Corporate Communication Installation Sequence of Events
(Maitre'D 2002, and later versions of Maitre'D)
Corporate Office Computer
Install
the Communication Server
Install
the Database Manager
Install
the Report Manager
Make
the setups for the different programs in the following order: Communication
Server, Database Manager.
Restaurant Computer
Install
the Corporate Communication option (DBF Converter)
Under
View / Options, setup the different options
Install
the Communication Client
Setup
the different option
Maitre'D Corporate Communication flow chart
The following example shows the information flow chart for a Maitre'D Corporate
Communication installation with three clients (restaurants).
This example uses the following setup:
Maitre'D Communication Server (Dial up connection)
Data path (Communication Server / General): C:\POSERA\CCM\DATA\DBF
Incoming path (Communication Server / General): C:\POSERA\CCM\INCOMING\SERVER
Outgoing path (Communication Server / General): C:\POSERA\CCM\OUTGOING\SERVER
Maitre'D Communication Client (Restaurant with Dial up connection)
Restaurant identifier (Communication Client / General): 1001 for Restaurant
no.1 and 1002 for restaurant no.2. andldots;
Incoming path (Communication Client / General): C:\POSERA\CCM\INCOMING\CLIENT
Outgoing path (Communication Client / General): C:\POSERA\CCM\OUTGOING\CLIENT
Schedule (Communication Client / Schedule): Call frequency = After End
Of Day
Converter
Output path (Converter / View / Options / General): C:\POSERA\CCM\INCOMING\SERVER
Restaurant ID (Converter / View / Options / General): 1001 for restaurant
no.1, 1002 for restaurant no.2
Files selection (Converter / View / Options / Files): each restaurant will
transfer the following files DIVISIONS and TRANSACTIONS.
In our example, the file transfer will occur each time the End Of Day is
performed. The conversion process starts automatically at step no.2 of
the End Of Day. Since we have chosen to transfer only the Divisions and
the Transactions files, only these two files will be converted and copied
into the C:\POSERA\CCM\OUTGOING\SERVER directory. The converted file names
will be respectively DIVISION.DBF and TRANSACT.DBF. For a complete file
name definition and structure, refer to the Maitre'D
Corporate Communication Files Structure section.
After the conversion is done, the End Of Day process will continue as usual.
Once the End Of Day is completed, the Maitre'D Communication Client will
transmit the files to the Maitre'D Communication Server computer. This
process will start automatically. It usually takes 10 to 15 seconds for
the program to start. The Communication Client program will establish
the connection and transfer all files located in the C:\POSERA\CCM\OUTGOING\SERVER
directory. After the files are transferred successfully, they will be
backed up under a special directory named BACKUPdd where dd represent
the date of the transfer. If the file transfer was done on the 6th of
the month, the backup of the DBF files transferred will be in C:\POSERA\CCM\OUTGOING\SERVER\BACKUP06.
This completes the description of all process done at the Maitre'D Communication
Client (restaurant) level.
The Maitre'D Communication Server program is able to manage multiple communications
at the same time. In our example, we only have two clients that are sending
their files. In this case, only one communication line is sufficient.
In larger installation, you will need to consider other setup options
to avoid transmission delay. A Windows NT server with multiple modems
or an Internet connection might be needed.
Regardless of your Maitre'D Communication Server setup, the way the Maitre'D
Communication Server handles the communication is the same.
All files received from the restaurant are copied into the C:\POSERA\CCM\INCOMING\SERVER
directory. The files received from the restaurant will have the following
structure: rrrr.FILENAME.DBF where rrrr represents the restaurant identifier.
So in our example, the Division file from restaurant no.1 will be 1001.DIVISION.DBF.
The Maitre'D Communication Server program always gives priority to the
communication between the restaurant and the Communication server. After
30 seconds without communication, the Maitre'D Communication Server begins
to transfer the files received from the C:\POSERA\CCM\INCOMING\SERVER
directory to the C:\POSERA\CCM\DATA\DBF directory. This process is done
very quickly and will not affect the communication.
After all files are transferred from all restaurants, the C:\POSERA\CCM\INCOMING\SERVER
directory will be empty. All files received from the restaurants will
be transferred into the C:\POSERA\CCM\DATA\DBF directory.
Let's take a closer look at the Maitre'D Communication Server directory
before, during and after the communication.
DIVISION.DBF
(happened with new files received from the two restaurants)
TRANSACT.DBF
(happened with new files received from the two restaurants)
C:\POSERA\CCM\INCOMING\SERVER
Empty
As you can see, all files received from the restaurant are placed into
their respective file in the DBF directory. The Report Manager will then
use these files to create reports, make comparisons…
Depending on the size of the restaurant chain, you might need to use the
compact utility program in the Database Manager (File / Compact Database).
Graphically, the flow chart of events for the transmission of a file called
DIVISION.DBF from 2 restaurants to the Corporate Office would look like:
Setup for the Database Manager
This application is installed at the home office. It allows the management
of the data files received from the different units. It is also used to
synchronize the data received from the restaurant with the Database Manager.
The Database Manager program should only be installed on one computer at
the home office. It is usually the Database Administrator's responsibility
to manage the files received from the remote locations.
Since the data used by the Database Manager is coming from the restaurant,
it is recommended that you wait to have received at least one transfer
before you start working with it. It is also recommended that you transfer
files from only one or two restaurants before you hook up other locations.
That will give you time to get familiar with this new program and it will
be easier to troubleshoot if you are experiencing problems.
The main database functions are:
Import
data
Add record
Remove
record
Re-index
Compact
database
Import
data
The Import data function is used to add records received from a restaurant
to the Database Manager. Instead of having to create each record individually,
it is faster and easier to wait to have received at least one file transfer
from a restaurant to import the data.
The only time you will use the Import data function is when you start a
new database or when you add a new restaurant to the corporate office
that does not have the same data as the one in your current database.
If the data is the same you do not need to use the import function.
When you need to use the import function, under the file menu, select
Open. Select the Divisions file. Under the Edit menu, select Import Data
from restaurant Do the same for the following files: Items, Inventory
Ratios, Revenue Centers, Modes, Restaurants.
Add record
Enable this option when you need to add a new record into the Database
Manager.
Remove record
Enable this option if you need to remove a record in the Database Manager.
Re-Index
The only index files in the Database Manager are the Local Files (configuration
files for the Corporate Office, refer to the appendix for a complete list).
The files received from the restaurant are not indexed to give you more
flexibility depending on the database tools that you want to use.
Compact Database
The Compact database option allows to select the information that you
want to keep in the Database Manager. Depending on the number of locations
that are connected to the Communication Server and the files that they
are sending, the Database Manager will keep on getting larger each time
you receive new files. Larger database files will eventually slow down
the generation of the reports and will take more space on you hard disk.
For example, you might just want to keep the weekly summary up after a
year of operation.
WARNING: IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU MAKE A FULL BACKUP OF THE
DATABASE BEFORE YOU USE THIS FUNCTION. YOU MUST ALSO SHUTDOWN ANY RUNNING
MAITRE'D CORPORATE COMMUNICATION MODULE INCLUDING THE COMMUNICATION SERVER.