Sync issues – products out of date on POS

After some debugging of the API calls from the app I can see the issue with 1 & 2.

1. There doesn’t appear to be any scheduled background sync. Only regular activity is a heartbeat. How is the POS cache kept in sync if it doesn’t check for updates?

2. A full manual sync doesn’t fully sync Groups. I see a call to wc-pos/groups/ids which only returns a list of group Ids. There’s no call to wc-pos/groups which would update the cache with any changes to the content of add-on groups. Appears that only happens when the local cache is deleted.

As the POS frontend has been webpacked, that’s about as far as I can go as it’s impossible to trace what the browser side is doing (or not!).

We’d be happy to outline the syncing options and behavior on the POS to start. Plus answer your questions.

The POS supports currently the following syncing behaviors:

– Initial Load. When the POS is loaded, this event will sync all product data to the latest.

– Force Sync. Under main menu. Support option. Under each option, we offer a Force Sync. This sync event will clear the local stored data and perform a sync of all product data to the latest. Similar to the syncing behavior of the initial load, but the added clearing of browser storage cache.

Now after all products are loaded. To reduce syncing events and performance impacts on a website, the POS is based upon a last sync date if older than 1 hour.

You have a few options on syncing behavior for already loaded and sync’d products:

– Sync Now. Under the main menu. You can select Sync Now. This event will look for any new products or based upon last updated time sync.

– Automatic Sync. Each hour a sync event will fire (You refer to as a heartbeat). Looking for older than 1 hour last updated products. Any products qualified would be sync as part of this automatic sync.

Under this two options: Sync Now or Automatic Sync, if a product is not updated from these events. You can also perform a Force Sync on the product which will call the latest product data updated.

Hopefully this helps clarify the syncing behavior on the POS in general.

Now, you indicated the refresh or automatic sync is not occurring. If you have confirmed the product data is not syncing after an hour. We would like to troubleshoot this issue with you. To help us troubleshoot this issue. We’d need the following data:

– What is the last updated time stamp on the product page

Products > Product Details, for example: https://ibb.co/RSxxxff

– What is the last updated time stamp on the product sync data on the POS
Main Menu > Support > Products Data, for example: https://ibb.co/vHVdHKS

If the update on the Product details page occurred before the Last sync date on the Products POS data settings, but the product was not updated in the POS. We will need to evaluate the difference. Often it could be related to timezone settings in WordPress and the Database and/or Server as well.

To help us with that troubleshooting, we’d like for you to provide the POS Debug log by going to POS > Settings > Debug tab. Enable debug mode. Go back to the POS, click Main Menu. Support and submit a debug report from the POS. We’d also need the WooCommerce System report.

We also wanted to highlight, we are working on a new POS infrastructure to offer a hosted POS option for the standard POS users and businesses or a self-hosted POS option for advanced users and businesses. Under the self-hosted option, we intend on allowing more flexibility on sync settings to allow admins to configure according to their business needs, including the automatic sync frequency.

Now on the questions and recommendations:

1. Change a product price and must run a full sync again before that price change is reflected on the POS.

Answer: Yes. At this time, you would need to perform a Force Now to get a price change dynamically in that moment in time. Re-load the POS or wait until after 1 hour has elapsed to be pick-up automatically.

2. Using your Product Add-ons to add a custom field to a product. Changes to the add-on options do not reflect on the POS unless the browser cache is cleared e.g. go incognito. Running a full sync doesn’t update the product. Updating the product and doing a sync doesn’t work either.

Answer: To update existing Product Adds-on, You are right. Currently we only support the update of these add-ons using the Initial Load sync and Force Sync of Groups option in the Support page. We are actively working to include Product Add-ons to the same sync events as products for Sync Now and Automatic Sync.

3. Is there any news on adding custom tabs? I’d like a tab where we can list selected products (not featured) that will be most commonly used via the POS, for quick access.

Answer: Sorry, no. We don’t have any updates. The feature is on our roadmap, but it a lower priority feature as we are working on other more high priority features and functionalities, such as the new self-hosted or hosted infrastructure deployments of the POS. This feature will likely be available either later this year or next year.

4. Finally, do you offer customisation services? I’d like to explore a more flexible add-on field, e.g. dynamic select populated from other data; also being able to add custom (add-on) fields to the POS custom product.

Answer: Unfortunately, we are unable to discuss any customization or pro services on the www.remarpro.com forum. Feel free to contact us directly for related services we may offer.

Ok, thanks for the info. I can confirm:

1. 1hr background sync of product changes works fine.
– being able able to change the auto-sync frequency would be more flexible to accommodate different store needs.

2. Forcing sync of Groups works to update the add-on info.
– should really be happening as part auto-sync.

3. More flexible options for product tabs – shame!
– some POS installations would benefit from being able to create a screen of common products.

4. Customisation – ok no further mention of this!

As per response to pre-sales, where can we download a copy of the full source code? Not available on GitHub. Obviously the webpacked POS side JS is undecipherable.

Thanks