Microsoft's Retail Management System? 1

[mjbosko]

Curious if anyone uses, or has clients that use, Microsoft's Retail Management System.

I've read the info at:

http://www.microsoft.com/BusinessSolutions/Retail Management/default.mspx

But would really like to hear some real life feedback from small- to mid-sized companies using the product.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[shepherd]

Hi Rick,
thanks a lot for the info. It would be nice to see at least *some* effort on MBS's part to help support implementation and development efforts with this product. But I agree, as always their marketing is top-notch... (oh well).

Anyway, I've been a little more successful piecing together info from what little I could find both online and using the object browser shipped with .NET. Unfortunately I'm still finding it quite difficult to achieve what I think should be simple tasks. Specifically, can anyone advise me as to how to get a pointer to items entered within a particular transaction? I've added a hook reference to a dll I created (I attached to the supplied "AddItem" hook), and can't figure how to navigate to the Item entry details from the session object that is passed to it. It seems like this should be straightforward, but for the life of me I can't figure it out. Am I missing something obvious here?

 

[mkatzer]

Give you some heads up on CAM retail star and their products in general. If you want to do any database work, the software is really crap. the CAM UI is good, but the database is a single thread piece of software from Gupta, that crashes under load, and does not understadn multiple processors. Basically, it is an overgrown access datbase (even MSDE and sql anywhere works better)

So in our case, we had to implement a Sql 2000 database in parallel with CAM's retail star so we could process the data frm CAM. We literally had to run text reports from retail star under manual control (autmatic reprot generator crashes generatign csv files), and use MS sql data transform service to import the data into sql2000. (FYI, Gupta does not run on multiple processors, and you have no control over which process to force it to run on). Also, CAM does not give you write access to the database. CAM also determines when you should upgrade. The upgrades are free, but usually arrive 6 – 10 months after every one else has them.

The only advantage CAM has is the UI and the support staff, but MS will prob have a better UI with version 2 in june. The support staff is more of a function to how you buy the product. MS RMS is sold through the local reseller channel

So my advice: choose what make sense for your job. It is no fun to reboot a bunch of POS workstations during peak business hours due to a crash database. So if you are content to live in the CAM world, you will do fine, if you want to do anything out side of the CAM world (like use a wireless inventory control systems, process the database for the web data real time; you will have problems).

We looked at two other packages before selecting CAM's product. We selected CAM;'s product, with the feelings at the time that if they did not significanly fix the db by the time it was on our critical automation path, we would dump it fr somethin else. We will try a conversion to RMS in jan - feb time frame and see how that compares.

In our case, we mange the CAM's retail star remotely using VPN's and term server. We had to put some Dell DRAC cards in the servers so we could do a hardware reboot. The gupta db crashes pretty hard at times. Usually when I am a 300 - 400 miles away. Our servers are dell's quads 6450's, 2550 sc with caching raid controllers, 1+ghz processors, and gbytes of memory, and a switch 100/1000 infrastructure

matt k.

 

[jeffreyvsmith]

We actually use Microsoft RMS and have been a customer since some of the first versions of QuickSell. We integrate the products (Microsoft Store Operations and Headquarters) with Dynamics and have written many custom apps and have a reporting system setup for corporate and stores. We have used Crystal Enterprise for reporting thus far, but are migrating to Microsoft SQL Reporting. We have over 50 inline stores that use RMS and sych with HQ on a daily basis, giving us the real time data to make informed decisions. We are one of the largest users (and developers for) of RMS and Microsoft has even come to visit us to discuss the product and see what we were implementing. If any of you need advice on the purchase, implementation, or customization of quicksell, just let me know.

 

[mkatzer]

Cool..

we are developing a wireless iventory add on for .net pda's using scokets scanners. Requries a sql db. Looking for beta sites.

Sort of a real time db update, price change inventory adjustment from a pda. We have been doing time studies on how inventory is completed in retail shops (greater then 5K sku's) and are trying to address the product to reduce the number of steps for inventory, and the time (and costs $$) to make inventory adjustments. Suspect the software will be around $899 for a client and 1 server. Addtional pda clients should be around $199 or so. Prices are really tba until the markeitng folks bless it.

If you are interested in a beta site, contact me off line at mkatzer@kamind.com. We should have the site up in march alogn with beta product and are lookign for a couple of beta users. You will need to be running sql with RMS. We have another version planned that will dump the pdt format to a csv as well.

matt k.

 

[RITE1]

Wow, thats quite a coinicidence!

We are beta testing something we call Rite Scan - it is a pda based (with socket scanner too - that is integrated with RMS.

Takes physical inventory - can create puchase orders - store to store transfers - change prices - print labels - creates pick lists, etc.

http://www.rite-enterprises.com/custom.htm

- we should have our demo site up in around 2 weeks

 

[mkatzer]

cool!!

I love this wifi stuff...

Do you have any screen shots you want to share? Do you know what you will sell it for?(just email me a link..)


matt k
mkatzer@kamind.com

 

[justartin]

I am just getting started with RMS, and I was using another POS that wasn't stable. Microsoft said that this software had the ability to import my old inventory in from a .csv, but I can't seem to make this work. I am currently working to create a global import utility, but I am asking if I missed something here. Is there a way using the existing software to import my old inventory from a text file or xls.

 

[bbrendan]

Hi,

Ive been testing RMS for a while, ive looked at numerous packages, but not much fronts up with a solid msde or sqldatabase, or even access for that matter. Unless someone can point me out something.

We only after a single lane system for a small shop.

Maybee a little bit of an overkill but where an ms shop with sqlserver, and I know sqlserver.

Ive found the software overall quite good to use. Havent had any real issues. The only real comment I have it how I can customize it to suit local UK card transactions. It very US centric.

I could I suppose goto a VAR and get it customized but that could set me back a small fortune just to get it working with some basic UK card types like switch!!.

The printed sales reciepts are in xml, I have tried in VAIN to modify these but I cannot do so. Im no xml guru, but i keeps saying the format is invalid, even if I just comment out a line or two, when it shouldnt make a difference. very odd.

The import tools seem pretty basic, I get the impression that unless you know what your doing, you would need a var to load any inventory into the tables.

I tried hacking it with access but it didnt like it, so I managed to get our products in using a good ol' sql insert into statement.

It uses crystal reports, as its report engine, which is nice to see, but havent really had a play in that area yet.

Since we only use it for POS, we dont use many other the other functions that it has, but I think for a lager player yes you could say its worth a good look at

my2cents!

cheers
brendan

 

[surfmaui]

Aloha Mike (mjbosko),
Great to hear you made it to Maui in December- I hope you had fun! I have a surf shop here on Maui, and we are thinking about upgrading our current POS (Retail Pro - Rpro)to MS RMS. Do you or anyone else in this forum have any experience with the differences between RPro & RMS)

By chance, Do you remember the name of the store you visited on island - the one that was trying to install RMS ? - I would love to check with them and see how it turned out. (email me at dennis@hawaiianisland.com if you can)
Mahalo for your help!
Aloha,
Dennis

 

[ehonauer]

Hi all,

I'm also a Retail Pro user looking to RMS as a possible replacement.

I've been working for about six months on a one store/one warehouse/one HQ Retail Pro installation and have had major connectivity problems from the get-go. Their Remote -> HQ synchronization and scheduler programs are very shakey, and they have become even more so since the store opened 2 weeks ago.

Basically myself and another person are checking 3 locations every morning via TermServ/PCAnywhere to make sure everything ran. If something fails (which is more often than not) we have to manually sync up all the locations, a time-consuming process. The scheduler doesn't run as a service, so if someone logs off a PC then the sync doesn't happen. We get mysterious errors the VAR can't explain. If/when we expand, these problems are unacceptable.

Aside from that, the software is a mixed bag - some tasks are intuitive and easy, others complicated, sometimes within the same module. It has a proprietary database with limited import-export capabilities and it just doesn't seem like enterprise-class software.

VAR support is not great - we call them with issues, they are never shocked that it's not working, have no sense of urgency in resolving problems, and half the time we end up figuring things out ourselves before they do. We're opening another store this year, and possibly 5 next year. I'd like to cut our losses and ditch the product before I become a fulltime slave to Retail Pro.

I'm starting to look at RMS as a possible solution, but am concerned over lack of VAR support and customization limitations in RMS. We have heavily customized receipts and product labels and bbrendan's post about his difficulty in customizing receipts scared me. On the other hand, an open database and API hook-ins are very appealing. Anyone who has anything new to report with their RMS/POS adventures, please post!

Also, there is a Microsoft newgroup about RMS called microsoft.public.POS which you can access through Google or a newsreader for some RMS stories from the trenches.

 

[bbrendan]

Hi All,

We it looks like I might stay well clear of Retail Pro .

I think one of the BIG benefits with RMS is that it runs off a MSDE database, which being a Programmer/DBA make life very easy when it comes to making quick/dirty changes to the database backend.

Unfortunatley I dont have any real exp with multi-site useage so I dont know how well its synchonization works.

I do recall seeing some time back another MSDE POS packages but ive lost the links!. Im still not overly impressesed with RMS, as I would at least expect to get some tools to do basic customizations myself instead of forking our ££££ for simple work I could do!.

There must be other Decent MSDE/SQL Server based POS systems out there, its just finding them seems to be the hard part

cheers

 

[AlanAtNodusTech]

If synchronization between stores is a big issue for you, there might be a solution.

At Nodus, we have a product that enables complete real-time synchronization with a back-end accounting package like Great Plains.

This goes beyond the RMS HQ to GP integration that Microsoft provides because it does more than just General Ledger and it happens instantly.

Our product integrates with the back-end at the lowest levels, replicating a transaction for a transaction. All parts of RMS are covered and all inventory is kept in sync at all times. It even allows the changes made in GP to flow back into RMS. For the Great Plains version, each store is tied to a Site ID. So inventory is tracked for each site/location.

The system is even smart enough to queue and re-send transactions if the network connection goes down.

This product might not be for everyone, but it has already generated quite a stir.

The Product is called "RMS Advantage" and is available at

http://www.nodustech.com/RMSProducts.html

 

[ehonauer]

bbrendan, One good thing about Retail Pro is that it gives you Visual Basic-like form designers for reports, screens, and documents (POs/receipts/etc.) so there are some customization options. You just right click on a screen and you can enter the form designer. It's not so easy to add functionality outside of the vanilla product options, but it does make it easy to move, delete, or add the standard built-in fields.

Does RMS have equivalent functionality?

Alan, Everything I've read about RMS indicates that the connectivity/synchronization is pretty solid. But in order to sell it to the business people I might have to convince them they're not going to lose any functionality.

 

[mkatzer]

Hi ehonauer..

With RMS you can use off the shelf crystal reports againts sql server (or msde). And if you want to write your own app, just use MS visual studio .net or delphia (or VB/excel etc. -- with a sql data connector).

The main difference with RMS is the database is open and it is a Sql based. Almost all of the other solutions Cam commence, retail pro, are closed systems with limited access. So you are pretty much stuck using those companies tools

 

[mkatzer]

Hi bbrendan

It comes down to want you want to spend. For samll biz,the best thing to do is buy SBS2003 premimum edition (street price around 1100). this comes with sql server, ISA, windows 2003 advance server. Buy a dual proc machine (or a used dell quad 6450 from ebay), and you will pretty much have want you need for a store site. Almost all of the other solutins in this price point do not have db replication or processor afinity (multi proc support).

We run ours and replicate the db over our vpn links to a central site. we consider the store as a throwaway from a security standpoint. So if the store burnt down, we coudl have another site up in a day or so (if we wanted to).

Stay away from retailpro and CAM's retail star. Itis nto worht the $$ they ask for it

 

[ehonauer]

The nice thing about Retail Pro is users can redesign the screen controls/list fields/printed documents with no programming background - it's all drag and drop. Are there such capabilities in RMS?

 

[AlanAtNodusTech]

Ehonauer,

What RMS has is HTML & XML files that setup the structure for many of the RMS & Touchscreen windows and reports.

Microsoft has also released an API and "customization guide" to add outside program code and customize certain fields.

My company has developed has added a few new windows to RMS and its totally seamless.

Add that to RMS's ability to use Crystal Reports and its openly available Database, and there's not much you can't do.

 

[ehonauer]

It's good that RMS is totally open from a programmatic standpoint, but don't underestimate the value of users being able to modify the screens themselves. Since no has said "No" explicitly, I'm going to assume that RMS doesn't allow users to modify screen form /list layouts.

 

[damion123]

I just found a press release (released May 17, 2004) regarding a new customization guide for RMS that is now avaiable but I cannot find it anywhere. I'm looking to write some customizations for my own use and this would be extremely helpful.

Please respond with a link to this guide if you know where I can find it.

Here's the announcement:

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2004/may04/05-17MBSTechnicalReadinessPR.asp

 

[jlamkin]

I am helping a small clothing store set up MS RMS and have run into a roadblock. We are passing information to Quickbooks 2004 and are hoping to have a PO transfered to QB as a bill, however most POs arrive as partial orders. According to our RMS consultants, there is no solution for this--only completed POs are sent to QB.

Our hope is that RMS will pass the necessary info to QB to pay a partial invoice and credit the appropriate inventory account(s) to bring down the inventory balance of each account in QB. Is this possible?

Thanks!