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
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Tap
Menu in the top right corner of the screen.
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Tap Vending.
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Select Implementation from the drop down menu.
- Tap the Serial Number for the telemeter on the Non-Assigned Devices screen.
Basic information and photos for your machine
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Enter the required machine information:
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Machine Name
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Machine Model
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Machine Serial Number
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Machine Layout Type
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Machine Location
- Check any boxes that apply to your machine
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To take photos of the machine, tap the Camera
button. You should have at least three photos for an online machine:
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Buttons/product selections
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Telemeter with serial number
- Machine tag
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- Tap Continue to Layout.
Data Exchange (DEX) selections
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Validate that the inventory selections, prices, and counters provided by the DEX are correct.
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To deactivate an inventory selection, tap the blue Active selection to make it grey.
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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.
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- Tap Create and Continue.
Product tab
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Use a barcode scanner to quickly input product UPCs or tap Name Lookup to search for the product by name.
If you created a planogram for this machine, select the appropriate planogram from the Planogram drop down menu.
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Add all products for this machine.
- Tap Save.
Prices, Parlevels, Capacities, and Inventory tabs
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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.
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Use the in-app number pad to set the parlevel for every selection.
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If you are unsure, leave this blank until you set the capacities.
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Set Capacities from PL sets the capacities based on the pars. This is best used after using the Optimization Tool.
- 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.
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Use the in-app number pad to input the physical capacities for the machine.
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Set Parlevels from Cap sets your parlevels based on the physical slot capacities of the machine.
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Set Parlevels from Cap sets your parlevels based on the physical slot capacities of the machine.
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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.
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Tap Save. This takes you to the main screen of the Implementation Tool, showing unassigned telemeters.
- 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
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Press
Menu in the top right corner of the screen.
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Press Vending.
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Press Implementation from the drop down menu.
- Press Build Offline.
Layout rows
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To add a row, tap the desired number button.
- Repeat as needed to add additional columns.
Basic information and photos for your machine
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Enter the required machine information:
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Machine Name
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Machine Model
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Machine Serial Number
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Machine Layout Type
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Machine Location
- Check any boxes that apply to your machine
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To take photos of the machine, tap the Camera
button. You should have at least two photos for an offline machine:
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Buttons/product selections
- Machine tag
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- Tap Create and Continue.
Product tab
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Use a bar-code scanner to quickly input product UPCs or tap Name Lookup to search for the product by name.
If you have created a planogram for this machine, select the appropriate planogram from the Planogram drop down menu.
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Add all product for this machine.
- Tap Save.
Prices, Parlevels, Capacities, and Inventory tabs
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Use the in-app number pad to manually set the prices for products in the machine.
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Use the in-app number pad to set the parlevels for every selection.
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If you are unsure, leave this bank until you set the capacities.
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Set Capacities from PL will set the capacities based on the pars. Offline machines do not have optimization, so this option is not recommended.
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Use the in-app number pad to input the physical capacities for the machine.
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Set Parlevels from Cap will set your pars based on the physical slot capacities of the machine. This is the recommended option.
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Set Parlevels from Cap will set your pars based on the physical slot capacities of the machine. This is the recommended option.
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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.
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Tap Save. This will take you to the main screen of the Implementation Tool, showing unassigned telemeters.
- 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 your first machine is created, the overview screen displays a map showing your Warehouse and machine location.
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To view the Overview screen, tap the Parlevel logo in the top left corner of the screen.
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A map with your machines is displayed with a Last Activity window on the left sid.
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The Last Activity window shows your route progress and active alerts. For information about route progress, see Route Progress.
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Located along the bottom of your 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 you have more machines, use
Settings 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 your VMS using a desktop or laptop computer.
Offline to Online
You can convert your offline machine to an online machine by using the Merge tool. Inventory, sales, and daily consumption rates will be more accurate after you convert your machine.
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Click Vending in the navigation bar at the top of the screen.
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Select All Machines from the drop down menu.
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Click on the machine name that you will be converting.
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Click
Edit Machine.
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Click Options in the top right corner of the screen.
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Select Create Planogram From Machine from the drop down menu.
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Click Save Changes.
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Click Vending in the navigation bar at the top of the screen.
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Select All Machines from the drop down menu.
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Click New Machine at the top right of the screen.
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Click the Device ID for the telemeter you will be using.
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Click the Merge with Machine drop down menu.
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Select the name of the offline machine you want to merge with.
Some slots will auto-fill at this point. Two buttons will also appear to the right of the dropdown:
- View Machine will open the Machine Modal to view the machine planogram.
- Reset will remove the selected machine from the dropdown.
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Click Save.
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Click Create and Return to List to return to the Machine List.
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The machine that you 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.
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Click the
Edit icon to the far right of the machine, then navigate to the Advanced Settings tab.
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Click Assign New Planogram dropdown on the right, and select the planogram you just made. This should include the name of the machine.
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.
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Specify if you would like to set the same Prices, Parlevels, and Capacities as the original machine.
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Click Assign Planogram, and then confirm when prompted.
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Click the Force Instant Product Changes check box.
- Click Save Changes.
The products, prices, and parlevels should match the previous offline machine.
Online to Offline
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Click Vending in the navigation bar at the top of the screen.
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Select All Machines from the drop down menu.
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On the following page, click the
Edit icon to the far right of the machine you are converting from online to offline.
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Click the Basic Info tab above your planogram.
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Delete the Device ID located in the second column.
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Click the Telemetry Provider below Device ID.
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Select Not Specified from the drop down menu.
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Check the box on the right that says Offline Machine.
- Click Save Changes.
Service history will be kept for the machine but daily consumption rates and sales history will be lost.