Topic Doc: Musco Lighting Interface Export/Import
RecTrac 3.1
Table of Contents
Document Summary
The Light System Interface is designed to share game schedules with your Musco lighting system which automates the light timing for your fields (i.e., baseball, football, soccer, etc…). Schedules can be automatically sent to and received by Musco.
Exporting from RecTrac to Musco - RecTrac includes the schedule needed for game lighting: facility, dates, times, and ties to household billing. You can configure the RecTrac Lighting Interface to automatically generate an export file for Musco, which is covered within this Topic Doc. You MUST also use Musco's Control-Link (beyond the scope of this document) in order to complete the import into Musco's software (contact Musco for Control-Link and instructions).
Importing from Musco into RecTrac - Musco enables overrides to the lighting schedule for situations when a game runs over or under the allotted time, and you can retrieve that override information back into RecTrac. Receiving updates to event start and end times is helpful when you want to update household billing to reflect the actual time used for lighting equipment. If the household uses less time than allotted for then a refund is automatically issued to the household's balance. If the household uses more time then was allotted for then the household balance updates to reflect the extra charges incurred. For Example: The local school district uses your organization's fields for evening youth sports, and you bill them hourly for light usage. You would configure the RecTrac Lighting Interface to both automatically create an export to Musco and automatically receive the import back from Musco.
License – Maintenance Agreement
The Light Systems Interface Export and Light Systems Interface Import programs are free. The use of these interfaces requires a Vermont Systems license and annual maintenance agreement for RecTrac and the component modules discussed in this document. Prior to implementing any process outlined in this document, please contact the Vermont Systems Sales department at 1-877-883-8757 to verify that you are authorized to use this interface and if not, to obtain a quote and/or approval.
Setup Steps
This document will walk you through the basic steps required to use the Musco Light Interface. If you have additional questions about the Musco Light Interface after reading this document, please contact Vermont Systems Customer Service by phone at 877-883-8757 or generate a Support Case through the Customer portal of the Vermont Systems website using your Customer ID and password.
Before You Begin
This document is written with the following assumptions. If any of the items listed is NOT true, contact Vermont Systems Support prior to continuing.
- Your organization has contracted with Musco and has a Control-Link account set up with them.
- The User ID with which you sign into RecTrac has the requisite permissions and ability to access the Light System Interface Export and Import programs.
- The Facilities which require lighting are set up in RecTrac.
- You have the Musco-assigned codes for those facilities.
- You know how to access the Musco FTP site, including the address, username, and password. You know the Musco username and password to use for posting the new schedules.
- You understand RecTrac DataGrids and how to maneuver through them.
- Your organization is running
- RecTrac 3.1.04.05 or greater for the Lighting Interface System Export.
- RecTrac 3.1.08.02 or greater for the Lighting Interface System Import.
File Maintenance Setup
This document will guide you through the basic steps required to process exports to and imports from Musco through the Lighting Interface.
RecTrac Facility Setup
Musco provides you with a spreadsheet of setup information, including Facility Numbers and Field Numbers. Within RecTrac's Facility Management screen, you MUST enable Light Interface Facility field for each of your facilities that utilize Musco lighting. Additionally, enter the Musco-provided Facility Numbers and Field Numbers into the Lighting Interface Code 1 and Lighting Interface Code 2 fields.
- In RecTrac, go to the Management Ribbon • Facility Management • Facility Management. The Facility Management screen opens.
- A DataGrid lists all of your facilities.
- Select a facility that uses Musco lighting, and then click Change. The Facility Update screen opens.
- Under the Light Interface Settings group, do the following:
- Enable Light Interface Facility.
- Enter Light Interface Code 1 from your Musco spreadsheet for Facility Number.
- Enter Light Interface Code 2 from your Musco spreadsheet for Field Number.
- Click Save.
- Repeat this process for each additional facility using Musco Lighting.
- Open Bulk Change for Facilities.
- Select the four (4) Barry Bonds baseball diamonds within the DataGrid.
- Select the Light Facility field, select Yes, and FRFacility_LiteFacility=Yes displays within the Bulk Changes to Complete area.
- Select the Light Code 1 field, enter the value (e.g., 1387), and FRFacility_LiteCode1=1387 displays within the Bulk Changes to Complete area.
- Click Process Bulk Change.
- Repeat for the Ted Williams baseball diamonds, but remember to use its unique code (e.g., FRFacility_LiteCode1=1487).
- As Light Code 2 is unique to each baseball diamond, it must be manually entered afterwards. Return to the Facility Management screen and update the Light Facility Code 2 for all eight (8) baseball diamonds.
Light System Interface Export
The Light System Interface Export program is designed for use with the Musco Control-Link Interface and allows you to create an export file that, when uploaded to Control-Link, will automatically turn the lights at your facilities on and off. Use of this program is required only if you are interfacing with the Musco lighting system.
- In RecTrac, go to the Management Ribbon • Facility Management • Light System Interface Export. The Light System Interface Export screen opens.
- The Facility DataGrid displays all Facilities in your database based on the DataGrid filters being used and your Permissions.
Highlight/select individual Facilities, as needed, from the DataGrid. Multiple selection is allowed. You can use both the Facility DataGrid and a Facility Range simultaneously to specify the Facilities to include.
- Enable Use Facility Range to specify the range of Facilities to include within your export, if desired. You can use both the Facility DataGrid and a Facility Range simultaneously to specify the Facilities to include.
Click the Picklist icon to select the Beginning Facility in the range.
Click the Picklist icon to select the Ending Facility in the range.
- Enter a Facility Wildcard, if desired. Expand the Drop-down list to select a Wildcard Option. Depending on your selection, wildcard asterisks/periods may be required.
- Enable Use Reservation Date Range to filter records by the Facility Reservation date. Any Reservation anywhere within your Date Range will be included. For Example: Your Date Range is 01 May 20xx - 30 June 20xx.
- A Reservation beginning on 29 June would be included because the Reservation takes place within your Date Range.
- A Reservation ending on 02 May would be included because it takes place within the Date Range.
- A Reservation ending before/on 30 April would NOT be included because it is outside your Date Range.
- A Reservation beginning on/after 01 July would NOT be included because it is outside your Date Range.
- Accept the default entry (0) or enter a value for Minutes To Add To The Ending Time During Export. The value you enter represents the number of minutes that you wish to keep the lights after a reservation ends on for purposes of post-reservation clean up. For Example: You enter '15' in this field. Your Softball Field reservation runs from 6:00-9:00pm. Having entered 15 in this field, the lights will remain on at the softball field until 9:15pm.
- Click the Combo Box icon to select the Fee Category Code(s) you wish the system to look for when running the Export. Multiple selection is allowed. If you plan to use the Light System Interface Import program to adjust fees (up or down) based on actual light usage, then you MUST select a fee. 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.
- Select Use Org Name Instead Of Contact to have the system export the Organization name for the reserving household in lieu of the Reservation Contact.
- Select Include Tree Reservations to have Tree Facilities included in the export.
With this option is selected, a line will be added to the export file for all other facilities linked to a Facility within your range.
Leave this option de-selected to skip Facility Trees and have the single Facility Code only included in the export file regardless of whether it is part of a Facility Tree.
- Under Musco Settings:
- Enter your Scheduler ID as provided by Musco. This is the user ID of the Musco user making this reservation.
- Enter your Scheduler Password as provided by Musco. This is the password of the Musco user making this reservation.
- Leave Clear Schedule For Entered Date Range de-selected to have the export file contain reservation information as intended.
- Leave the Check Facility Features(MUS-L/MUS-F) For Musco Usage option de-selected to skip the Feature Code check when running the export. Select this option to include only those Facilities in your range that have Feature Codes for either "MUS-L" or "MUS-F" (or both) Linked.
- Expand the Drop-down list to select the data you wish to place in Field 13 when running the Musco Light Interface. A proper entry here is required so your Export File matches with the Musco record layout. Musco can supply the preferred selection.
ID - The SADetail.ID number linked to the transaction in RecTrac.
Reservation Number - The Reservation Number as generated in RecTrac.
- Under FTP Settings, specify the Musco-provided credentials to their FTP site that enable you to automatically send an export file from RecTrac to Musco. Fill out this information when you plan to schedule and automate the process of updating Musco with RecTrac facility reservations (i.e., on a daily basis). Otherwise, the RecTrac export MUST be manually copied to the Musco FTP site.
- Enable FTP File to Musco After File Has Been Created if you wish to automatically send the RecTrac export to the Musco server after it is generated. Disable this option if you wish to manually transfer that export to Musco's server.
- Enter the User ID to use for the FTP site listed in the File Transfer URL field, as given to you by Musco.
- Enter the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) URL in this field, as given to you by Musco. This will be the FTP URL and any sub-folders. For Example: ftp://ftp.control-link.com/< your sub-folder >
- Enter the Password to use for the FTP site listed in the File Transfer URL field, as given to you by Musco.
- Do one of the following:
- For a one-time, manual export to Musco, click Process to run the Light System Interface Export. The process runs on the AppServer. The Notification Center will alert you when the process completes.
- For a Recurring export, click Schedule to have this process run at regular intervals you define. You will continue to Schedule Generator screen.
The system places two (2) files in the Document Center: a .dat file and a .txt file. The filename is YYYYMMDDHHMMSS, where YYYY is the 4-digit year, MM is a 2-digit month, DD is a 2-digit day, HH is the hour in 24-hour format, MM is the minutes, and SS is the seconds. For Example: An export generated on 04/11/2023 at 22:34.56 would be 20230411223456.dat and 20230411223456.txt - The .txt file is the RecTrac Lite Interface Log File, which lists your report settings at the time of export, as well as the individual reservation records exported from RecTrac. Review this file to ensure all of the expected records are being sent to Musco.
- The .dat file includes the reservation records formatted for use by Musco lighting systems.
Light System Interface Import
The Light System Interface Import program is designed for use with the Musco Control-Link Interface and allows for changes to lighting reservations. Often the import is used when you bill for lighting by the hour and over and under usage of lighting needs to be billed/refunded.
- In RecTrac, go to the Management Ribbon • Facility Management • Light System Interface Import. The Light System Interface Import screen opens.
- Click the Combo Box icon to select the Fee Category Code(s) you wish the system to look for when running the Import. 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.
- Accept the default entry for Payment User Name or overwrite with another User ID as needed. Customers may use the Musco lights for less than or longer than the reservation times and you can import the actual usage to update the household balance accordingly. Changes to household fees, resulting from the Musco import, are posted to the RecTrac User ID specified in this field.
- Accept the default entry in Payment Cash Drawer or overwrite with another Drawer Number as needed. Changes to fees are posted to the RecTrac drawer specified in this field.
- Under FTP Settings, specify the Musco-provided credentials to the FTP site to enable RecTrac to automatically retrieve an import file from Musco. Fill out this information when you plan to schedule and automate the process of updating RecTrac with Musco facility reservations (i.e., on a daily basis). Otherwise, the RecTrac import MUST be manually copied locally from the Musco FTP site.
- 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 >
- Enter the Password to the FTP site listed in the File Transfer URL field, as given to you by Musco.
- Enter the User ID to the FTP site listed in the File Transfer URL field, as given to you by Musco.
- Do one of the following:
- For a one-time, manual export to Musco, to run the Musco Import. The process runs on the AppServer. The Notification Center will alert you when the process completes.
- For a Recurring export, click Schedule to have this process run at regular intervals. You will continue to Schedule Generator screen.