CenPOS Virtual Terminal

CenPOS provides you with access to their Virtual Terminal and various transaction forms that open through CenPOS' stand-alone, secure Web browser. The access is provided through a single centralized bridge or individual standard bridge connections. CenPOS recommends you do not try to use both bridge services simultaneously. Select and implement either the standard bridge service or the centralized bridge service. The standard bridge requires the device to be pre-configured in server mode; the centralized bridge requires client mode. Additionally, your device hardware setup varies depending on the bridge service. Such differences can make it difficult to incorporate both services simultaneously.

  • Standard Virtual Terminal Bridge

    This thin client bridge service requires you install the Virtual Terminal Bridge software on each workstation. This enables communication with the peripheral/swipe device connected to it. CenPOS' Virtual Terminal Bridge (VTB) software is typically installed on the same computer as the Distribution SX.e user's WebUI client (the point-of-sale object). The VTB connects the POS object (1-to-1) to a single scanner device.

    Using the IP address of the POS object computer, this connection allows CenPOS to send the response to the correct scanner device and POS object during the transaction session. Be aware that when software updates must be installed, the updates must be installed on each workstation. Be aware also that, with the standard bridge, some thin clients do not support embedded windows; meaning that this form of Virtual Terminal Bridge software cannot be installed.

  • Centralized Virtual Terminal Bridge

    The CenPOS Centralized Virtual Terminal Bridge allows for terminal and card acceptance devices on an internal network to communicate with the CenPOS POS HTML5 application. The bridge application is installed on a central server. The bridge can then receive commands from the POS application, and relay those commands to a specific device on the network. This centralized bridge eliminates the necessity for the bridge to be installed on each workstation.

    The terminal is configured as a client and must be assigned to a specific port. It must be configured to look for the IP of the server where the bridge is running. When the terminal boots, it looks for that server to connect. The bridge is configured to accept a type of device and to listen to specified ports. The POS object sends the IP address of the server, and the port where the terminal is assigned, to the server where the bridge is running.

As a prerequisite of setting up the bridge, you must specify which bridge option you are using. To do this, use the value in the Centralized Bridge IP Address field in SA Administrator Options-Documents-Sales Orders-Approval Process-Credit Card Processing in this way:

  • To use the Centralized Virtual Terminal Bridge, specify the IP address provided by CenPOS in the Centralized Bridge IP Address field.

  • To use the Standard Virtual Terminal Bridge, leave this field blank.

See instructions about setting up credit card defaults.

You must also specify the device location as an prerequisite of setting up the bridge. To do this, use the values in SA Table Code Value Setup-Device Location in this way:

  • To use the Centralized Virtual Terminal Bridge, specify the device serial number in the Centralized Bridge Serial Number field. Repeat the setup for each device.

  • To use the Standard Virtual Terminal Bridge, in the field, Standard Bridge IP Address, associate that device with an IP address. Repeat the setup for each device.

See instructions about additional setup for multiple devices.

Caution: 
You may currently be using Standard Virtual Terminal Bridge, and you intend to switch to Centralized Virtual Terminal Bridge. If so, you must set up the serial number for each device in the SA Table Code Value Setup-Device Location. When you complete that task, then specify the new value in the Centralized Bridge IP Address field in SA Administrator Options-Documents-Sales Orders-Approval Process-Credit Card Processing. Sign out and sign back in to the system to activate this setting.