Integration of a Point of Sale System with M3

This document explains how an external point of sale (POS) system is integrated with M3.

Outcome

Basic data, such as item, customer and price information, is downloaded from M3 to the external POS system. Sales ticket information is uploaded from an external POS system to M3. The information is processed in M3 and sales statistics, stock levels and the general ledger are updated.

Before you start

The starting conditions listed in these documents must be met.

See Defining Settings for Enabling POS Integration with M3.

See Define Basic Settings for Enabling POS Integration with M3.

See Create a New Shop.

Purpose

The main purposes of the POS integration with M3 are to:

  • Manage the master files centrally in M3 (for example, the item master file or the customer file)
  • Send basic data from M3 to the POS system
  • Manage sales ticket information from POS
  • Update sales statistics and general ledger
  • Send and receive distribution orders and stock movements between the POS system and M3
  • Keep track of a shop’s stock level from the POS system to enable continuous replenishment.

When

The POS integration interface is designed for businesses that have a network of shops and that process most of the shop transactions in a data system other than M3. M3 is the supply chain’s point of consolidation and it supports the financial components of the business as well.

How

The integration is performed via the application programming interface (API) in M3. The API makes the distribution of information between the two systems possible.

The supply of basic data to the shops is managed centrally in M3, while sales and stock movements are initiated locally in the POS system.

The POS interface usually runs on a daily or hourly basis. When you make a database change in M3 (for example, to the item master file or the customer file), you must manually update the OPTRFI and OPTRML files in M3 by downloading information via several M3 programs, such as ‘POS Item. Transfer’ (OPS610) and POS Customer. Transfer’ (OPS615).

When the OPTRFI and OPTRML files have been updated in M3, the new information can be downloaded to the POS system.

  1. Downloads from M3:

    • Item information
    • Customer information
    • User information
    • System table information
    • Price information
    • Promotion information
    • Distribution orders (DO) (expected receipts at the shop)

  2. Uploads to M3

    • Distribution orders (actual receipts) and DOs initiated by shop
    • Sales ticket information

      Once the information is uploaded to M3, it is used to update sales statistics, stock movements (from sales) and the general ledger.

    • For information on stock takes and stock adjustments, refer to Warehouse Integration in the Handling Warehouse Integration document.

Structure

The main exchanges between M3 and the point of sale system are the following:

M3 sends to POS the following:

  • Basic data, including items, customers, prices, promotions, users, system tables
  • Distribution order: Main warehouse to shop Initiated by M3.
  • Send future receipt when issue done in main warehouse

POS sends the following back to M3:

  • DO receipt from shop
  • Distribution order: Shop to shop

    Issue from shop initiates DO

  • Stock adjustment at shop

    Validated stock adjustment from shop

  • Stock take at shop

    Validated at stock level from shop

POS sends the following Sales information back to M3:

  • Issues from shop
  • Sales statistics update
  • General ledger accounting update
  • Advance invoice
  • Petty cash
  • Bank remittance
  • Gift certificate
  • Daily settlement
  • Credit invoice
  • VAT credit
  • Payment of invoices
  • Payment to account

Below is an illustration of the structure of the sales ticket interface

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