Creating a Strategy Step

What is this?

A step is a selection (which SKUs) plus an action (what price) - and you build both on the main window, not in the Strategy Manager. Set the selection boxes, set the Future Price panel, then press the camera. That snapshot becomes the newest step of the active strategy.

Walk through it in the app: guide 2006 — Creating a pricing rule. Margin Master can walk you through these steps live: turn on Training / Guide Mode from the Help menu, then type 2006 into the Lessons & Guides box — or ask Margin Master support to run it with you.

Before you start

• Check which strategy is active: its name shows in the Load Saved Selection dialog and the Strategy Manager's selector. A step always joins the active strategy.
• Press F12 first so you start from a clean selection.

Step 1 - select the SKUs

Use the selection boxes to choose the rows the step should price (Chapter 13, How Selection Boxes Work). Watch Records Found. For a catch-all first step, leave every box at ALL.

Set the SKU-type drop-down on the button row deliberately: Show ALL Skus unless the step is meant for vendor or non-vendor items only - the choice is saved with the step.

Step 2 - set the action on the Future Price panel

On the Future Price tab, choose one Set Future Price to: entry:

Then, optionally, Plus or Minus an amount in Percent, Rounding Points, Cents or Dollars - Retail minus 5%, Cost plus $2.00.

On the Rounding tab tick Apply Rounding Scheme and pick the scheme; on Advanced tick No Decreases if the step must never lower a price, and Apply a Min/Max strategy if you use them. A green dot on the Advanced tab shows one of these is on.

Apply previews the result in the grid's Future Price column for the displayed rows - a good check before saving. Apply does not create a step.

Step 3 - save it (the camera)

Strategy > Save Current Selection, or the camera Save button on the panel. In the Save Selection dialog type a Selection Name (3-50 characters) and press Save. Name the step for what it decides - Paint 42% margin.

The step is added at the end of the active strategy, active, and the strategy is backed up to the cloud. Open the Strategy Manager (Ctrl+S) to move it into the right place in the order - see Updating and Deleting Steps.

Changing a step later

Load the step (Ctrl+L, or Load in the manager), adjust the boxes or the panel, then save again and choose Update Existing Rule. Details in Save and Load Saved Selections.

Tips

One decision per step. A step that prices two unrelated things is hard to order and harder to read a year later.

Apply before you save. If the green column does not look right for the displayed rows, the step is not right either.

Common Questions

Q: I saved a step but it is not in my strategy. A: It went into the active strategy - check the selector at the top of the Strategy Manager and switch if needed. The step can be copied by loading it, switching strategies and saving again.

Q: Can I create a step for another store only? A: Yes - tick the store in the Store Number box before saving; the step is scoped to it.

Q: What does "No filters or actions selected! Nothing to save!" mean? A: Every box was at ALL and Set Future Price to was Not Set. A step needs an action.