POS Tips and Tricks:

There is a simple way to check...

First step is to make sure your POS is closed as well as Product Control and all the programs within that are closed!

Then, Double-click on the ProductControl™ icon either from your desktop or from Start-->Programs-->NapaValleyPOS-->ProductControl™

Click the [Check for Updates] button. All items that need to be updated are in green, as shown below. You can install one by one or install them all by clicking the [Install Updates] button.

If the [Install Updates] button is grayed out, you do not have sufficient rights to install the updates. Ask your Manager or contact us for support.

NOTE: You must repeat the steps above for all computers that have the Napa Valley POS ProductControl™ installed on it.

With all of the applications we use on a daily basis, it is hard to keep track of what/when software updates are needed. In the case of RMS, or Store Operations, these updates are called hot fixes or feature packs, they are regularly released by Microsoft® and should be applied to all RMS stations to ensure proper functionality.
Checking the version of Store Operations is easy!

Follow the steps below to ensure that you are running on the latest version (this should be done on each register).
1) Launch Store Operations Administrator
2) Click the Help drop-down menu and select ‘About Store Operations Administrator…’

The version will be displayed at the top of the window that appears. The latest version for Store Operations is 2.0.0151.
Each work station in your store must be the same version. If you are not at the current version please contact us at support@napavalleypos.com or 707-320-2478 so we can update your RMS stations.
We look forward to hearing from you….
 

Download a PDF Printer (Free download) off the web. Choose the one you want to use and install it on the computers you want to print PDF receipts at the POS.

In Store Operations Manager, click Database… Manager… Register… Register List… and select the register you want to print from.

You can do the following steps for each register you want to print PDF receipts from:

Set up Receipt Printer 2 and tab down to “Print receipts only after asking the cashier” if you want to enable this feature in the POS.

Printer Type: Windows printer

Windows Device Name field: Copy the printer device name from properties in the control panel for the PDF printer and paste it exactly as is.

Uncheck (if checked) the box that says “Journal receipts from this printer”

Receipt Format:
Full Page Receipt Format

Now, that the printer is setup, you can print to PDF directly from the POS or from the Journal (F4 in POS) or through Store Operations Manager.

Name the file and save it in a location, you can easily find.

You’re ready to email the receipts!

By clicking the Captions button in the Configuration dialog box (available from the File menu), you can set up custom fields where you can record special information about your customers, items, and suppliers. Use these data fields to store information that is unique to your store.

You can assign field names and then enter the data in Manager or POS. Store Operations displays the custom fields on the Additional tab in the Customer Properties and Supplier Properties windows and on the General tab of the Item Properties window.

The field names can be used as criteria for your report selections in Crystal Reports. For example, set up a date field to track the birthdays or anniversaries of your customers. 

Text Fields: Enter a name in each box for user-defined text fields for customers and suppliers. These names can be changed any time.

Numeric Fields: Enter a name in each box for user-defined numeric fields for customers and suppliers. These names can be changed any time.

Date Fields: Enter a name in each box for user-defined date fields for customers and suppliers. These names can be changed any time.

Sub Description 1, 2, & 3 (Item tab): Enter a name in each box for user-defined text fields for items. These names can be changed any time.
 

To save receipt paper, especially on Cash 'N Carry transactions, set your receipts to "Print receipts only after asking the cashier". 

• Log in to Store Operations Manager with Admin credentials
• Click [Database] - Registers - Register List
• Double click the register to adjust
• Click tab [Receipt Printer1] Or optionally Printer2
• Select the appropriate box (see image below)
• Click OK
• Closing out each POS station adjusted and relaunching is required for this to work

If you have a touchscreen monitor, you can obtain key inventory, sales, and customer information literally at your fingertips. Use the Keyboards command on the Database menu to customize the touchscreen keyboard and define the desired function keys, captions, and colors that will be displayed at the POS. You can define function keys as well as buttons that point to specific items, departments, categories, and suppliers.

Tip: After you define your keyboard configurations, be sure to enable the touchscreen for the applicable registers. To do this, click the Register List option from the Database menu, click the Touch Screen tab, and then select the Touch screen is enabled for this register option. You can then define which keyboard configuration to use at the register.

At the POS, press Ctrl-F6 to display and size the touchscreen keyboard.

When you click Keyboards, you will see a list of all your keyboard configurations. Click New to create a new configuration; click Delete to delete the selected configuration; click Properties to modify the selected configuration; or click Copy to copy properties from the selected configuration.

When you click New or Properties, you will see the TouchScreen Keyboard Properties window. The fields in this window are described below.

Keyboard name: The name of the keyboard configuration.

Move Up/Move Down buttons: Adjusts the position of the keys. For example, if you select the key in the first position and then click the Move Down button, that key would move down to the second position. The key that was initially in the second position would move to the first position.

Add button: Adds a key to the keyboard configuration.

Delete button: Deletes the selected key.

Properties button: Opens the selected key so you can modify it. The available properties are:

Style: The function key, item, department, category, and / or supplier as it is referenced in the POS program. For example, the option 'Lookup' refers to the F2: Lookup function key at the POS. Use the drop-down list box to select a function key. You can then use the Caption field to rename this key. After you select the desired style, the Keyboard Key Properties window will adjust accordingly. For example, if you select Item in the Style field, you will see an Item field that lets you choose the particular item.

Caption: You can rename the key you selected in the Style field. Changing the caption on the F-key does not change its function. For example, assume you wanted the 'Lookup' function to be the first key on your touchscreen keyboard and also wanted to give it a more descriptive name. You could rename it by entering something that is easier for your cashiers to remember, such as 'Find'.

Color: The color of the key when it is not pressed.

Down color: The color of the key when it is pressed.

Functions button: Use this button as a starting point for customizing your touchscreen keyboard. You can then modify the desired keys by clicking on the particular style and then clicking Properties.
 

This happens when the POS program fails to close properly. The POS is still running in the PC's memory, therefore it will not load a second time. A reboot will fix this, but there is a much faster way to resolve this. Hold Ctrl + Alt + Delete on your keyboard and select Task Manager. On the Applications tab select 'Store Operations POS' and click End Task. Close Task Manager and the POS will open correctly for you.

When you press Ctrl-F6, you will see the Display Properties window, which enables you to choose/change the following screen displays: Status Bar; Custom Buttons; Totals; Sub Total; Sales Tax; Shipping; Total; Function Keys (also adjust their height); Net Display; Receipt on Net Display; and/or HTML Status Bar (used for customized HTML programs). You can also show the Touchscreen Keyboard. Additionally, the Display customer panel as needed option located on the Transaction Screen tab allows you to enable or disable the customer info portion of the POS transaction screen.

Click Window on the Transaction Screen tab to select whether you want a resizable border and to adjust the size and position of the screen.

In October 2008, Microsoft Dynamics RMS was validated by Visa as a PCI-compliant payment application. This applies to RMS Version 2.0 Service Pack 3. 

Follow these steps to verify you have the minimum version for PCI compliance.

1. Open Store Operations Manager
2. Click Help - About Store Operation Manager
3. The version is at the top of the page
4. Service Pack 3 version is: 2.0.0126
   Any version number higher is also compliant

For More Information about RMS and PCI compliance
 

To place a transaction on hold

1. After you ring up the item(s) on the transaction screen, press Ctrl-F12. The Hold Transaction window appears.

2. In the Comment box, enter an applicable comment by which the transaction can by recalled (i.e. the customer's driver's license number or name), and then press Enter.

3. After you place the transaction on hold, you can recall it any time.
 

To retrieve items on hold

Before you can retrieve an item on hold, there must be no items on the transaction screen.

Press F11 to display the available recall functions.

Select the Recall a Transaction From On Hold option, and then press Enter.

On the Transactions on Hold window, select the transaction you wish to retrieve, and then press Enter.
 

To update tax rates in RMS:

1. Open Store Operation Manager
2. Click on the Database menu at the top of the program
3. Click on [Sales Taxes]
4. Select the Tax to update and double click or click [Properties]
5. Update the "Sales Tax Rate (%)" field
6. Click [OK] 
7. You will receive a warning message informing you that the changes won't take affect until the POS station(s) has exited and then relaunched. This is applicable if POS stations are currently open when the change is made.  Our suggestion is to make the rate change the night before or first thing in the morning before any POS station has been started.