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Parlevel - Implementation
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Parlevel - Implementation
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Table of Contents

Purpose

This article walks through the Implementation process for Parlevel.
 

Process

Implementation can be performed using a tablet/smartphone, or at a computer. Both methods are covered here.
 

Implementing Online Machines with Phone/Tablet

Find the Telemeter in the VMS

  1. Tap Menu in the top-right corner of the screen.
     
  2. Tap Vending.
     
  3. Select Implementation from the drop-down menu.
     
  4. Tap the Serial Number for the telemeter on the Non-Assigned Devices screen.
     

Basic Information and Photos for the Machine

  1. Enter the required machine information:
    1. Machine Name
    2. Machine Model
    3. Machine Serial Number
    4. Machine Layout Type
    5. Machine Location
    6. Check any boxes that apply to the machine
       
  2. To take photos of the machine, tap the Camera button. There should be at least three photos for an online machine:
    1. Buttons/product selections
    2. Telemeter with serial number
    3. Machine tag
       
  3. Tap Continue to Layout.
     

Data Exchange (DEX) Selections

  1. Validate that the inventory selections, prices, and counters provided by the DEX are correct.
    1. To deactivate an inventory selection, tap the blue Active selection to make it grey.
    2. In machines with paired selections, it is important to identify which selection responds to which buttons and activate the correct selections. This information can be changed later.
       
  2. Tap Create and Continue.
     

Product Tab

  1. Use a barcode scanner to quickly input product UPCs or tap Name Lookup to search for the product by name.
    1.  If a planogram has been created for this machine, select the appropriate planogram from the Planogram drop-down menu.
       
  2. Add all products for this machine.
     
  3. Tap Save.
     

Prices, Parlevels, Capacities, and Inventory tabs

  1. Review the prices. If a price is incorrect, change it physically on the machine. Then re-DEX it as the price is pulled directly from the machine board.
     
  2. Use the in-app number pad to set the parlevel for every selection.
    1. If unsure, leave this blank until the capacities are set.
    2. Set Capacities from PL sets the capacities based on the pars. This is best used after using the Optimization Tool.
    3. The Optimization Tool in the VMS may be used later to change the pars based on data. For additional information about optimization, see Optimization and Merchandising.
       
  3. Use the in-app number pad to input the physical capacities for the machine.
    1. Set Parlevels from Cap sets the parlevels based on the physical slot capacities of the machine.
       
  4. Use the in-app number pad to input the amount of inventory actually in the machine at the time of implementation. This ensures inventory accuracy.
     
  5. Tap Save. This will bring up the main screen of the Implementation Tool, showing unassigned telemeters.
     
  6. Complete the telemeter installation and machine creation process for any additional online machines.
     

Set any of these amounts to the entire row or machine using the Set Entire Row or Set Entire Machine buttons.
 

Implementing Offline machines with Phone/Tablet

  1. Press Menu  in the top-right corner of the screen.
     
  2. Press Vending.
     
  3. Press Implementation from the drop-down menu.
     
  4. Press Build Offline.
     

Layout Rows

  1. To add a row, tap the desired number button.
     
  2. Repeat as needed to add additional columns.
     

Basic Information and Photos for the Machine

  1. Enter the required machine information:
    1. Machine Name
    2. Machine Model
    3. Machine Serial Number
    4. Machine Layout Type
    5. Machine Location
    6. Check any boxes that apply to the machine
       
  2. To take photos of the machine, tap the Camera button. There should be at least two photos for an offline machine:
    1. Buttons/product selections
    2. Machine tag
       
  3. Tap Create and Continue.
     

Product Tab

  1. Use a barcode scanner to quickly input product UPCs or tap Name Lookup to search for the product by name.
    1.  If a planogram has been created for this machine, select the appropriate planogram from the Planogram drop-down menu.
       
  2. Add all products for this machine.
     
  3. Tap Save.
     

Prices, Parlevels, Capacities, and Inventory tabs

  1. Use the in-app number pad to manually set the prices for products in the machine.
     
  2. Use the in-app number pad to set the parlevels for every selection.
    1. If unsure, leave this bank until the capacities are set.
    2. Set Capacities from PL will set the capacities based on the pars. Offline machines do not have optimization, so this option is not recommended.
       
  3. Use the in-app number pad to input the physical capacities for the machine.
    1. Set Parlevels from Cap will set the pars based on the physical slot capacities of the machine. This is the recommended option.
       
  4. Use the in-app number pad to input the amount of inventory actually being stocked in the machine at the time of implementation. This will ensure the accuracy of this machine.
     
  5. Tap Save. This will take bring up the main screen of the Implementation Tool, showing unassigned telemeters.
     
  6. Repeat the telemeter installation and machine creation process for any additional offline machines.

  Set any of these amounts to the entire row or machine using the Set Entire Row or Set Entire Machine buttons.
 

Overview Screen

Once the first machine is created, the overview screen displays a map showing the Warehouse and machine location.

  • To view the Overview screen, tap the Parlevel logo in the top-left corner of the screen.
     
  • A map with the machines is displayed with a Last Activity window on the left side.
     
  • The Last Activity window shows the route progress and active alerts. For information about route progress, see Route Progress.
     
  • Located along the bottom of the map is the Breakdown Alerts box. If Breakdown Alerts are displayed, click the Breakdown Alerts box to view alerts that need attention. For information about individual alerts, see Alerts Intro.
     
  • When there are more machines, use Settings (triple gear icon) located at the right side of the map to filter what machines are displayed on the overview page.
     

Converting Machines using the VMS

The following instructions cover converting machines in the VMS using a desktop or laptop computer.


Offline to Online

The offline machine can be converted to an online machine by using the Merge tool. Inventory, sales, and daily consumption rates will be more accurate after the machine has been converted.

  1. Click Vending in the navigation bar at the top of the screen.
     
  2. Select All Machines from the drop-down menu.
     
  3. Click on the machine name to be converted.
     
  4. Click Edit Machine.
     
  5. Click Options in the top-right corner of the screen.
     
  6. Select Create Planogram From Machine from the drop-down menu.
     
  7. Click Save Changes.
    6435b3a5af3f3.png
  8. Click Vending in the navigation bar at the top of the screen.
     
  9. Select All Machines from the drop-down menu.
     
  10. Click New Machine at the top-right of the screen.
     
  11. Click the Device ID for the telemeter that is to be used.

  12. Click the Merge with Machine drop-down menu.
     
  13. Select the name of the desired offline machine to merge with.

    Some slots will auto-fill at this point. Two buttons will also appear to the right of the dropdown:
    1. View Machine will open the Machine Modal to view the machine planogram. 
    2. Reset will remove the selected machine from the dropdown.
              
  14. Click Save.

  15. Click Create and Return to List to return to the Machine List.
     
  16. The machine that was just created will be at the top of the list. If it is not at the top of the list, click the ID column title until the last machine created is on top.
     
  17. Click the Edit icon to the far right of the machine, then navigate to the Advanced Settings tab.
     
  18. Click the Assign New Planogram dropdown on the right, and select the planogram that was just made. This should include the name of the machine.
    1. If this dropdown does not appear, then the machine layout reported by the Dex does not match the layout of the saved planogram. This will need to be corrected in order to apply the saved planogram.
       
  19. Specify if the Prices, Parlevels, and Capacities should be set the same as the original machine.

  20. Click Assign Planogram, and then confirm when prompted.
     
  21. Click the Force Instant Product Changes check box.
     
  22. Click Save Changes.

  The products, prices, and parlevels should match the previous offline machine.

Online to Offline

  1. Click Vending in the navigation bar at the top of the screen.
     
  2. Select All Machines from the drop-down menu.
     
  3. On the following page, click the Edit icon to the far right of the machine that is to be converted from online to offline.
     
  4. Click the Basic Info tab above the planogram.
     
  5. Delete the Device ID located in the second column.
     
  6. Click the Telemetry Provider below Device ID.
     
  7. Select Not Specified from the drop-down menu.
     
  8. Check the box on the right that says Offline Machine.
     
  9. Click Save Changes. Service history will be kept for the machine but daily consumption rates and sales history will be lost.