ROBOTILL HELP

Update Branches

You upload your organization's data listed below to the ROBOTILL head office cloud server so that all your branches can download the information when needed. 

  • Products set up - including prices, multi-tier prices, compound items (products with sub items), variants, categories and departments.
  • Print Design for all till slips
  • Attributes

To upload the information, go to ROBOTILL Back Office > Home > Head Office > Update Head Office Server.

Update Branches

#1) Update Branch Codes

If you added any new branches, changed a branch code or deleted a branch since you last updated the branch codes on the cloud server, then you must select to update the branch codes.

#2) Update Attributes

If you added or changed any attribute groups at your head office site since you last updated attributes on the server, then you need to run this update. 

Note it is not needed to run this update if you select different attributes for products. It is also not needed to run this update if you add a new branch. The attribute information for your company stays on the head office server in case a new branch needs to download attribute groups.

An attribute update will add or update attribute groups at each branch. If the branch has a different group with the same name, then that group will be overwritten by this update.

It will not remove any branch specific attribute groups that were created by the branch. It will also not delete any attribute groups at the branch that you deleted at the head office. The attribute groups that you want to remove need to be deleted at the branch.

#3) Update Print Design

You only need to run this update if you want the print design for all your documents at the head office to be rolled out to all the branches. 

Note that any branch specific print design changes will be overwritten. If branches have any branch specific print design changes  - like different shop or restaurant names on the receipts - then these changes will need to be reapplied if you do a print design update from the head office. 

#4) Update Products

When you want to roll our product updates to branches, the barcode number or the stock code will be used to find the correct product at the branch. The barcode number will first be checked, if it is not found then the stock code will be used.  

If the product is found, then it will be updated. If it is not found, then the product will be created at the branch. 

When using the head office module you can choose if you want to use barcode numbers or unique stock codes for your products. If you choose to use barcode numbers, then you don't need to enter any stock codes. If you do use stock codes, then the stock codes must be unique for each product and product variant. 

There are different product update options.

New Products

This option will upload all products to the head office server that is not already on the server. It will only upload new products that were created after the last upload and not any products that were edited. 

At the branches only the new products will be downloaded. If a new branch is added, it will download all products. 

All Products (Product Refresh)

If you made changes to existing products that have already been rolled out to the branches, then you can use this optionton to force the branches to reload all the products from the head office server.

Specific Products

You can choose to only roll out specific products to branches. The branches will only update or add the products that you choose. 

Data on the cloud server and licence renewal

Your organization's data is only temporarily stored on the ROBOTILL head office cloud server. Information like attribute groups and products are stored on the server for the duration of your head office licence period so that branches can download the information when needed.

Information related to stock transfers and reports are removed the moment all the branches and/or head office received the information. 

All branch related data like stock transfers and branch reports are permanently stored on your local server. 

When a head office licence expires all data is removed from the ROBOTILL head office cloud server. If you renew your licence, you will receive a new shared key. You will then need to run a full update again to upload branch information, attributes, products, and optionally print design information. 

Updates at the branches

One of the computers at the branch must have an internet connection to receive updates. If no internet connection is available at the time it is checking for updates, it will keep on trying every 30 minutes.

ROBOTILL Back Office needs to be open on the computer with the internet connection in order to receive updates remotely. No needs to be logged in, the program must simply be open. Someone can also be busy working in ROBOTILL Back Office as updates are received in the background.

If you only have one computer at the shop and it is used by the cashier, then you can keep ROBOTILL Back Office opened and minimized. The cashier will not be able to log in without an admin username and password and can continue to work in the retail or restaurant module. 

Background Update Tasks

At the head office and each branch there will be background tasks that will run that will receive updates from the head office cloud server and upload updates to the server. These tasks will be different depending on whether it is a head office or a branch. 

To see what tasks will run, go to ROBOTILL Back Office > Home > Head Office > Head Office Background Tasks.

Background Tasks

These tasks will run every 30 minutes. ROBOTILL Back Office needs to be open in order for the tasks to run. You can however keep ROBOTILL Back Office locked (nobody signed in) and minimized. 

If you are expecting an update (products updates, new stock transfer, etc), you can choose to run the tasks without waiting for the next 30 minute slot. 

Reports are uploaded automatically on a daily basis to the head office PC. If the branch PC does not have an internet connection for a couple of days all days that were skipped will also be uploaded once an internet connection is available again (and ROBOTILL Back Office is open).

If there is a problem during an upload and not all the data was uploaded for a specific day, then you can run the reports updates again. Select the number of days that you want to re-submit and click on the 're-run reports' button.

Background Update Log

If there is a problem with the background tasks, you will receive a notification in the home screen under the head office icon. To see what the problem is, click on the Head Office icon in your home screen and select 'Head Office Background Log'. 

Background Log

Note that the log is cleared every time ROBOTILL Back Office is restarted. You save the log to a text file if needed - ROBOTILL Support might request you to send them the background log if there is a problem. 

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