Included in this release is ScanMaster’s scanning support for the “Databar 2010 Sunrise” initiative. With this initiative, new Databar barcodes will begin to be available in the grocery marketplace starting January 1, 2010. The Databar format allows barcodes of larger numbers (such as 14 digit GTINs) in a smaller amount of space. In addition, the format allows additional data (i.e. expiration date, country of origin, pack-date, lot number, weight, etc.) to be defined on an item beyond the item number.

Databar is the new name for the barcodes formerly called “RSS” or “Reduced Space Symbology”. GTIN, or Global Trade Identification Number, is the name given to the new 14-digit numbers that GS1 (the governing body for the various barcodes used in the grocery industry) manages for global product identification.

Most scanners purchased within the last 4 years are already Databar compatible and most shipped within the past 7 years can be upgraded to support Databar. Retailers should understand their options with the scanners they are currently using and plan to upgrade their scanners as necessary. To handle the new coupon formats starting in 2010, retailers should understand their POS software plan to support this capability. The scanner must support the DataBar (RSS) Expanded Format and the 2-character item ID for RSS14 and RSS Expanded Formats.

Multiple formats of Databar barcodes are intended primarily for retail POS, including Databar Stacked Omnidirectional, Databar Omnidirectional, Databar Expanded and Databar Expanded Stacked. Some of these barcodes are smaller and only contain a GTIN number while others are larger and contain additional information.

ScanMaster now recognizes when a Databar barcode is scanned for coupon, produce and variable meat items during sale mode and item inquiry mode. The additional information from the extended barcode is read and stored in the Electronic Journal for retrieval.

While other items may scan without issue, the focus of this development is on the certification of scanning Databar barcodes for coupons, produce and variable meat items.

The PocketOffice Q-Buster and Remote Manager Authorization applications will continue to only send the 14 digit GTIN to the POS. The extended data will not be included.

New POS Workstation Settings

Enable Sell By Date Checking [Items]

Sell By Date (0-Prmpt 1-Rstrct) [Items]

Enable Expiry Date Checking [Items]

Expiry Date (0-Prmpt 1-Rstrct) [Items]

Electronic Journal Reporting Changes

As part of this development, when a cashier scans a barcode for an item sold by weight, the new “PLACE ITEM ON SCALE. PRESS CLEAR TO CONTINUE” prompt displays. Once the CLEAR button is pressed, the POS will continue on to read the scale as normal. If the product is not on the scale at that time, the normal “SCALE ERROR” error displays.

If a Variable Measure (Type-9) Databar barcode has no encoded price, the POS will prompt for a price as it does today for UPC2 items which are encoded with a zero price. In addition, if quantity entry (i.e. @/FOR key) is used to process a Variable Measure Databar item, the existing “QTY NOT ALLOWED” error will display.

Special functionality has been added in this release to allow the manual entry of DataBar format coupons which allows the cashier to enter the coupon in a way that will provide for automatic verification.

If a manually entered PLU starts with “8110” and has 16 digits or greater, it is assumed that a manual entry of a DataBar coupon is attempted and the “MUST USE CPN KEY (MFG/STR)!” message displays.

When the cashier manually enters the Databar format coupon by first pressing the Manufacturer Coupon Key or the Store Coupon Key (without a preceding amount), the prompt “ENTER COUPON CODE” appears. After the Coupon Code is entered, the “ENTER COUPON AMOUNT” will appear. Upon the entry of a valid amount, the POS will take the information entered and construct a DataBar coupon record for processing as if it were scanned. (It will be processed into the Electronic Journal as if it originated from an actual barcode scan although it will be identified as a manually entered lookup code).

“8110” will be automatically added to the left side of the “Coupon Code” entered. It is not expected that a cashier would enter the “8110” since it is not likely readable. If entered by the cashier, it will not be added to the left of the Coupon Code again.

If a DataBar Coupon is rejected due to the new start and end date fields, the following information will accompany the normal “COUPON NOT VALID!” error.

COUPON BEGINS: mm/dd/yy

COUPON ENDS: mm/dd/yy

These two lines rely on the existence of their respective fields within the DataBar coupon. Depending on the data, one or the other (or both) may appear.

To prevent cashiers from using the Price Inquiry function in lieu of a normal scan of the item (a.k.a. “sweethearting”), managerial security has been added to the Price Inquiry function in this ScanMaster release.

By ringing items as price inquiries and then aborting them (by either pressing CLEAR or continuing with another function such as scanning the next item), the action appears as a sale to a casual observer. By adding an option for Manager Security on Price Inquiry, management’s attention can be drawn to this potential scenario.

Pressing the ENTER key after a Price Inquiry adds an item to the transaction.

Pressing CLEAR key aborts the Price Inquiry.

To support this enhancement, the following POS Workstation Setting is implemented in this release. (The tab where the setting is located within the ScanMaster System Configuration Editor is listed in brackets.)

This field requires a Yes or No. If this field is set to “Yes,” the POS workstation requires management to perform a Price Inquiry.

In order to stop fraudulent Gift Card redemptions, ScanMaster now has the ability to limit the number of Gift Cards can be redeemed in a given transaction. Once this limit is breached, a Manager ID will need to be entered to allow additional Gift Cards to be tendered.

The Manager ID is only required to be entered once for tendering additional Gift Cards.

If the number of previous Gift Card tenders is equal to the new POS Workstation setting the “ENTER MANAGER ID” prompt will display. If the CLEAR key is pressed, the tender will be aborted. If the Manager ID check fails, the error “NOT AUTHORIZED” will be displayed until the CLEAR key is pressed and the process can be repeated.

For stores using the PocketOffice RMA (Remote Manager Authorization), the GIFT CARD TENDER COUNT > MAX message will alert the user on the HHC (hand-held computer) for an approval request.

To support this enhancement, the following POS Workstation Setting is implemented in this release. (The tab where the setting is located within the ScanMaster System Configuration Editor is listed in brackets.)

Two (2) digit numeric field. Enter the maximum number of Gift Cards that may be redeemed in a transaction before a Manager ID is required. An entry of “00” will disable the feature.

The ScanMaster Software Registration window now includes a “Print” button. When pressed, the Print button will display a standard printer selection dialog and then send the security report (listing the details appearing on the ScanMaster Software Registration window) to the selected printer.

The ScanMaster base application and its available options are enabled through the HASP plug attached to the USB port of the Back Office Workstation. The ScanMaster Software Registration program (SM2SSDSP.exe located in the Grocery directory) displays the store’s licensed options, in addition to the:

- Customer Number

- Number of enabled POS Workstations

- Number of enabled Back Office Workstations

- Number of enabled Retalix Pocket Office (RPO) units.

Receipt Void Indicator

ScanMaster customer receipts now contain a void indicator for reversed tenders. A "V" character is now printed to indicate that a tender was reversed.



• 3 – Override

In-Store Charge Signature Capture

New POS Workstation Setting

Enable Sig Cap on Instore Chrg [EFT]