Agents

An agent is one SupplyPoint installation together with the VDMSync agent program on its PC. It can drive several vending machines. Agents are created by the VDMSync operator.

Agent list

• Tabs All, Online, Offline with the number of agents.
• Search by name and the GUI filter (machine screen online/offline).
• Columns: Agent, Account › Client › Location, Health, Last sync, VMs.
• The row menu (three dots) holds the actions described below. Greyed-out rows are disabled agents.

What the health shows

Agent page

Click an agent to open its page:

• Overview: health, details (serial number, model, agent version, location, address, number of vending machines, last connection) and the database connection settings (without passwords). When the agent is silent you see the warning No heartbeat from the agent for….
• SupplyPoint: software version and licence, Database backups with the backup history, and Machine settings with a search box. Set up notifications about failed backups in Stock alerts.

Pairing the agent (access code)

The agent program starts sending data only after it is paired with its agent in the console.

1. In the console open Agents and choose Generate access code in the row menu. On the agent page the same button is called Access code.
2. An 8-digit code valid for 2 minutes appears (with a countdown). You can copy it with Copy code. When it expires, click Generate new.
3. On the SupplyPoint PC open the agent panel: click the agent icon in the system tray and choose Status (the panel opens in a browser on that PC).
4. Type the code into Access code and click Connect.
5. The panel shows the agent status. The first synchronization starts within a few minutes. A long transaction history is sent over several cycles.

Every new pairing replaces the previous one. The agent panel also has Disconnect agent: the agent stops syncing, and connecting again needs a new code.

Service code and demo mode

Demo mode is for show and test machines. Withdrawals, returns and restocks ordered from VDMSync then change stock and the transaction log without opening drawers. These are real changes in the SupplyPoint database, so do not turn on demo mode on a production machine.

1. In the console, in the agent's menu choose Generate service code. The code has 6 digits, changes every 2 minutes and works only once.
2. In the agent panel click Demo mode, type the service code and click Turn on.
3. To turn it off: Turn demo mode off in the agent panel. No code is needed, and it works without internet too.

Live screenshot and SupplyPoint status

Both actions work only while the agent is online.

• Live screenshot shows the current screen of the SupplyPoint PC. The picture refreshes by itself (Auto refresh). Pause and Resume stop and restart refreshing, Refresh gets a new picture, Download saves it.
• SupplyPoint status checks whether the SupplyPoint terminal program is running. The result shows in a message: SupplyPoint is running or SupplyPoint is not running.

Updating the agent

1. In the console, in the agent's menu choose Update agent and confirm.
2. The agent downloads the latest version and restarts. Sync pauses for a few minutes. Meanwhile the menu shows Agent update in progress.
3. At the end you see Agent updated or Agent update failed.

The agent also checks for updates by itself a few times a day. If a new version does not work properly, the agent goes back to the previous one by itself.

Stopping a sync

Stop sync interrupts a synchronization that is running right now (the agent restarts). The next synchronization starts on schedule. The action is active only while the agent shows Syncing, and only for users assigned to the whole organization.

Sync history, rolling syncs back and disabling agents are handled by the VDMSync operator.