ANSWER ID:9422

RetailEnterprise v2 has now added 2 more communications methods for sending data between RMCentral and RMShop, and they are Email and LAN/WAN. This support note describes how the email communications method works, and its requirements.

Using the email communication method

The e-mail communication method allows you to send data between the head office and stores using e-mail messages.

Setting up your computers to use email

Note: We recommend that you use your RetailManager Professional or IT Consultant to set-up your computers.

Before you can set-up RetailEnterprise you must already have:

• E-mail accounts set up at each location where you will install RetailEnterprise.
  
• The E-mail software you use for RetailEnterprise muse be the default mail client in your Windows operating system.
  
• The E-mail application must be MAPI (Messaging Application Programming Interface) compliant, for example Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, and Eudora.

Configuring RetailManager Enterprise for E-mail transfers.

RetailEnterprise has 2 components, RetailManager Shop and RetailManager Central. To utilize the email communication method they will need to be configured the following way:

1. To configure RetailEnterprise Shop (From hereon referred to as RMShop) to use the E-mail communication method, open RMShop, go to File/Settings and select the Send via E-mail option. You will also need to specify the E-mail address that is being used by RetailManager Enterprise Central (From hereon referred to as RMCentral) next to Central E-mail Address. (Refer to Figure 1. below)
   
   Figure 1. RMShop email setup
   
   
   
2. To configure RMCentral to use the E-mail communication method, open RMCentral, go to Information/Shops, and double-click on the shop you are setting up. Click the Connection tab, select the E-mail option and enter the E-mail address for RMShop. Complete this step for any additional shops that have been created within RMCentral (Refer to Figure 2. below)
   
   Figure 2. RMCentral email setup
   
   

Sending and receiving information

Communications via direct dial up or over a LAN/WAN are initiated and controlled by RetailManager Central from your central office location. Communication via E-mail is controlled from RetailManager Shop, as the summarised information is sent from shop to an E-mail address used by Central at the central office location.

1. Before any of the sales information can be sent from RMShop to RMCentral, the Shop Identifier needs to be set within RMShop. To set this identifier, you must send a message or product update from RMCentral, and receive this information into RMShop. Once this identifier is set, RMShop can send the summarised sales through to RMCentral.
   
2. At the prescribed Summary Start Time (Refer to Figure 1) RMShop will summarise all sales to that time. This information is automatically attached as a *.dat file, attached to an E-mail, and place in the Outbox of your E-mail client. Once online, this E-mail will automatically be sent to the specified E-mail address for RMCentral. (Refer to Figure 3)
   
   Figure 3. RMShop E-mail sent to RMCentral
   
   
   
3. At the RMCentral site, this E-mail and attachment is placed in the Inbox when the E-mail client is online. This file will be automatically accessed/downloaded at the prescribed Collection Time within RMCentral (File/Settings), but can be manually downloaded by doing a Manual Transfer. (Transfer/Manual Transfer)
   
4. When RMCentral sends information (Messages and Product Updates) to RMShop it will attach the file to an E-mail and place it in the outbox of your E-mail client. When the client is online the E-mail will be sent to the stores inbox. Shop will check the inbox to download the E-mailed information only at the Summary Start Time. This information cannot be manually accessed.

Summary

Both RMShop and RMCentral can only receive E-mails when their respective E-mail software is activated and they are online. RMCentral and RMShop do not need be online simultaneously.  When the shop summary file is created, it is automatically placed in the outbox of the E-mail application but can only be sent when the E-mail client is online.

Troubleshooting

1. When using Outlook or Outlook Express as your E-mail client for RetailManager Enterprise to send information between RMCentral and RMShop, you may receive an Outlook error. (Illustrated below at Figure 4) The cause is a security setting within Outlook that stops programs from sending emails automatically, and requires the user to select an option Send for the email to be sent.
   
   Figure 4. Outlook Express error
   
   
   
   

   The main problem with this error is that many customers set Shop to summarise and send the summary information late at night. If they are not there to press the Send button, the email will not be sent. Some customers may want to turn this message off, so that they can automatically send data using enterprise via email without having to be there to select send.

   To turn this option off, open Outlook and go to Tools/Options/Security, and deselect the Warn me when other applications try to send mail as me option. (Illustrated below at Figure 5)

   
   Figure 5. Outlook Security Options
   
   
   
2. The first time a Product Update or Message is sent to RMShop from RMCentral using any of the communication methods, RMCentral will set the shop identifier.  (Each location that RMShop is run will require its own shop identifier) This identifier will need to be set before any of the summarised sales can be sent from RMShop to RMCentral. If an RMEnterprise customer tries to receive the Sales Summary information from Shop without having first set the Shop Identifier, they will receive the below errors. (Figures 6 & 7)
   
   Figure 6 RMShop error when sending Summary Information
   
   
   
   Figure 7 RMCentral error when attempting to receive the Summary Information
   
   
   
   

   To get around this error, you simply need to have them send something - message, new or updated stock - from RMCentral to RMShop. Once this has been sent and received, the shop identifier will be set, and the sales information can be sent from RMShop.