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
Vendor Settings
What is this?
The Vendor Settings group in Tools > Options holds the settings that exist only for your primary vendor. The vendor itself is chosen on Store Information; this group then shows one tab named for it. The vendor also decides the wording of the Data menu (Update Ace Hardware Data, Update True Value Data, Update Do-it Best Data) and which catalog files are synced - see Cloud Vendor Data Sync.
| Vendor | Tab | Settings |
|---|---|---|
| Ace Hardware | Ace Hardware | Ace Direct SKU conversion |
| True Value | (none yet) | True Value support is being built out; when its tab arrives it is documented here beside Do it Best |
| Do it Best | Do-it Best | Mailbox (member/personal pricing), cost code and cost type, mailbox batch processing |
Ace Hardware
Ace Direct SKU Conversion - Convert Ace Direct SKUs. Store SKUs that are 5 or 7 digits followed by a D are converted to standard Ace SKUs for processing and returned to D SKUs at export. Turn it on if your point of sale carries Ace Direct items with the D suffix; off by default.
The help button on the tab opens Ace Hardware MAP & IMAP Pricing. Ace zone pricing is configured per store in the Store Manager.
Do it Best
This store uses a Do-it Best mailbox (member / personal pricing) switches the rest of the tab on. Tick it if your store receives member or personal pricing through the Do it Best EDI mailbox.
Mailbox Settings
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mailbox | Which mailbox to configure - MailBox 1, MailBox 2, ... one per store |
| Username / Password | The mailbox credentials from Do it Best |
| FTP Host | The Do it Best EDI server; the default ftp.edi.doitbestcorp.com is right for almost every member |
Cost Code Settings
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cost Code (10 unique characters) | The ten-letter code used to encode costs on printed labels and reports, for example BLACKHORSE (each letter stands for a digit, so letters must not repeat). The tab warns Cost code must be exactly 10 characters or must not contain duplicate characters |
| Cost Type | Vision, Classic or PAR - the Do it Best cost basis your store uses |
Actions
- Test Mailbox Connection signs in to each mailbox and reports Mailbox MailBox 1 Connection is Valid (or INVALID) for every one. A valid connection is also backed up to the Margin Master cloud so it can be restored on a new computer.
- Restore from Cloud… brings back a previously validated mailbox connection; test it afterwards.
Options
Enable Mailbox Batch Processing turns on the Batch menu, where price changes are created, finalized and sent to the mailbox as batches.
Tips
Test the mailbox connection once after entering credentials and again whenever Do it Best changes a password - a stale password is the usual reason a batch fails to send.
Common Questions
Q: I see no Vendor Settings group at all. A: Only Ace Hardware and Do it Best have a vendor tab today, and it appears only when that vendor is chosen on Store Information.
Q: The Do-it Best tab is greyed out. A: Tick This store uses a Do-it Best mailbox at the top of the tab to enable it.
