Margin Master Handbook

Introduction

How Margin Master Thinks

Part I · Installing

Installation and First Launch

Part II · Introducing the Main Window

Part III · Initial Configuration

Store Manager: The Hub of Data Processing

Part IV · Customizing the Workspace

Part V · Basic Application Functionality

Rounding Schemes

Part VI · Learning Margin Master

Future Pricing

Part VII · Advanced Topics

Part VIII · Updates, Troubleshooting & Help

Appendix

How POS Import Works

What is this?

Margin Master prices your items, so it needs your point-of-sale data: every SKU, its cost, its current price, what is on hand and what sold in each of the last twelve months. Getting POS data in is the first of the two data flows a new store sets up (the other is vendor data), and it works one of two ways depending on the point of sale:

Method	How it works	Point-of-sale systems
Export file	You (or a scheduled job on the POS) export a file; Margin Master reads it from the Import Path	Most systems - Paladin, Transact, Falcon, Catalyst, Westlake, Mi9, AS/400, Propello, RockSolid (its own data file) and the other file-based guides in this chapter
Direct connection	Margin Master connects to the POS database or server and pulls the data itself	Epicor (FTP download or MySQL/Compass), BisTrack Direct Connect, Spruce, RockSolid MAX (when set up to connect instead of exporting), NCR Counterpoint

Either way you start the import from Data > Get POS Data (Ctrl+I) - the item is named for your system, for example Import Epicor Data - and the import ends by rebuilding the grid.

Store Information: POS System Type decides which import runs

The POS System Type on Tools > Options > Store Information decides everything else: which Options tab appears for the connection, which file pattern is expected, and which guide in this chapter applies to you. The Supported Point-of-Sale Systems page lists every system and links to its guide.

Where files go

File-based imports read from the Import Path on Tools > Options > Miscellaneous. After a successful import the file is renamed to NAME[ext].BAK so it is not imported twice; backups older than seven days inside Margin Master's own folder are cleaned up automatically. Margin Master never deletes a file it did not create, and never touches a folder outside C:\MarginMaster.

What happens after the data arrives

Whatever the source, the same steps follow: the store's rows are matched to the vendor catalog through the Store Manager, zone pricing is applied, the main table is rebuilt and the selection lists are refreshed. On a large database this takes a few minutes; if the rebuild is postponed to keep the window responsive, the Click to update data badge appears.

The remainder of this page summarizes how each system's data gets in - useful when an import does something unexpected. Each system's own guide has the full detail.

POS Systems at a Glance

POS System	How the data arrives	What you do
Paladin	Export file (`MarginMaster*.txt`)	Save the export into the Import Path, then Data > Get POS Data
Transact, Dimension, AS/400, ECS, Prosperity	Export file (`*.txt`)	Save the export into the Import Path, then Data > Get POS Data
CounterWorks, PacSoft	Export file (`*.csv`)	Save the export into the Import Path, then Data > Get POS Data
Catalyst, Falcon	Excel export (`*.xlsx`)	Save the export into the Import Path, then Data > Get POS Data
Westlake	Export file (`Westlake.txt`)	Save the export into the Import Path, then Data > Get POS Data
Mi9	Export files (`MM*.txt`, one per store group)	Save the files into the Import Path, then Data > Get POS Data
Propello	Full inventory export (`.xlsx`)	Save the export into the Import Path, then Data > Import Propello Data
BisTrack	Export file per store (`.txt` / `.csv`) or BisTrack Direct Connect	Files: save them into the Import Path. Direct Connect: set it up once on the Bistrack Options tab. Then Data > Get POS Data
RockSolid	RockSolid's own data file (`.RS`), read in place	Point the Import Path at the RockSolid folder; the RockSolid Options tab checks the required Microsoft Access driver
Spruce / SpruceWare.Net	Direct connection to the ECI-hosted database	Add the connection on the Spruce/RockSolid Options tab (needs the ECI VPN)
RockSolid MAX	Export file (`*Data.txt`) or direct connection	Save the export into the Import Path, or add a connection on the Spruce/RockSolid Options tab
Epicor (FTP)	Margin Master downloads the inventory file from your Eagle server by FTP/SFTP	Enter the FTP connection on the Epicor Options tab
Epicor (MySQL Compass)	Direct connection to the Compass data warehouse on your network	Check Connect via MySQL / Compass on the Epicor Options tab and enter the connection
NCR Counterpoint	Direct connection to the Counterpoint database	Contact Margin Master support to set up the connection
Other systems	Export file	See the system's guide on Supported Point-of-Sale Systems

What each method does

Export files. Margin Master looks in the Import Path for files matching your system's pattern, checks the columns against your system's layout, removes duplicate SKU/store rows, splits a multi-store file by store number and loads each store's items. When it finishes, the file is renamed to .BAK.

BisTrack with many stores. Every store's file is loaded together in one pass, which is much faster than one at a time. If one file fails, the rest of the batch continues and the failed stores are listed in the import summary.

Direct connections. No file is involved. Margin Master uses the connection you saved on your system's Options tab and pulls the current data when you choose Data > Get POS Data.

RockSolid. Margin Master reads RockSolid's .RS data file where RockSolid keeps it, so that file must not be locked by RockSolid during the import.

After the Import

After any POS import finishes, Margin Master runs the same sequence no matter which system the data came from:

Ace zone pricing - zone-specific pricing is applied (Ace Hardware stores, when zone data is present).
Do it Best MSU retail - MSU retail pricing is applied (Do it Best stores, when that data is present).
Main table rebuild - your items are joined with the vendor catalog to build the main pricing table.
Selection lists - the selection boxes (product groups, vendors and so on) are refreshed.
Database tune-up - the database's search indexes are refreshed so the grid stays fast.

Steps 1 and 2 only run when the respective vendor data is present. Steps 3-5 always run when any data changed.

Tips

If an import seems to complete but the main table is not updated, check that the post-import pipeline ran by looking at the status bar messages. Each step logs its name and row count.

BisTrack imports with many stores are significantly faster with the batch pre-load (all files staged in one pass). If one file fails, the rest of the batch continues — failed stores are listed in the import summary.

For RockSolid, the .RS file must not be open in another application (locked by RockSolid) when Margin Master imports it. Schedule imports during off-hours or after closing.

Epicor MySQL Compass imports do not require any file export from the POS. The connection runs on-demand from the Import dialog.

Common Questions

Why does importing one POS file update all stores? Some POS systems (like Mi9 and MySQL Compass) export all stores in a single connection or file. Margin Master automatically splits the data by store number during import.

What happens if a file has duplicate SKUs? Each import removes duplicates automatically. When the same SKU appears more than once for the same store, the last occurrence wins. For BisTrack batch imports, duplicates are removed once across all files in a single pass.

Can I re-import the same file twice? Yes — each import replaces the previous import's data for the affected stores.