Recommended Store Exchange Sequence at Headquarters

Store Exchange Overview | Troubleshoot Store Exchange

Headquarters has two distinct End of Day responsibilities: Store Activities and Headquarters Activities, and you may find it helpful to keep the activities related to each separate. See notes below.

Store activities include:

1. Run a Z-Out Drawer Count report at each workstation.

2. Run a Z-Out Store Close report on the Server Workstation.

3. Settle credit card transactions with the QuickBooks Desktop POS Merchant Service (if applicable).

Typically, these activities would be done as part of the normal End of Day procedure at Headquarters.

Headquarters activities are done on the Server Workstation and include:

1. Receive files to process the mailbags received from each remote store. All other workstations must exit Point of Sale before beginning this task. This process updates inventory and related files with the day's activities at the remote stores.

2. Run Financial Exchange with QuickBooks Desktop financial software.

3. Backup the company data.

4. Send updated files back to remote stores before the beginning of the next business day.

Notes:

You may find it easier to keep the two components of End of Day separate at Headquarters. Use the automated End of Day process to do the routine store close activities for the store. This can be accomplished while you wait for the remote stores to get their Store Exchange mailbags sent. Later, process in the remote store mailbags, conduct your Financial Exchange with QuickBooks Desktop, and then send updated files back to the remote stores.

There are good reasons to keep the two types of activities separate at Headquarters:

- It keeps the two processes distinct, making it easier for Associates to understand and follow the correct procedure for each.

- It gives Headquarters one process to carry out while giving remote stores the time to get their stores closed and mailbags sent.

- Receiving remote store mailbags cannot be incorporated into the End of Day procedure due to the many variables related to the four supported methods and delivery of the files from remotes.

- If your goal is to maintain the most accurate information possible at all stores, it is important that Headquarters receive and process in a mailbag from each remote store before they in turn update inventory and send information back.

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Variations on the Recommended Sequence

Depending on operational requirements and management's need for timely information, the Store Exchange process can be run more or less frequently. Some variations include:

- Remote stores could be required to send mailbags several times a day, instead of once. Headquarters could process in and send data back so all store have up-to-the-hour information. With information flowing throughout the day, it would less critical that Headquarters have the final day mailbag from each remote before they process out to end the day. Transactions not making it at the end of one day would be caught on the first exchange the next morning.

- If your need for updated information is not critical, you could run Store Exchange less frequently; say once every few days or once a week.

- You can schedule Store Exchanges to happen automatically at a certain time, like overnight. While convenient, scheduling doesn't allow for doing a Financial Exchange with QuickBooks Desktop between receiving and sending files and may not be a good solution if you offer customer charge accounts and want updated account balances at each store everyday.

With experience, you will find the sequencing that works best for your circumstances. It is not required that the sequence described here be followed, but by adhering to it you ensure that all stores have the most current information for each business day.

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Related Topics

Headquarters Store Exchange sending guidelines

Configure Store Exchange