Purpose

365 Retail Markets receives data from various systems as part of the NAMA VDI Standard. The rate at which 365 Retail Markets processes this data strongly depends on the method of data transmission. There are primarily two types of Data Synchronizations for incoming product catalogs: Partial and Full. Understanding how your VMS provider sends data to 365 can assist operators in planning more efficiently.

Types of Data Synchronization

• Partial Sync - This type of sync only retrieves data that has changed since the previous synchronization. For instance, if an operator modifies the price of a single product in their catalog, only that specific product is updated locally at the kiosk. This method is preferred and is very fast.
  
  
• Full Sync - In contrast, a full sync sends all available data within a market. For example, if an operator adjusts the price of a single product in their catalog, all products, even those not directly affected by the catalog update, are updated locally at the kiosk. Depending upon the number of products in the market and the number of full catalogs sent within an organization, this could be a very time-consuming process.

365 best practice dictates sending the full catalog for newly set up markets days in advance to ensure that all products are correctly configured within the market before go-live. Thereafter, product changes (price and tax, for example) should be sent as partials. Full re-sends can occasionally occur at a larger interval (monthly or bi-monthly) to routinely ensure that the market is up-to-date. You will need to work with your VMS Provider and 365 to understand how their system specifically operates.