Using Pictures with HQ, Stores and Kosmoscart Web Integrator

We do not use pictures at this point, but we have tested a little bit in the past and here is the way we understand them to work:

1) At HQ you have a library of photos and each are individually named (maybe based on ILC...?) 2) You attach the photo at the HQ level, that way if you ever update an item via the WS250, the photo is sent with it 3) The stores have their directory of photos (as sent to them by headquarters, etc.) 4) Item is updated by WS250, the photo should not be deleted unless it was deleted at HQ on the actual item card

Is there a reason why HQ would not have the picture assigned to the item card, and why it is only done in store? That may have been something I missed in your post.

With regard to updating the photos at the store level, that can get trickier as I am sure you have noticed already. Some options you would have would be to issue weekly updates where someone will have to install the newest 'bundle' at the store level, or you could contact your VAR and see if they can write a file xfer that would push your photos into the proper Picture destination folder of the store computers.

You are definitely on the right path here. Let me see if I can properly explain:

HQ will not xfer the actual photo image to the store, BUT, it will xfer the photo image file name. So, by attaching the photo at the HQ level on the actual item card, you can then manually send the pics to the stores for them to install. That part is still kind of a pain but you can see why it works that way. All of this will be good and the photos will display at the SO level (even when a WS250 is issued against an active item) assuming the following is true:

- HQ attaches the image to the item card

- Images are sent to the stores for install

- Stores do not change the name of the image

- Stores install the images in their Pictures directory of SO

And - should HQ ever change an image name, HQ will need to update the item card and reissue the item to stores as well as the image.

Because you have so many images you add on a daily basis, I would recommend (if this is practical) trying something like the following:

- Title all photos by ILC (this would really help when attaching and sorting, etc b/c all ILCs are unique)

- Issue the new images in bundles on a schedule (if your stores do not have to have the images on the same day the prod arrives at the distro point, then maybe weekly, etc.)

- Definitely talk to your VAR to see if they can build an auto xfer of the images - at least down to the store level - for the store to install. If you are with NWT, they once built my past company a file xfer that when files were ftped, they auto downloaded to the stores.

I think the biggest struggle you will have is deciding how to organize the images. With 100+ new skus (and images)/day, this might get complicated.

FTP all your product images to a common folder on your website such as websitename/images. Whenever you update an item in HQ, insert the URL for the product image under the Special tab for Picture. Example: www.websitename/images/ILCnumber.jpg As long as your stores have access to the Internet and the URL length is not longer than 50 characters, this will work from everywhere. The limiting factor is URL length. 50 characters is all RMS will accept for the image location. It does not matter whether that location is on the hard drive, network, or Internet.

Digital Retail Solutions

-- v1.x and 2.x compliant Trial downloads -- Search this newsgroup --