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
Spruce POS Import
What is this?
The Spruce import (also known as SprucewareNet or Spruceware.Net) pulls your store's point-of-sale data directly from a remote Spruce SQL Server database. Unlike most POS imports, Spruce does not use a local file -- it connects over the network to query your Spruce system's vw_MarginMaster view.
VPN tunnel required. Because Spruce connects directly to an ECI-hosted database over the network, ECI requires an active site-to-site VPN tunnel between the store and ECI. There are no work-arounds — without the tunnel, Margin Master cannot connect even with valid credentials. See ECI VPN Requirement for setup details.
Import File Format
Spruce is a remote SQL query import, not a traditional file import. However, the data it retrieves is structured as follows:
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Source | Remote Spruce SQL Server (vw_MarginMaster view) |
| Output format | Pipe-delimited (\|) text files |
| Output pattern | {POS}-{Store}-Data.txt |
| Header row | Yes (1 row) |
| Field count | 28 |
Fields
| # | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | STORE | Store identifier |
| 2 | RETAILPRICE | Current retail price |
| 3 | MFGRNAME | Manufacturer name |
| 4 | MFGRCODE | Manufacturer code |
| 5 | QUANTITYONHAND | Inventory on hand |
| 6 | AVERAGE_COST | Average cost |
| 7 | REPLACE_COST | Replacement cost |
| 8 | LISTPRICE | List price |
| 9 | SKU | Item SKU |
| 10 | DESCRIPTION | Item description |
| 11 | GROUP | Group code |
| 12 | GROUPNAME | Group name |
| 13 | SECTION | Section code |
| 14 | SECTIONNAME | Section name |
| 15 | UNIT | Unit of measure |
| 16 | UPC | Universal Product Code |
| 17 | CLASS | Class code |
| 18 | DEPARTMENT | Department code |
| 19 | FINELINECODE | Fineline code |
| 20 | PRODUCTID | Product ID |
| 21 | VENDORNUMBER | Vendor number |
| 22 | LAST_YEAR_SALE_DOL | Last year sales dollars |
| 23 | LAST_YEAR_SALE_UNIT | Last year sales units |
| 24 | YTD_TRANSACTION | Year-to-date transactions |
| 25 | YTD_SALES_DOL | Year-to-date sales dollars |
| 26 | LocationCode0 | Location code 0 |
| 27 | LocationCode1 | Location code 1 |
| 28 | LocationCode2 | Location code 2 |
How Import Works
Add Connection - one card per store database.
Restore from Cloud...
Open Store Manager...
The connection card - Store #, Host/IP, Database, Username, Password, Active, Use Group/Section for Dept/Class, Exclude Stores.
Test / Delete.
Margin Master connects to your remote Spruce SQL Server using credentials configured in Options.
It queries the
vw_MarginMasterview to retrieve all inventory and sales data.The data is written as pipe-delimited text files or uploaded directly via BCP (bulk copy).
The staging pipeline loads the data into the local
[Store]table.From there, the standard main table build joins your POS data with vendor catalog data.
Field Mapping
| Spruce Field | Margin Master Column | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| STORE | Store | Store identifier |
| SKU | SKU | Item SKU |
| RETAILPRICE | CurrentPrice | Current retail |
| DESCRIPTION | Description | Item description |
| QUANTITYONHAND | OnHand | Inventory quantity |
| AVERAGE_COST | COST | Average cost |
| VENDORNUMBER | PrimeVendor | Primary vendor |
| UPC | AltSku | Alternate SKU |
| GROUP:GROUPNAME | Class | Concatenated (with USEGROUPSECTION off) |
| SECTION:SECTIONNAME | Dept | Concatenated (with USEGROUPSECTION off) |
| CLASS | Class | (with USEGROUPSECTION on) |
| DEPARTMENT | Dept | (with USEGROUPSECTION on) |
USEGROUPSECTION Toggle
Spruce has a special USEGROUPSECTION setting that changes how department and class fields are mapped:
- Off (default): GROUP and GROUPNAME are concatenated to Class; SECTION and SECTIONNAME are concatenated to Dept.
- On: CLASS maps directly to Class; DEPARTMENT maps directly to Dept.
DIB6287 Variant
For member DIB6287, the import swaps the VENDORNUMBER and SKU fields. This is a store-specific override handled automatically.
Tips
Spruce imports require network access to your Spruce SQL Server. Make sure the server is reachable and the
vw_MarginMasterview exists before importing.
Configure your Spruce connection in Options > Spruce/RockSolid tab. You will need the SQL Server address, database name, and credentials.
If your store uses CLASS and DEPARTMENT instead of GROUP and SECTION for categorization, enable the USEGROUPSECTION toggle in your configuration.
Common Questions
Q: Why does Spruce not use a file like other POS systems? A: Spruce connects directly to your POS database over the network, which gives Margin Master access to the most current data without requiring manual file exports.
Q: My Spruce import is failing with a connection error. What should I check?
A: Verify that (1) the Spruce SQL Server is running and accessible from this machine, (2) the connection settings in Options are correct, and (3) the vw_MarginMaster view exists in the Spruce database.
Q: What is the difference between Spruce and RockSolid Max? A: Spruce queries a remote SQL Server directly. RockSolid Max imports from pipe-delimited text files. They share the same 28-field layout and the same import service, but the data source is different.
