| Oracle® Retail Store Inventory Management Store User Guide Release 16.0 E76179-08 |
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| Oracle® Retail Store Inventory Management Store User Guide Release 16.0 E76179-08 |
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This chapter covers printing. The following topics are covered:
Overview: Introduction to printing.
Functionality: Description of the functionality for printing.
Technical: Integration with Oracle Retail Integration Bus (RIB), web services, batch, and the database structure.
SIM can print reports or tickets and labels.
Operational reporting provides the ability to print a variety of reports linked to processes from specific functional areas in SIM such as shelf replenishment reports, stock count sheets and shipping documentation. SIM uses a print engine to provide report formatting/layout mechanism to specify the exact data fields to be printed and gives the customer access to change the output if desired. SIM reports are designed using Oracle's BI Publisher reporting tool. SIM provides the trigger for the reports such through print buttons or user options. The print engine is responsible for the type, format, and content of the report.
For a complete listing of SIM provided reports, see the Oracle Retail Store Inventory Management Configuration Guide.
Ticketing provides the ability to print shelf edge labels and item tickets for stock at the store and use an external application to print and manage the format details. Shelf edge labels (label formats) and Item tickets (ticket formats) events can be executed and printed in SIM. Tickets or labels can be printed for individual items on the PC and the handheld or groupings of item tickets (batches) can be imported and be managed on the PC for mass printing. Tickets and labels can also be auto-generated when price changes, description, or QR changes are introduced to SIM from external systems.
Depending on the type of printing topology used, different pieces of SIM ticketing are leveraged. In general, corporate will generate an event (blue) that requires tickets to be generated. This ticket generation (green) can happen in SIM, or in a third-party corporate system that generates a batch. SIM can handle the print execution (red) through manual user intervention, or automated printing. In addition, SIM also has the ability to generate and print tickets in a one step process, both on the PC and handheld.
The physical printing of the ticket is performed by a printing solution such as BIP or other third-party system.
Auto Ticket generation and batch import services
Manual batch generation based on store transaction events
Manual, or auto printing
Ad Hoc create and print
Mobile or PC printing
Tickets managed externally:
A retailer created tickets for an upcoming promotion in their third-party ticketing system.
The SIM web services are used to import the tickets into SIM as a single batch.
The tickets can be printed by the user or scheduled to print automatically.
Tickets created based on a delivery:
A retailer received a direct store delivery and needs to print item tickets for the delivery.
The user selects all the direct deliveries received for a specific day and generates tickets.
The tickets are ready to be printed immediately or may be scheduled to print later.
Tickets printed on demand:
The user identifies some missing product labels in the store.
The handheld is used to scan the item with a missing label and the user specifies the quantity of labels to print.
The tickets print directly to the mobile IP printer and the store user places the ticket on the shelf.
Labels scheduled for printing:
A retailer creates a product group to manage printing new shelf labels every week when promotions are going into effect.
The batch looks at scheduled product groups and automatically sends the generated tickets and labels to a specific printer in the evening before the price change is going into effect. The tickets are printed in sequence order.
The store user comes in the store the next morning and is able to replace all the shelf labels for the promotional items.
Formats are templates created in external systems that define the layout of how a ticket or report looks. Formats are setup in the output tools or devices used to produce them. An output tool could be a printer or a software tool such as Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher browser. SIM only references the name of the format so it can be referenced by the external printing application.
This section describes system parameters, store parameters, and security.
Search Limit Default for Ticketing
Values: 1 to 999
Default: 500
Topic: UI
Editable: Yes
This parameter indicates the default search limit for the Item Ticket List filter.
Ticketing UI Limit
Values: 1 to 100,000
Default: 1500
Topic: UI
Editable: Yes
This limitation is used on the Product Group Detail screen to help limit the size of the Auto Ticket Print Product Group.
Auto Generate Item Tickets for Clearance Price Changes
Values: Yes/No�
Default: Yes�
Topic: Ticketing�
Editable: Yes
Yes: When a clearance price event comes from the pricing system, a new item ticket is sent to the ticketing dialog.
No: When a clearance pricing event comes from the pricing system, the system does not generate an item ticket.
This parameter determines whether the system has to auto generate item tickets in SIM when there is a clearance price event coming in from the pricing system.
Auto Generate Item Tickets for Promotion Price Changes
Values: Yes/No�
Default: Yes�
Topic: Ticketing�
Editable: Yes
Yes: When a promotion price event comes from the pricing system, a new item ticket is sent to the ticketing dialog.
No: When a promotion pricing event comes from the pricing system, the system does not generate an item ticket.
This determines whether the system has to auto generate item tickets in SIM when there is a promotion price event coming in from the pricing system.
Auto Generate Item Tickets for Regular Price Changes
Values: Yes/No�
Default: Yes�
Topic: Ticketing�
Editable: Yes
Yes: When a regular price event comes from the pricing system, a new item ticket is sent to the ticketing dialog.
No: When a regular pricing event comes from the pricing system, the system does not generate an item ticket.
This determines whether the system has to auto generate item tickets in SIM when there is a regular price event coming in from the pricing system.
Auto Shelf Edge Labels for Clearance Price Changes
Values: Yes/No�
Default: No
Topic: Ticketing�
Editable: Yes
Yes: When a clearance price event comes from the pricing system, a new shelf label is sent to the ticketing dialog.
No: When a clearance pricing event comes from the pricing system, the system does not generate a shelf label.
This determines whether the system has to auto generate labels in SIM when there is a clearance price event coming in from the pricing system.
Auto Shelf Edge Labels for Promotion Price Changes
Values: Yes/No�
Default: No
Topic: Ticketing�
Editable: Yes
Yes: When a promotion price event comes from the pricing system, a new shelf label is sent to the ticketing dialog.
No: When a promotion pricing event comes from the pricing system, the system does not generate a shelf label.
This determines whether the system has to auto generate labels in SIM when there is a promotion price event coming in from the pricing system.
Auto Shelf Edge Labels for Regular Price Changes
Values: Yes/No�
Default: No
Topic: Ticketing�
Editable: Yes
Yes: When a regular price event comes from the pricing system, a new shelf label is sent to the ticketing dialog.
No: When a regular pricing event comes from the pricing system, the system does not generate a shelf label.
This determines whether the system has to auto generate labels in SIM when there is a regular price event coming in from the pricing system.
Maximum Ticket Quantity to Print
Values: 1 to 10000
Default: 500
Topic: Ticketing
Editable: Yes
This parameter determines the maximum ticket size to print in one command. This is used in auto ticket printing batch and the ticketing dialog.
UI: If the ticket quantity exceeds this value, the system displays a warning message.
Batch: The batch will split the ticket quantity and send the tickets in multiples of the maximum ticket quantity size if it exceeds the set value.
Send Item Tickets to Ticketing for Description Change
Values: Yes/No�
Default: No
Topic: Ticketing�
Editable: Yes
Yes: When a new description comes from another system, a new item ticket is sent to the ticketing dialog.
No: When a new description comes from another system, SIM does not generate an item ticket.
Send Shelf Edge Labels to Ticketing for Description Change
Values: Yes/No�
Default: No
Topic: Ticketing�
Editable: Yes
Yes: When a new description comes from another system, a new shelf label is sent to the ticketing dialog.
No: When a new description comes from another system, SIM does not generate a shelf label.
Send Item Tickets to Ticketing for QR Code Change
Values: Yes/No�
Default: No
Topic: Ticketing�
Editable: Yes
Yes: When a QR code type image comes from another system, a new item ticket is sent to the ticketing dialog.
No: When a QR code type image comes from another system, SIM does not generate an item ticket.
Send Shelf Edge Labels to Ticketing for QR Code Change
Values: Yes/No�
Default: No
Topic: Ticketing�
Editable: Yes
Yes: When a QR code type image comes from another system, a new shelf label is sent to the ticketing dialog.
No: When a QR code type image comes from another system, SIM does not generate a shelf label.
Security permissions exist for:
Accessing, creating, editing, deleting, and printing item tickets and shelf labels.
Accessing, creating, editing, and deleting ticket batches.
Data permissions exist for printing from transactions:
A user must have the proper permissions to generate item tickets from specific transactions, such as Direct Store Deliveries.
This section describes the available screens.
The Print Format screen is accessed from the Admin dialog from the Print Format button on the Print Setup menu.
The Print Format screen is an administrative screen used to set up reports, item tickets, shelf labels, and container labels to support various functions within SIM. This screen is accessed from Admin > Print Setup. This screen is also covered in the Shipping / Receiving Common Components chapter for formats used in those functional areas. This screen is only available on the PC.
The purpose of this screen is to specify a name, type, and location of the format. The screen also allows a user to select a default format and default printer for each type of format.
The user will be required to select a Format Category before a list is displayed on the screen. The user will also have the ability to filter based on Format Type and delete any pre-existing formats.
The system allows only one default format/printer to be set up for a specific format type. An error message will display if the user has selected more than one format as the default format. This is set up by store location. A user should select a default printer. If the default printer is not selected, there is no place to direct the tickets or labels as to when a ticket batch is automatically scheduled to print. If no auto printing is required, not assigning a printer will allow the user to select a printer when printing or the user has to set up a session printer.
Multiple reporting, labels, or ticket formats can be created for each format type.
The following Reporting format types are available:
Customer Order
Customer Order Bin Label
Customer Order Delivery
Customer Order Delivery BOL
Customer Order Pick
Customer Order Pick Discrepancy
Customer Order Reverse Pick
Direct Delivery
Direct Delivery Discrepant Item
Inventory Adjustment
Item Basket
Item Detail
Item Request
Manifest Report
Pre-Shipment Report
Purchase Order
RTV
RTV Shipment
RTV Shipment BOL
RTV Shipment Container
Shelf Adjustment
Stock Count Allocation
Stock Count Detail
Stock Count Export
Stock Count Rejected Item
Store Order
Transfer
Transfer Receiving
Transfer Receiving Exception
Transfer Shipment
Transfer Shipment BOL
Transfer Shipment Container
For additional details on reports, see the Oracle Retail Store Inventory Management Configuration Guide.
The following Shipping Label format types can be created:
RTV Shipping Label
Transfer Receiving Label
Transfer Shipping Label
For additional details on shipping labels, see Chapter 12, "Shipping and Receiving Common Components."
The following Ticketing format types can be created:
Auto Generate SN
Item Ticket
Shelf Label
The Hierarchy Format Assignment screen is accessed from the Admin dialog from the Hierarchy Format button on the Print Setup menu.
The Hierarchy Format Assignment screen is used to auto assign the formats when generating a ticket event based on a Format type and price event. This allows the retailer to override the default ticket format for specific categories of items and/or events. For example, if the retailer has both clothing and electronics, they could print a hangtag and a ticket with a sticky back label. Since it is by price event, they could for the hangtag create a clearance ticket that has a sticky back.
Formats can be assigned at department/class or subclass level and can also be assigned for multiple stores. The user is allowed to assign a format hierarchy to any store where the user has access. A filter option is available to return specific records.
The Ticket Reason may include: Clearance, Promotion or Regular price change. When that pricing event occurs for an item within the hierarchy assigned, a ticket will be generated for the selected store. The Format assigned will be used when printing the ticket. For example: The regular price of a box of Oatmeal changed from $2.09 to $2.29. A new shelf label will be printed when this pricing event occurs for any stores with this format assignment.
The Item Ticket and Shelf Label format types will display in the drop-down list to select from. The list of formats is based on what is configured for the client from the Print Format screen.
Ticket formats can be set up in three ways:
Item level format defined by RMS, which corresponds to a ticket format in SIM
Default format defined in SIM in the print format dialog
Format assigned at the hierarchy level as defined above
Labels formats can be set up in three ways as well:
Item level format defined in SIM's sequence tables
Default format defined in SIM in the print format dialog
Format assigned at the hierarchy level as defined above
The following rules will be used for auto generated from web service import / merchandising system integration or Generate Tickets from the Add Transaction screen.
Format Assignment in SIM for Auto Generated Item Tickets:
If the ticket is generated based on a price change (regular price change, clearance or promotion), SIM will look in the hierarchy format table and assign the format matching the ticket reason for the price event and the item.
If there is no format in the hierarchy format table for a pricing event or if the ticket is not based on a price change (description change, and so on), the system captures the suggested ticket format from the item if one exists (the suggested ticket format is assigned in RMS) and finds the matching format name.
If a format is not assigned from the previous step, the system assigns the default from the Print Format table for the format type of "Item Ticket."
If the ticket is generated for the description changes or UDA changes and if the suggested ticket format is not available, SIM will look for the price event that is effective on the day it is created and search for the corresponding format for the item in the hierarchy format table and assign it if available.
Format Assignment in SIM for Auto Generated Shelf Labels
If the label is generated for a pricing event, SIM will look for the hierarchy format table and assign the format matching to the price event and the item.
If there is no format in the hierarchy format table for a pricing event or if the label is for a non-pricing event, the system captures the format name defined in sequencing for the item.
If a format is not assigned from the previous step, the system assigns the default from the print format table for the format type of "Shelf Label."
Format Assignment in SIM for Auto Generated AGSNs
The system checks the format for the UIN Item based on Dept/Class the item belongs to. This is set up in the UIN Attributes screen. If the format exists, the format will be assigned to the AGSN ticket.
If the format does not exist in the UIN Attributes screen, the system checks the print format table for the default Auto Generate SN Format Type.
If a format is not assigned from the previous step, the system captures the suggested ticket format from the item and the system checks the print format table for the format and assigns if one exists.
If a format is not assigned from the previous step, the system assigns the default Format from the format table for the format type of "Item Ticket."
If SIM does not find a matching format, the Format Type and Format fields should start out blank. The user would then need to go into the detail screen and assign a valid Format Type and Format value for all the records.
SIM Ticket Generation-Manual
If the item is assigned with the suggested ticket format in RMS, SIM defaults that format and allows the user to edit.
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Note: When using the handheld, it is possible to first set up a format that will stay the same for any scanned items. |
If the item is not assigned with the suggested ticket format from RMS, SIM looks for the default format for the format type and default if available.
If the system is not able to find the format to assign it for the item, the user has to select the format during the manual printing process.
The Hierarchy Format Assignment Filter screen is accessed by clicking the Filter button from the Hierarchy Format Assignment screen. The user can filter on various search criteria. After applying the filter, the user will be returned to the Hierarchy Format Assignment screen with the format assignments displayed per the selected criteria.
The UDA Print Setup screen is accessed from the Admin dialog from the UDA Print Setup button on the Print Setup menu.
The UDA Print Setup screen is used to identify when SIM processes a change to User Defined Attributes (UDAs), the system will generate a ticket and/or label when the Ticket or Label checkbox is checked and that specific UDA changes. This setup applies to all stores since UDAs are not store specific, but rather tied to items.
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Note: UDAs can be integrated from an external system, but a user in SIM will have to set up the configuration if they wish to generate a ticket or label. |
The user can print the ticket and/or label from the Print dialog.
The Item Ticket Detail screen will display any UDAs associated to an item with Ticket and/or Label checked from this screen.
When a UDA is identified to generate a ticket or label when changing, it will also automatically default to the ticket's value pair when the right type (ticket or label) is generated manually or automatic on the PC or batch. A value pair is defined as having an attribute name and attribute value that can be defined for an item and subsequently printed on a label. These names and values can come from a UDA that is associated with a specific item from a merchandising system. The user may also manually enter this information directly from the Item Ticket Detail screen by clicking the Ticket UDA button.
The Printers screen is accessed from the Admin dialog from the Printers button on the Print Setup menu.
The Printers screen is used to create new printers for different report types and format types. The user can add, view, edit, and delete a printer as well as assign a routing code and network address for the printer. The user will have the ability to select a report server and set up a browser-based printer to display reports in a PDF format without having BI Publisher implemented.
The routing code allows a third-party printing application to route a ticket when printing. This feature facilitates a mixed print solution. Four values will be available from a seeding data perspective, but can easily be extended since no functionality is driven from them in SIM. The values are as follows:
Ticket Print Solution
Electronic Label
Label Print Solution
<none>
The user has the ability to select Auto ticket Print from the product group type dropdown. This option allows the user to indicate if they want a stock on hand refresh of the tickets before printing.
On the product group components tab, the user has the ability to add items to the product group using all options with the exception of the all departments radio button. This option is excluded for performance reasons.
The exact timing of printing the tickets will all depend on the time the batch runs. The batch has logic to minimize duplicate ticket printing. For example, it will consolidate a ticket generated for a description change if there is also a ticket generated for a price change.
SIM consolidates tickets and updates across all batches within a batch generation method (Product Group, External or Manual generated) for those item tickets matching all of the following:
Item number
Print date
Format Type
Format Name
This auto-updating happens when manually printing a ticket or automatically through the batch.
If a price change event and another type of change happens for the same item number, print date, format type, and format name, only one ticket is printed and the other tickets are marked as "Print Submitted" and do not actually print.
If multiple price change events are made for the same item number, print date, format type, and format name, each of the tickets will be printed.
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Note: An item may change prices within a day, such as an early bird promotion, before 1pm. Therefore, there may be multiple price changes for the same day. |
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Note: There may be situations in which a request for the same item ticket comes in at the same time and the system is not able to identify the duplicate ticket to consolidate. If that happens, the business process will need to manage the extra ticket printed. This should be an edge case and happen rarely. |
The Item Ticket List screen is accessed from the Print dialog from the Item Ticket button on the Print menu.
From the Item Ticket List screen, the user has the potential to perform numerous tasks. The user can create, edit, delete, update the format, refresh the quantity, and print a ticket. A Filter will automatically display when the user enters the screen. Once the user has entered the screen, the filter option is available to further filter on the item tickets displayed.
The Update Format button can be used to assign a format to item tickets with a blank format. The Refresh Qty button can refresh the ticket quantity based on the current SOH. The status of the item ticket may have one of the following three values: Pending, Cancelled, or Print Submitted.
The Item Ticket Filter screen is accessed by clicking the Filter button from the Item Ticket List screen. The user can filter on various search criteria. After applying the filter, the user will be returned to the Item Ticket List screen with the item tickets displayed per the entered criteria.
The Item Ticket Detail screen is accessed from the Item Ticket List screen and Item Ticket Batch Detail screen by selecting an item ticket.
The Item Ticket Detail screen allows the user to manually add or edit individual item tickets/labels. If the user enters the screen from the Item Ticket Batch List screen, the user can add or edit the individual ticket/label for the batch. The user can also select UINs, remove UINs, add UDA, update the format, update the quantity, override the price, change the Country of Manufacture, and print a ticket. The scanner may be used to scan an item to print a ticket as well.
Tickets in a "Print Submitted" or "Cancelled" status cannot be modified. Tickets may be reprinted.
UIN Item
The Auto-Generate checkbox will be available if the item selected allows for auto-generated serial numbers. If this box is checked, the user is not able to select UINs and an error message will display when the Select UINs button is pressed. The user may use Select UINs for AGSN items if they want to reprint an existing AGSN. In that case, the auto-generated box should remain unchecked.
The Selected UINs frame displays a list of UINs that will print for the item selected.
Pack Items
Pack items can have item tickets created, but the following rules apply:
Non-sellable Simple/Complex packs cannot have a ticket created.
Sellable Simple/Complex packs are allowed to create a ticket and are handled the same as any other normal sellable item regardless if the item is sold at the pack level only or at the pack and component level.
Additional Information
The Additional Information frame displays any existing UDAs for an item that are flagged as requiring a Ticket/Label to be printed when SIM generates a ticket. In addition, the user can add any other information they want to appear on the ticket/label. The user can also remove any pre-populated UDAs or other added attributes from the session. To manage the Additional Information frame, the user will select the Ticket UDA button and a Popup screen displays to allow the user to manage the extra ticket data.
It can also be populated from external sources when they integrate a ticket batch into SIM.
The Item Ticket Batch List screen is accessed from the Print dialog from the Item Ticket Batch button on the Print menu.
The Item Ticket Batch List screen displays a list of ticket batches generated by various methods. The user has the potential to perform numerous tasks. The user can create, edit, delete, update the format, refresh the quantity, and print tickets. Only records in a "Pending" status may be deleted. The filter option is available to further filter on the item ticket batches displayed. It is possible to reprint all tickets regardless if they are in Pending, Print Submitted, or Cancelled status.
When the filter is used, the user is able to search for a specific transaction, such as PO. The Tran ID is populated based on the type of transaction where the batch was generated. The following IDs are used to create the Tran ID for the batch:
PO number in the case of PO
Container ID in the case of Warehouse, Store, Finisher, or Supplier deliveries
Clearance ID in the case of Clearance price change
Price Change ID in the case of Regular Price Change
Promo ID in the case of Promotion price change
The Format Type can be one of the following values:
Item Ticket
Shelf Label
Auto Generate SN
The Item Ticket Batch can be in one of the following statuses:
Print Submitted: Sent to the printer
Pending: Not printed yet
Cancelled: User deleted the ticket/batch
Create Batch
The system allows the user to create a new batch manually, by selecting the item tickets to include in the batch or the user may select transactions based on the following events:
Clearance
Promotion
Regular Price Change
Expected Containers (Warehouse, Store, Finisher, and Suppler)
Received Containers (Warehouses, Store, Finisher, and Supplier)
The user will be brought to the Add Transaction screen to select which transactions to use for creating the item tickets.
For those items added by selecting the Ticket reason of Manual, a Daily Batch will be created and all tickets will be added to the daily batch for processing purposes. The user is brought to the Item Ticket Detail screen to add the item tickets rather than the Add Transaction screen.
The Item Ticket Batch Filter screen is accessed by clicking the Filter button from the Item Ticket Batch List screen. The user can filter on various search criteria. After applying the filter, the user will be returned to the Item Ticket Batch List screen with the item ticket batches displayed per the entered criteria.
The Item Ticket Batch Detail screen is accessed from the Item Ticket Batch List screen by selecting an item ticket batch.
The Item Ticket Batch detail screen displays the item details present in the selected ticket batch. The user can create, edit, delete, update the format, refresh the quantity, and print tickets. This screen is accessed by clicking a particular batch from the Item Ticket Batch List screen. The filter option is available to further filter on the item ticket details displayed.
User have the options to print the tickets for the selected items or update the Qty based on the current SOH for the selected items, delete selected items ticket, update format, add tickets, or double click the row and go to Item Ticket Detail screen.
When the batch is created through an external system, all fields will be disabled on the header, however, an item ticket can be added to the pending ticket batch. The external ID will display the batch ID coming from an external system. The print date will also be provided by the external system; however, the user can modify this date until the batch is closed.
An item ticket can only be added to a batch in pending status. The header level status will only be updated to "Print Submitted" when everything in the batch was printed or when some item tickets are printed and the rest are cancelled.
The system will automatically update the quantity of the item tickets to the current stock on hand if the Auto Refresh Qty box is checked. Otherwise, the individual records may be selected to update when the Refresh Qty button is selected. If there is a SOH less than 1, item tickets will not be printed.
The Item Ticket Batch Detail Filter screen. is accessed by clicking the Filter button from the Item Ticket Batch Detail screen. The user can filter on various search criteria. After applying the filter, the user will be returned to the Item Ticket Batch Detail screen with the item tickets displayed per the entered criteria.
The Select Item Ticket Reason screen is accessed from the Item Ticket Batch List Screen by clicking Create Batch button. The user is first prompted with a Select Item Ticket Reason popup screen to select the type of event batch to create.
The Add Transaction screen is displayed once the user has selected an item ticket reason after clicking the Create Batch button from the Item Ticket Batch Detail screen.
This screen is used to generate tickets for entire transactions. Specific transaction types can be located on this screen including:
Received Containers
Expected Containers
Purchase Orders
Price Events: Clearance, Promotion, and Regular Price Changes
The received quantity will be used to generate tickets when the Received Containers are selected on Select Item Ticket Reason screen.
The expected quantity will be used to generate tickets when the Expected Containers are selected on Select Item Ticket Reason screen.
The user can search for specific transactions and may select one or more transactions from the list to generate tickets. When the user returns to the Item Ticket Batch List screen, the user will see an item ticket batch for each of the transactions selected from the Add Transaction screen.
The system can locate a delivery by supplier when the transaction is by Purchase Order or Direct Delivery. Transfer from Store and Transfer from Warehouse may be located by where the transaction originated from.
Ticket printing on the handheld is accessible from the Main Menu when using Wavelink Studio. There are two modes of printing tickets, auto print and manual print. In auto print mode, the user is able to print tickets quickly by defining format, printer, quantity, and event before scanning the item. When the item is scanned, SIM will determine if a ticket needs to be printed allowing the user to scan uninterrupted. In manual print mode, the user is able to set an override price, quantity, country of origin, format, and printer for each scanned item depending on the need.
Each of the printing modes offers additional features.
This mode is used for printing tickets for a price event in the past, future, or current date. It allows the user to scan all items on a shelf, rack, or other area and automatically print tickets only for the items going on sale or coming off a sale. The user also has the option to print a ticket for every item scanned with the price relevant for the day selected. The user may swap formats and/or printers by toggling to another screen at the point of any item scan.
Pre-defined options:
Define the number of tickets
Select the price event; regular price, promotion, clearance, or always print
Effective date range
Select Printer
Select format type/name
Use Case - Re-ticketing items expiring at the end of the day:
A format ticket is created that takes the current price and divides it by 2. The ticket printed states: 50% off and generates a type 2 with embedded price.
The user scans items that are expiring with a fixed weight (such as Yogurt and milk).
SIM prints a ticket barcode and puts it over the ticket on the package.
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Note: When selecting a printer, it is possible to scan a printer logical or IP name, but only if BIP is not the ticket printing solution. |
This mode can be used to print a set quantity of tickets for each item scanned and to override a price currently on the item. This is typically used for quickly printing missing tickets for items. This process is also used when generating or reprinting UINs for AGSN tickets. The user may swap formats and/or printer by toggling to another screen at the point of any item scan.
Options:
Price Override (controlled by security permissions)
Define the number of tickets
Select the printer
Select the format type/name
Select the country of manufacture
Print new or reprint AGSNs (controlled by security permissions)
Use Case - Items are delivered on a DSD without a price:
The user scans the item's UPC.
The user types in the number of units received.
SIM prints a specific number of tickets.
The user quickly tags the received items and scans the next group of items.
Ticket Printing Background
Ticketing involves the creation and printing of tickets for store items. Tickets can be created for three format types: (Item Ticket, Shelf Label, and Auto Generated UINs). Users can have multiple formats per each format type, but can choose only one as default for each type.
The Item Ticket business object is used to create a single ticket which holds most of the data relevant for printing a ticket. Such data includes item information, quantity, and price. The Item Ticket Request business object is used to create a group of tickets. An ItemTicketRequest object represents the Item Ticket Batch functionality which allows for creation of a batch of tickets for specific reasons (transactions) in SIM.
Ticket Printing
Ticket Printing is handled through BI Publisher or an alternative external solution that can be integrated with SIM. However, depending on the print processing solution used, specific information is send off through a web service. Ticket printing is kicked off asynchronously (that is, after the message is staged, all tickets in that call are marked as Print Submitted since SIM does not interface with the response of the implemented printing solution BI Publisher or third-party alternative).
Business objects are used within the application code for all business processing. The following business objects are used for printing:
| Business Object | Description |
|---|---|
| ItemTicket | Contains detailed information about a single ticket. |
| ItemTicketQueryFilter | Contains information to encapsulate search criteria for item tickets. |
| ItemTicketRequest | Contains header information about a batch as well as corresponding ItemTickets. |
| ItemTicketRequestQueryFilter | Contains information to encapsulate search criteria for Item Ticket Batches. |
| PrintFormat | Contains information about a specific format such as name, template URL, and type of format. |
| PrintFormatType | Contains details for the print format category, either report type or ticket format. |
| MdseHierarchyNode | Contains merchandise hierarchy information of an item and is used for creating print format for item ticket or shelf label. |
| TicketFormatHierarchy | Contains information about the print format type and the item ticket reason. |
| UDADetail | Contains detailed information about the User Defined Attributes including the type of UDA. |
| StorePrinter | Contains detailed information of a store printer including the network address for the printer. |
This section provides information on the integration for printing.
External systems using the RIB can generate tickets and labels or simply provide information that is crucial for the tickets.
Data provided that is referenced in the ticketing dialogs:
Item-level ticket formats can come in from the merchandise system as part of the item message
Country of manufacture
Price per unit of measure
Data that can generate ticket or label events:
Price event messages are sent from the pricing system. SIM generates tickets for all price events based on the admin parameters. When SIM receives a price change delete, any pending tickets will be cancelled.
Item description changes sent through the RIB trigger the creation of tickets and shelf labels.
UDAs can come from the Merchandising system as well. See above for more details on when and how they generate labels and tickets.
QR code image links with a start and end date.
RIB payloads are used to communicate to external systems through RIB integration.
| RIB Payload | Description |
|---|---|
| ItemDesc | Item / Ticket associations |
| ItemTcktDesc | This message can be part of ItemDesc and publishes from RMS when an Item Ticket is created, modified, or deleted. |
| ClrPrcChgDesc | Sent from an external system to indicate a clearance price change. It then generates a ticket for the pertinent item. |
| ClrPrcChgRef | Sent from an external system to indicate a clearance price change has been deleted. |
| PromotionDesc | Sent from an external system to indicate a promotion price change. It then generates a ticket for the pertinent item. |
| PromotionRef | Sent from an external system to indicate a promotion price change has been deleted. |
| RegPrcChgDesc | Sent from an external system to indicate a regular price change. It then generates a ticket for the pertinent item. |
| RegPrcChgRef | Sent from an external system to indicate a regular price change has been deleted. |
Web Services exist to provide additional information to external third-party printing services to include the following: ticket ID, store ID, item, item description, price (regular, promotion, clearance price and type, effective date), merch hierarchy (description), diffs, all other item detail ticket print information, print order, QR code, and image URL and MSRP.
It is also used to integrate batches coming from a third-party ticket batch system. The printing request may be immediate or for a particular date and time.
SIM provides the following SOAP web services. The following are the services and their supported service operations.
SIM supplies the ItemTicket Service which has following service operations:
| Service Operation | Description |
|---|---|
| CreateItemTickets | Creates an Item Ticket Batch with item tickets as detail records of that batch. Responds with the batch ID. |
| LookupItemTicketFormat | Returns a list of formats that exist in SIM. |
SIM supplies the TicketPrinting Service which has following service operations:
| Service Operation | Description |
|---|---|
| PrintTickets | Interface for printing tickets to an external printing solution (such as BIP). An external system is required to implement the web service. |
| PreviewTickets | Interface for sending previewing information to an external system. |
The following batch is supported for printing:
| Batch Name | Description |
|---|---|
| AutoTicketPrint | A ticket batch program will search for internal generated item tickets and labels which have been created in SIM and match with a product grouping scheduled. This batch also looks for external created batches communicated to SIM without a specific print date. A print job is created and assigned to the printers based on the formats assigned. A polling event is created to take the print jobs created by the batch and send them to the printer in the order the print jobs were created. |
| ExternalTicketBatchPrint | A batch in SIM looks for third-party batches generated by external system with a specific integrated date and time. SIM will print these batches based on the integrated time line. |
| GenerateItemQRCodeTicket | QR codes can have an activation and expiration date. This batch creates item tickets or shelf labels for item QR code changes. |
The following database tables are used for printing:
| Table Name | Description |
|---|---|
| ITEM_TICKET | The table hold item tickets that have been requested for printing. |
| ITEM_TICKET_UDA | The user defined item ticket attributes that the item ticket is related to. |
| ITEM_TICKET_UIN | This table contains the specific UIN information associated with the item ticket. |
| PRINT_FORMAT | Contains the print format (report or ticket/label) configuration for stores. |
| PRINT_FORMAT_DEFAULT | Contains the print format (report or ticket/label) default configurations. The records in this table are copied into print_format when a store is added. |
| PRINT_FORMAT_TYPE | Defines the print format types for a report or item ticket. |
| PRINT_STORE_ORDER | This table stores the details of a store order which needs to get printed. |
| STORE_PRINTER | Associates printers with the retail stores in which the printers are installed. |
| STORE_PRINTER_ROUTE | Store printer routing code which specifies the specific printing solution. |
| STORE_PRINTER_TYPE | The set of distinct printer types used to categorize how retail store printers are used. |
| TICKET_FORMAT_HIERARCHY | Ticket format hierarchy |
| TICKET_PRINT | This table holds one row for each ticket print request. |
| TICKET_PRINT_LINE_ITEM | The table holds ticket print line items for the ticket print. |
| TICKET_REQUEST | Stores item ticket requests. |
