Amigo Point of Sale includes two choices in database technology, Microsoft Jet flat file (recommended for most users) and Microsoft SQL Server Express (available at no cost). Note: The Microsoft SQL Server Express version of Amigo Point Of Sale is scheduled for release in late 2008.

 

 

System Database

 

The Amigo Point of Sale installer prompt the user to enter a unique name for the system database during installation. This database is used to hold all data, including menus, tickets, employees and most system settings. When working in back office on any terminal, Amigo Point of Sale connects directly to this database. When working in the front end, Amigo Point of Sale uses the locally cached copy of the database for most functions except ticket and time sheet queries. The system database should be backed up to a different machine at regular intervals to provide a recent backup in case of hardware failure. The database location

 

 

Database Synchronization

 

To minimize network traffic and speed data access, a locally cached copy of the system database is created on each terminal on the network. This database is routinely discarded and replaced to reflect any changes to the main system database. The update interval is defined in Back Office - Program Setup - Database Setup, as shown below. The update occurs immediately after user login. During this update, a small message will appear at the bottom of the screen indicating that the user should wait until the database synchronization finishes before continuing. The update may take between 5 and 30 seconds, depending on the database location and network conditions.

 

 

 

Disable Database Synchronization

 

In some cases database synchronization is not required and can be disabled. When database synchronization is disabled, Amigo Point of Sale will access the main database to look up menu items, user data and program settings. Creating a locally cached copy of the database on single terminal systems is redundant and does not necessarily increase performance. If database synchronization is disabled at a terminal that must access the database from a remote machine in multi-terminal systems,  performance may lag due to increased network traffic. The performance benefit from using database synchronization varies with the size of the database and the number of images stored in the database.

 

Disabling database synchronization is a local setting that must be set at each terminal. You may also wish to disable database synchronization at some terminals and not others (for example, database synchronization can be disabled at the terminal that stores the database but left enabled at other terminals on the network). Note that disabling database synchronization has no effect on back office machines, since back office always uses the main database.

 

 

Speed Up Database Synchronization

 

The time required to perform database update varies with the size of the database and the number of images stored in the database, and is reliant on a stable network connection. To optimize database synchronization and minimize the time required and network traffic generated during the synchronization, delete any unneeded menu items (regular, bar, pizza and retail), images, users and other data that is not used. Be sure to compact the database after deleting these items to recover the unused space.

 

 

Forced Database Synchronization

 

In some cases the user may wish to update the database immediately, for example, if editing a menu in back office you may wish to view the changes on the order entry screen immediately while both back office and the front end are open. Click the instant database update button to update the database immediately. This button is the first button on the database update toolbar in back office, as shown below. Note that instant database updates are performed on the local machine only. Click the Force Update button to synchronize all terminals at the next user login.

 

 

Forced Database Update Keyboard Shortcuts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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