ON-LINE STORE CHARGE SOLUTION

for

IBM ACE SYSTEM

Part of the

suite of programs.

OPERATION OVERVIEW

Step 1-A transaction is tendered to the Store Charge Tender. This tender-type is set as an APS type so the request is sent to the CC controller.

OPERATION OVERVIEW

Step 2- The APS Host interface sends the request to the On-Line Store Charge Processor via TCP/IP

OPERATION OVERVIEW

Step 3-The Host Server looks up the account number. If found and limits are met, the account balance is updated and an Approval is sent back to the APS Host Interface.

OPERATION OVERVIEW

Step 4- The APS Host Interface decodes the approval message and sends this data back to the POS Terminal

OPERATION OVERVIEW

Step 5- The programmable franking formats are used to print information such as Account Name, Number, Previous and Current Balance on the receipt.

OPERATION OVERVIEW

Step 6- During the night, after Close Period has been performed, the Transaction Log is transferred to the On-Line Host PC.

OPERATION OVERVIEWStep 7- The day’s Transaction Log is scanned for any transactions tendered to Store Charge. If the transaction was already approved by

the On-Line Host, the transaction details are matched up. If a matching transaction is not found, the transaction is added to the transaction list to be posted. If a PaymentSKU is found, a payment entry is made for that account. Any entries created by the Tlog Scan must be “Posted” prior to updating any balances. This ensures that the transactions can be verified before updating balances.

OPERATION OVERVIEW

If you use a preferred shopper code for customer account numbers, you can set the STORECHG program to send the account name to the preferred shopper activity file. With this data, when the card is scanned, the display can display that account’s name. This number would then be used as the account number when tendered to Store Charge.

OPERATION OVERVIEWIf the store accepts payments at the POS for store charge accounts, a Payment SKU needs to be defined. This SKU will be detected during the nightly transaction log scan and used to update accounts.

NOTE: Payments will not be visible to the On-Line Host until the transaction log is scanned AND the POSTING procedure is run.

OPERATION OVERVIEWAll account maintenance, transaction posting and reporting are controlled in the Store Charge Module.

Some examples of reports are:Monthly Statements - Customer Lists with or without Balances - Daily Invoice/Payment/Gift Certificate Logs - Aging Reports and more

GIFT CERTIFICATE CONTROLIn addition to Store Charge Account control, you can use this system to generate, track and control Gift Certificates. These are treated exactly like the store charge but will keep track of the remaining balance and watch for expired certificates!

Required Equipment / Software

IBM System:ACE ver 4 or aboveBOB files for APS

ON-LINE Host:Windows® PCNetwork CardTCP/IP HOST SOFTWAREStore Charge Module of IGManager

ACE Setup Background TasksACEAPSSR.286(This would already be running if credit is already active)

ACEAPSHL.286Parameter file of ACEAPSHL.ICR

ACEAPSHL.ICRPROTOCOL 3LINK_NAME “ICRLINK”SESSION_NAME “ICRSESS”RETRIES 3IDLE_TIMEOUT 10RE-INIT_TIMEOUT 600ACK_TIMEOUT 50INITSELF 1USE_LRC 0USE_ACK 0LOG_ALL_ERRORS 1COMMS_ERROR_MSG 403COMMS_EVENT 0

ACEAPSHL.ICRHOST_WRITE_PIPE “<EPSREAD>”HOST_WRITE_SIZE 10240HOST_READ_PIPE“Z”HOST_READ_SIZE 10240HOST_READ_WAIT 30000HOST_ID “ICR”RETRY_HOST_TIME 30MIN_RETRY_HOST_TIME 3LEASED_LINE 1GIPC_ACK_PIPE “R”TCPIP_HOST_NAME “icr”TCPIP_HOST_PORT 6666MAX_MESSAGE_SIZE 512TRANSACTION_TIMEOUT 60

As defined in HOSTS file

As defined inONLINE HOST PROCESSOR

OPTIONS-TENDERS(For the desired tender type)DESCRIPTION: STORE CHARGESHORT DESCR: STCACCOUNT REQUIRED: YEXP DATE REQUIRED: NFRANKING FORMAT: xVERIFICATION TYPE: 0

LIMITS AS DESIRED

EPS- EPS Tender- Card PlanID: 62DESCRIPTION: STORE CHARGESUREPOS EPS Tender: YCARD PLAN ID: SCEPS PAY TYPE: 2HOST NAME: ICR

EPS- EPS Tender- ACCT # ENTRYALLOWABLE INPUT DEV: KEYBOARD, SCANNERREQUIRED INFO: ACCOUNT NUMBER

EPS- EPS Tender- CLIENTRecommend all Client Off-Line values be +++

EPS- EPS Tender- HOST OFFLINEStand in limits should all be +++ also

EPS- EPS Tender- SAFsAll SAFs should be deactivated

EPS- HOSTID: xHOST NAME: ICRHOST READ PIPE NAME:ZHOST READ PIPE SIZE: 10240HOST RESPONSE TIMEOUT: 10SETTLEMENT RESP TIMEOUT: 0

StoreID, TerminalID, MerchantID are all not used at this time

ON-LINE HOST SETTINGSStarting Path:Path to the data. Can be local or networked.

HOST PORT:This setting must matchthe setting in the ACE APS setup.

Host Reset Interval: As a precaution, the HOST closes and re-opens

the TCPIP port at this interval.

STORECHG SETTINGSSettings used by the Offline Transaction Scan and TENDVUPDATE

Statement printing options

Transaction Log: Path and name of yesterday’s transactionlog. If blank, ScanLogs will determine the correct EAMTRANA, B or C to scan

Store Chg Tender: This is the Tender setup as the store charge.

Ex. 62 Store Chg Payment SKU: The Itemcode setup as a Misc

received on account for payments.

Tax Exempt discount type: Used outside of StoreCharge

Store Charge Using EM and EM Code Mask:By using frequent shopper codes at the POS for account access allows us to have theaccount’s name appear on the screen by customizing the LOYALTY section of ACE.This can eliminate the possibility of the cashier entering the wrong account code.This also allows us scan or enter the code at anytime during the transaction. The EM CODE MASK shows store charge how the account number is formatted in thePreferred Customer code. Example: Store #001 uses cat 4 for Preferred Shopper ->400100123 would be account 123. The mask would be: 4001#######

Store Logo File: Path and name of the logo to print at thetop of monthly statements.

Store Info: The address, etc. to print under that logo.