The Light System Interface Import program is designed for use with the Musco Control-Link Interface and allows for changes to lighting reservations. You would use this program only if you are interfacing with the Musco lighting system and allow customers to change their reservations. The program can be used to:
- Update charges for customers who pre-paid for light time and then ended their reservation early or extended it to a later time. (Example A)
- Import reservations that were made directly in the Control-Link Interface and then recreate those reservations in RecTrac and charge the customer. (Example B)
See Also: Topic Doc - RecTrac/Musco Control-Link Interface.
Example A - Running the Import for Changes to Schedules
Jimmy Dugan rents the baseball field at Harvey Park from 6:00pm-10:00pm and pays for four (4) hours of light time. The game ends earlier than anticipated, so at 9:30pm, Jimmy shuts the lights off manually using the Control-Link kiosk at the ball field. Control-Link notes this change, updates the reservation in the software, and creates a file out on their site with the applicable changes. The next morning, you run this program in RecTrac. Jimmy's reservation in RecTrac is updated based on lighting time used, and his household balance is updated as well. This means you process a credit for Jimmy equal to 30 minutes of rental time at the ball field, since he was done at 9:30pm instead of 10:00pm.
Example B - Importing Schedules Originally Entered in Control-Link
Dottie Hinson, who has access to Control-Link, goes to the baseball field at Harvey Park at 7:00pm and turns the lights on. She shuts them off at 9:00pm. Control-Link notes this, creates a reservation in the software, and creates a file on their FTP site with this information. The next morning, you run this program in RecTrac. The file containing Dottie's running of the lights for two (2) hours is imported. RecTrac creates a reservation for your Musco household (Your Musco household should be a generic RecTrac household that can be setup to handle these types of reservations.) The RecTrac User who runs the import then cancels the reservation for the Musco household and re-creates it on Dottie Hinson's. The Musco software sends an email with an attachment that detailing everything that happens when the import is run.
Note: This program assumes the household in RecTrac (Jimmy Dugan and Dottie Hinson in the examples above) has a Control-Link account with Musco, as there are kiosks at the facilities that allow Musco customers to log into Control-Link and turn lights on and off.
Note: Field names on the screen with red labels* are required by the screen design you are using. Mandatory fields in the default Vermont Systems design are noted where appropriate. Your design and mandatory fields may vary.
From the bottom of the screen….
Click Process to run the Light System Interface Import. The process runs on the AppServer. The Notification Center will alert you when the process completes.
LightSystemInterfaceImport_Tab1
Fee Category (LightSystemInterfaceImport_FeeCategory)
Click the Combo Box icon to select the Fee Category Code(s) you wish the system to look for when running the Import. This is a Mandatory field for the default VSI RecTrac Design. Your Design and setup may vary.
A component part of the RecTrac file maintenance for the Musco Export/Import is to create Fee Category Codes to represent the Fees linked to the Facility Reservations. Typically you will have at least one Fee Category Code for "Hourly which is linked to the hourly Fee you charge for the purchase of light time at your facilities. When the Import is processed, and if there were changes to light time used, then the system will match the Fee Category Code to the Fee and adjust the Fee accordingly. Updates to the household balance then go up or down depending on the change in light time used.
DeletePayment User Name (LightSystemInterfaceImport_PaymentUser)
Accept the default entry in this field or overwrite with another User ID as needed. This is a Mandatory field for the default VSI RecTrac Design. Your Design and setup may vary.
When customers make changes to their light usage a file is created and placed on the Musco FTP site. This file gets imported. Changes to fees are posted to the User ID specified in this field.
DeletePayment Cash Drawer (LightSystemInterfaceImport_PaymentDrawer)
Accept the default entry in this field or overwrite with another Drawer Number as needed. This is a Mandatory field for the default VSI RecTrac Design. Your Design and setup may vary.
When customers make changes to their light usage a file is created and placed on the Musco FTP site. This file gets imported. Changes to fees are posted to the drawer specified in this field.
DeleteFile Transfer URL (LightSystemInterfaceImport_FTPURL)
Enter the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) URL in this field as it was given to you by Musco. This will be the FTP URL and any sub-folders.For Example: ftp://www.control-link.com/<your sub-folder>
Note: In the event the FTP Site requires and/or accepts passive transport add " passive" to the end of your URL. For Example: ftp://www.vermontsystems.com/reports/ passive
Ask the FTP Site's owner if you are unsure whether or not passive transport is required/accepted.
FTP User ID (LightSystemInterfaceImport_FTPUserID)
Enter the User ID to the FTP site listed in the File Transfer URL field, as given to you by Musco.
Notes: This is NOT the same User ID and Password combination that are used in the Light System Interface Export. When using the Import Musco will provide you with a "retrieval" User ID and Password.
Ensure your firewall settings allow access to the Musco FTP site.
FTP Password (LightSystemInterfaceImport_FTPPassword)
Enter the Password to the FTP site listed in the File Transfer URL field, as given to you by Musco.
Passwords are masked in RecTrac. Passwords in RecTrac appear either as a series of pipes" or dots in password fields (i.e. | | | | | or •••••).There is no Permission that allows you to see an actual password. There is no Report in RecTrac that will display a password.
Additionally RecTrac user passwords and WebTrac user passwords are encrypted based on the configuration settings as maintained on your Encryption profile.
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