically creates same Auth number as previous transaction and trans type is Post Auth instead of Sale and the amount increases.
A: Which version of RMS are you using? What version of PC Charge are you using (Pro, Payment Server, etc)? And what is the detailed version of PC Charge (5.7.1, 5.7.0 Release K, etc.)?
Q: I’m using RMS Store Operations 2.0 and PC Charge 5.8.1 SP 8C.
A: PC Charge is only supported up to 5.7.1. Did this work on a previous version of PC Charge? Has this ever worked? Does this occur on all registers? Are these prepaid credit cards?
Q: It happened on 6 transaction and it's working fine now though. It just automatically changes Trans Type to Post-Auth, different amount, same auth as previous transaction.
A: Thanks for the info; and I'm glad the issue is not occurring frequently. If you are able to determine what type of credit card is causing this issue, and steps to repro, you may want to check with RMS and PC Charge Technical Support for assistance.
Exchange of information with Headquarters
Q: Is it possible to have Headquarters load new items from Store Operations?
A: There currently is not a way to create items at the store level and have them upload to Headquarters.
Q: When editing Assemblies in Headquarters, when I add items or change existing items, the changes are reflected at store level after running worksheet 250, but items removed from the assembly at Headquarters are not removed at the store level. Is this a bug?
A: I have not heard of anyone reporting this issue, so would have to test the process. I would encourage you to submit this potential bug to the Microsoft Dynamics RMS Support Team, so that it can be submitted to the Sustained Engineering team for review.
Q: Can HQ handle with two totally different Store Operations databases at the same time?
A: No, not at this time. We will look at this possibility in the future.
Settling transactions
Q: Every once in a while, managers forget to settle an EDC batch and we don't find out until the next day. How do I ONLY settle a batch for a specific date or date range?
A: Unfortunately there is no way to only settle a selected range of EDC transitions. It will always settle all available EDC transactions.
Q: Is this going to be corrected/fixed/enhanced in the next RMS version? It's very time consuming for our accounting department to balance the daily CC sales and bank CC deposits etc. when this happens.
A: I am currently unaware if this will be changed in the next version. If you would like to see this changed, please submit a suggestion using this tool.
Restoring a database after uninstall
Q: How do I restore the database if we uninstalled RMS and SQL Server both and I still have the database with SQL Server Database Primary Data File and SQL Server Database Transaction Log file?
A: If you detached the database from the database server using an explicit sp_detach_db operation you may be able to use the steps in this MSDN article. Otherwise, you may want to contact Technical Support for assistance. Create a new support request at https://mbs.microsoft.com/support/newstart.aspx or by calling MBS support at 1-888-477-7877.
Supported languages
Q: Is there any other language version of RMS besides English?
A: Currently English is the supported language for RMS. However, there are third parties that have created localized version for dialect-specific regions.
Editor’s note: You may be able to find these by using the Solution Finder.
X, Z, and ZZ reports
Q: What's the difference between X, Z, and ZZ reports?
A: An X report shows up-to-the-minute sales statistics. It does not close the batch. A Z report closes the batch and is typically run at the end of a cashier's shift or at the end of the day. It shows totals information for tender types, drawer amounts, and so on. A ZZ report includes info from all Z reports since the last ZZ report was generated.
Opening and closing amounts
Q: What's the status on the security issue with not printing or journaling opening/closing amounts, which essentially gives people/managers with access to that functionality a license to steal without leaving a (paper) trail at all?
A: Please submit this suggestion with details and we'll investigate making this available in the future release.
Q: I've already submitted a support incident in regards to this, but I need to find out when this security issue is actually going to be fixed.
A: We are reviewing this as part of our sustained engineering and will consider this for a future release.
Store Operations POS is not responding
Q: I have one store that the master register RMS Store Operations is not opening up and Task Manager said it is not responding, while the other registers can see the database fine and work normally. I have done a repair in Add/Remove Programs, but the problem remains.
A: Has the problem always occurred on the register? Is the database on a separate computer? Does the error occur when you open up Store Operations Manager, Store Operations POS, or both? Does any error pop up after a period of time?
A: 1. Taking a look at Knowledge Base article 869918: QuickSell 2000 or Store Operations POS is not Responding upon Launch (login required), Store Operations POS would show as SOPOSUSER.exe as a process in Task Manager; and if it is listed there click on it, click End Process and then try and open POS.
2. Create a new register (Manager | Database | Registers | Register List); and then assign this register number in Administrator | File | Connect and try and open POS.
3. If POS opens (after creating the new register) then you will want to close POS, delete the register that was created in step 1, and change the register back to the old number in Administrator. You will then want to disable all devices assigned to the register (after noting which were enabled and what was set on each tab); and then try and open up POS using the original register number.
4. If you are able to open POS without error (after disabling all devices),you will want to close POS; and then add in the devices that were disabled one at a time until a determination can be made as to which device is causing the error.
Microsoft Dynamics RMS as a marketing tool
Q: Has there been any discussion about the limitations of using RMS as a marketing tool, and will Microsoft pursue this or will it be left to the Partners.
A: Can you clarify what you mean by "limitations of using RMS as a marketing tool"?
Editor’s note: The customer provided these additional details via e-mail after the conclusion of the chat:
Q: RMS does not allow you to create a marketing tool to create mail shots to your customers based on sales. The scenario I am talking about is where you are using RMS integrated to a Web site and want to use your customer’s sales history with their contact details to create an e-mail shot. I am aware I can do this in SQL and export the data to a CSV file to create a mail shot. However, given that this is an ever increasing scenario, it is a scenario I cannot sell RMS on as it does not meet it with standard functionality.
A: I am not aware of any development effort that is working on a marketing solution such as you have described. I would recommend that you submit this as a product suggestion, so that our development team can review it and consider it for a future release of the software. Microsoft Dynamics customers and partners can submit suggestions and feedback about the Microsoft Dynamics family of products through Microsoft Connect.
Questions about future releases
Q: Where is the RMS roadmap that has been promised for over two years now? (Don't tell me to ask my partner because he has never seen on either.)
A: The statement of direction is planned to be published in September (next month). This was also disclosed at the Worldwide Partner Conference in July.
Q: Will the next version of RMS allow Store Operations users to edit global customer info through Store Operations, instead of having to go into Headquarters Manager?
A: I'm sorry, we are not able to discuss details of future releases.
Q: What is the proposed timetable for fixes , releases for the rest of this year for RMS ?
A: Thank you for your question. The Microsoft Dynamics RMS team typically releases 1 or 2 hotfixes per month and 1 or 2 service packs that bundle the hotfixes per year.
Q: Are there any major database restructure changes planned?
A: There are database changes in the next version (Microsoft Dynamics POS 2009), but we have tried our best to keep the number and types of changes minimal.
Q: Are there any major database changes planned to RMS?
A: There are database changes in the next version (Microsoft Dynamics POS 2009), but we have tried our best to keep the number and types of changes minimal. For ongoing fixes and service packs of RMS, there are no plans for any major database changes.
Q: Are you talking about RMS 3.0 or talking about the next version of MS POS?
A: MS POS.
Q: Are RMS and MS POS converging into one product, which it probably should have been to start out, with maybe a standard and a Pro version?
A: The next version of POS is Microsoft Dynamics POS 2009, expected to RTM in March 2009. This release will have many of the capabilities of RMS Store Operations as well as include some features that are not in RMS Store Operations today. In addition, we plan to ship a migration tool that will allow customers who run RMS Store Operations to migrate data to POS 2009.
Q: To anyone's knowledge, does RMS integrate with any third-party tax service like CCH or Avalara? If not, are there any plans to do so in the next version? I'm going bug-eyed having to manually maintain tax codes for all my states.
A: The current version of RMS in the market (RMS 2.0 SP2) does not integrate with third-party tax services out of the box. In the next version, Microsoft Dynamics POS 2009, the extensibility model (SDK) will allow Partners/ISVs to create add-ins that integrate with such third-party services.
Questions about Microsoft Dynamics RMS Live Chats
Q: Isn't this supposed to be the RMS chat? If so, why talk about MS POS? I thought they have their own chat, don't they?
A: We will answer questions about Microsoft Dynamics POS as time allows. Don't worry, all questions are being answered.
Q: Do these exports give out their e-mail address so they can be contacted anytime after this chat?
A: If you need to talk with Technical Support, please open a support request at https://mbs.microsoft.com/support/newstart.aspx or by calling support at 1-888-477-7877.
Q: When is the next RMS chat scheduled?
A: Live Chats are held on the first Thursday of every month unless otherwise announced. You can find chat announcements and transcripts, in addition to articles and calendar information, on the Using Microsoft Dynamics RMS site.
Q: Where will this forum post online later? I want to review.
A: Chat transcripts become available about a week after the chat and can be accessed from the Using Microsoft Dynamics RMS site.
