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Sentry and 365 markets kiosk integration

Overview #

Sentry is integrated with 365 Markets micro market kiosks. This guide sets out the details of the integration.

Initial configuration #

To receive 365 Markets data from 365 Markets kiosks:

  1. Sentry must be enabled as a VDI receiver in 365 Markets back-end; and
  2. Your 365 Markets ID must be added to Sentry in company settings (https://app.sentryvend.com/settings/company-settings/general) in the field ‘365 Markets ID’.

This ID is used to assign communications to your company in Sentry.

Setting up a 365 kiosk in Sentry #

365 Markets micro market kiosks are set up in a similar way to normal communication devices, but with a few divergences.

Normally, when a new communication device communicates with Sentry for the first time, (for example, a CPI telemeter with a specific serial number), the device will be created in the communication devices list: https://app.sentryvend.com/commdevices. From this list, you may assign the communication device to a vending machine.

For 365 markets kiosks, in contrast to the above, the following are created in Sentry by default:

  1. A communication device, which is identified by the manufacturer (365 Retail Markets) and the serial number (the kiosk serial number); and
  2. A market.

That is to say, a market is created in addition to the communication device. Both a market and a communication device (kiosk) are created because these two models must stay in sync with 365’s back-end – ADM – for the integration to work correctly (the kiosk must be correctly assigned to the same market in both ADM and Sentry).

In addition to this difference, the other difference with vending devices is that the communication device and market are not created upon receiving a first communication, but rather, Sentry checks 365 every 6 hours to adds new markets and kiosks as they come online.

Note: Sentry will only create a market in the system if a location AND a kiosk exist in ADM as per VDI specifications.

Creating a planogram for a 365 market kiosk from Sentry #

Once a market is created in Sentry as described above, its planogram (also known as a product catalogue) can be edited as normal, like any other vending machine or micro market.

For Sentry users that use 365 Markets kiosks with Sentry, planograms should be ‘controlled’ from Sentry only. In general, users that use Sentry and ADM with this configuration should not edit planograms / product catalogues in ADM, but rather edit them in Sentry only.

Specifically, all planogram item fields should be managed via Sentry:

  • Products
  • Product barcodes
  • Prices
  • Quantities
  • Parlevels
  • Capacities

In this respect, Sentry should be treated as ‘the source of truth’ about product planograms.

Of the above fields, only the following fields are synced with ADM:

  • Products
  • Product barcodes
  • Prices

Only these fields are synced with ADM because:

  1. Firstly, these are the only fields required to be in order for kiosks to function correctly; and
  2. Secondly, as per the NAMA VDI specification, other fields are not included in communications between a VMS and a MMS (i.e. between Sentry and ADM).

The other fields (quantities, parlevels, and capacities) are managed exclusively by Sentry as these should remain in the primary source of truth – in this case, the Sentry VMS.

Planogram syncing #

In Sentry, micro market planograms are synced with 365 kiosks in 3 ways:

  1. After changes are made to a planogram in Sentry;
  2. Periodically; and
  3. Using a manual force sync function.

These 3 methods are explained below.

Planogram syncing method 1 – After changes are made #

When modifying planograms, Sentry will sync its planograms with 365’s back-end, ADM. This happens in the following way:

  1. When a Sentry user makes a change to a planogram, a sync with ADM is queued.
  2. Every 5 minutes, Sentry reviews all planograms that have had a change.
  3. If a change has been made to a Sentry planogram, the Sentry planogram is synchronised with ADM at the next 5 minute interval.

Note: Once a planogram update has been received by ADM, all changes will immediately be pushed to the relevant kiosk(s), provided that the kiosk(s) is/are in an online state.

Generally, in Sentry, there are many ways for a change to be made to a planogram, and for reference, these include:

  1. Editing a planogram item directly via the planogram ‘Edit selections’ panel.
  2. Editing multiple planogram items directly via the planogram ‘Edit selections’ panel.
  3. Editing a planogram directly using drag & drop on the planogram detail view.
  4. Adding or removing an asset (e.g. fridge or shelf) from a micro market in its planogram detail view.
  5. Using some of the planogram ‘convenience functions’, such as ‘Set all prices to default prices’ (note – other convenience functions such as ‘Set market full’ and ‘Set all capacities to parlevels’ will not result in a sync, because quantities and parlevels are not synced with ADM).
  6. Using the bulk product update tool on a product detail page, which in turn can update markets.
  7. Using the SentryMobile Android or iOS application, in which users can change planograms when confirming stock levels.
  8. The system updating a product, or product price, when a change is queued and is only made by the system upon the market’s next service.
  9. Removing a planogram item from a planogram.
  10. Deleting a product in Sentry generally, which results in it being removed from a planogram.
  11. Changing product information globally, such as product name or barcode.

All of these types of change result in a sync with ADM (after the 5 minute queue period has elapsed).

Planogram syncing method 2 – periodic syncing #

In addition to the above, all Sentry planograms are synchronised with 365 once every 24 hours as a ‘safety’ measure, in order to ensure fidelity between ADM and Sentry.

This occurs whether or not any changes have been made to a Sentry planogram.

Planogram syncing method 3 – forced syncing #

Lastly, a forced synchronisation from Sentry to ADM is possibly by using the ‘Sync with ADM’ menu item, which is available in the ‘Market options’ dropdown on a micro market’s detailed planogram view:

The ‘Sync with ADM’ option for markets set up with 365 kiosks.

Planogram syncing – restrictions #

Important note: Products that have no barcode will not be synced with ADM.

This restriction is in place to ensure data fidelity between Sentry and ADM.

Receiving sales into Sentry for 365 Markets kiosks #

Once a kiosk is set up in Sentry, sales are automatically received by Sentry.

Sales are treated like any other sales in Sentry (e.g. vending sales) and so they appear in the same way as other sales, for example:

  1. Sales are reported in all sales reports;
  2. Sales are shown in all sales graphs;
  3. Sales are shown in the basket list and sales list;
  4. Sales are shown in dashboard charts;
  5. Etc.

Generally, Sentry will populate all available fields with data received from a 365 Markets kiosk. For example, baskets are shown in a micro markets basket list, with details around the products that were included in a basket, such as:

  • product name;
  • price; and
  • barcode.

However, some information is not transmitted to Sentry; in these cases, where information is not received by Sentry from ADM, this information is not shown. This information includes:

  • whether a product was scanned (by the barcode scanner) or selected with product lookup;
  • kiosk logs; and
  • photographs taken by the kiosk.

Additional notes #

The following additional notes should be borne in mind when using 365 kiosks via Sentry:

  • Sales made in offline mode: Where a sale has been made via a 365 Markets kiosk but the kiosk does not have network connectivity, the sale will still be received by Sentry, but only once the 365 Markets kiosk comes back online. This may explain why a sale appears to have been made at a kiosk, but has not yet appeared in Sentry.

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