Margin Master Handbook
- Prerequisites
- Firewall and Network Requirements
- Microsoft Edge Download Block
- SQL Server Authentication Setup for IT Administrators
- Antivirus and Endpoint Security Exclusions
- SQL Server Tools
- Install or Upgrade SQL Server Express
- Install or Upgrade SQL Server Management Studio
- A Tour of the Main Window
- The Menus
- The Button Row
- The Main Data Grid
- The Summary Section
- Banners and Badges
- The Options Window
- Store Configuration
- Miscellaneous
- Export Options
- Vendor Settings
- POS / Connections Tabs
- Background Service
- AI Assistant (Experimental)
- How POS Import Works
- Supported Point-of-Sale Systems
- Data Import Workflows
- RockSolid POS Import
- Epicor Eagle FTP Import
- Epicor MySQL Compass Import
- Transact POS Import
- Paladin POS Import
- Falcon POS Import
- Spruce POS Import
- Bistrack POS Import
- RockSolid Max POS Import
- ECS POS Import
- Prosperity POS Import
- Catalyst POS Import
- Westlake POS Import
- MI9 POS Import
- AS/400 POS Import
- CounterWorks POS Import
- Dimension POS Import
- PacSoft POS Import
- ProStix POS Import
- Sympac POS Import
- Propello POS Import
- EagleVision POS Import
- MySQL/Compass Connection Configuration
- ECI VPN Requirement (Spruce, RockSolid MAX)
- Propello POS Integration Guide
- MI9 Data Pipeline — Import to Main Table
- Troubleshooting: Epicor Import Brought In 0 SKUs
- PACE POS Import
- Advantage POS Import
- General Store POS Import
- J-3 POS Import
- KeyStroke POS Import
- AutBusSystem POS Import
- Tomax POS Import
- Enterprise POS Import
- Computakey POS Import
- Redisell POS Import
- DART POS Import
- MIB POS Import
- Substruct POS Import
- DMAS POS Import
- RODS POS Import
- Procom POS Import
- Agility POS Import
- Acumen POS Import
- Cruise POS Import
- LSandE POS Import
- Retalix POS Import
- DIBCorp POS Import
- GMROI POS Import
- ECi Advantage POS Import
- Sunray POS Import
- ActivantAutomotive POS Import
- IBS POS Import
- Versys POS Import
- RMS POS Import
- TAMS POS Import
- Integrasoft POS Import
- Dynamic POS Import
- Microsoft ARS POS Import
- CDS POS Import
- Spartan POS Import
- Nitterhouse POS Import
- Jeds POS Import
- Theisens POS Import
- Emery Jensen POS Import
- SMS Pro POS Import
- Burdens POS Import
- Intact POS Import
- Bloom Retail POS Import
- NCR Counterpoint POS Import
- Horizon POS Import
- Cloud Vendor Data Sync
- Data Aging and Freshness Warnings
- Resetting Vendor and POS Data
- Rebuild Data and Rebuild Selection Lists
- Troubleshooting Vendor Sync
- Understanding the Strategy Hierarchy
- Pricing Strategies
- Creating a Strategy Step
- Updating and Deleting Steps
- Reviewing a Strategy and Running It
- Shared (Premade) Strategies
- SKU-Level Exceptions
- Manage Custom Groups
- Strategy Execution Cloud Tracking
- Importing from Excel
- Cost Break Analysis
- Cost Break Strategies
- Min/Max Strategies
- Strategy Backup & Restore
- Add Items from Catalog
- Store Grouping
- Data Diagnostics and Missing Index Recommendations
- System Diagnostics
- Margin Master Cannot Save Settings
- SQL Server 2025 Express vs. Full License
- Support Issue Management
- Catalog Lookup
- What's New After an Update
- Version History
- Documentation and the Help Buttons
- CTLD — Do It Best Catalog File
- MARGIN_MASTER — Ace Catalog File
- PCDITEMXREF — Do It Best SKU Classification File
- SAP_ZONE_PRICE_MARGIN_MASTER — Ace Zone Pricing File
- PCDPRODCLASS — Do It Best Product Classification Hierarchy File
- SAP_STORE_DEPT_ZONE_MARGIN_MASTER — Ace Store Zone Assignment File
- Taxonomy — Ace Product Classification File
- Mapp_Pricing — Ace MAP & IMAP Pricing File
- margin_mstr_plano — Ace Planogram File
On This Page
Database Restore
What is this?
Database Restore allows you to recover a Margin Master database from a backup file. Backups can be standard SQL Server .bak files or compressed .zip archives. You can restore from local files or download backups stored in the cloud.
Walk through it in the app: guide 1013 — Restoring a database backup. Margin Master can walk you through these steps live: turn on Training / Guide Mode from the Help menu, then type 1013 into the Lessons & Guides box — or ask Margin Master support to run it with you.
Opening the Restore Window
- From the Connect to Database window: File > Restore Database
- From the Create New Database window: File > Restore Database
- From the main application: File > Database > Restore Database
The Restore Window
The restore window has two main areas: the Available Backups list on the left, and Backup Details with the Restore Settings on the right.
Available Backups — Local and Cloud tabs
| Control | Action |
|---|---|
| Local tab | Backup files on this computer — Refresh rescans, Show all includes other stores' files |
| Cloud tab | Backups uploaded to the Margin Master cloud: choose your vendor, enter your store number and click Rescan Cloud |
| Delete Backup | Permanently removes the selected backup file |
Available Backups
The left panel displays all discovered backup files, grouped by source (Local or Cloud). Each entry shows:
- File Name -- the backup file name
- Backup Date -- when the backup was created
- Size -- the file size
Click a backup to view its details in the right panel.
Backup Details
When you select a backup, the right panel shows:
Backup Metadata
If the backup was created by Margin Master, metadata is displayed:
- Vendor and POS system
- Store Number and Store Name
- Backup Date and App Version
Note: Backups created before metadata support was added will show a "No metadata available" notice. The restore will still work -- you just won't see the store info preview.
Database Information
- Database -- the original database name
- Server -- the server where the backup was originally created
- File Size -- the backup file size
Restore Settings
Configure where and how the backup is restored:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| SQL Server | The target SQL Server instance. Pre-filled from the Connect to Database window. Type to filter or click refresh to scan for servers. |
| Backed Up Database | The original database name (read-only) |
| Restore As | The name for the restored database. Defaults to the original name. Edit this to restore under a different name. |
| Set as Active Database | If checked, Margin Master will use this database after the restore completes |
Warning: If a database with the same name already exists on the server, it will be overwritten. A red warning message appears when this is the case.
SQL Server Authentication
If the target SQL Server requires SQL authentication (not Windows authentication), additional fields appear:
- Use Manual Credentials checkbox
- Username and Password fields
Restoring
Click the green Restore button at the bottom to begin the restore. A progress indicator shows while the restore is in progress. Click Cancel to return without restoring.
After a successful restore:
- If Set as Active Database was checked, the application switches to the restored database
- If launched from the startup flow, the application proceeds to load
Tips
- Cloud backups are stored in Margin Master cloud storage and associated with your store number. Use the Cloud tab's Rescan Cloud to find them.
- ZIP files are automatically extracted before restoring. The
.bakfile inside is used for the actual SQL restore. - You can rename the database during restore by editing the "Restore As" field. This is useful for creating a test copy alongside your production database.
Common Questions
Q: Can I restore a backup from a different store? A: Yes. The restore process doesn't validate store numbers -- it restores whatever database is in the backup file. After restoring, the store information in the database will reflect the original store.
Q: What happens if I restore over my current database? A: The existing database is replaced entirely with the backup contents. Any changes made since the backup was created will be lost. Consider creating a backup of your current database first.
Q: Where are local backups stored?
A: By default, Margin Master looks for backups in the configured backup path. Tick Show all on the Local tab to widen the list to every store's files there. Common locations include C:\MarginMaster\Backups\ or a network share.
Q: The restore failed -- what should I do? A: Check that the SQL Server service is running and that you have permission to create/overwrite databases. Use Help > Submit Issue to report the problem with details.
