Installation and initial setup

Do you want your business to profit from the plentymarkets App? Don’t lose any time! Start setting up the app on the appropriate hardware.

This page guides you through the installation process step-by-step and helps you complete the tasks that need to be done in advance. The settings described on this page go into effect when you begin using the app functions.

1. Selecting the right hardware

What do you want to use the app for? Which hardware you need depends on what you want to do with the app.

Do you want to see key performance indicators or track customer, item and order data? You only need a mobile Android or iOS device for these functions.

In addition, the plentymarkets App allows you to perform stock management tasks and to use the point of sale system PlentyONE POS. We recommend that you book a hardware package if you want to use these additional functions.

1.1. Case 1: Managing company data

If you only want to use the plentymarkets App to manage key performance indicators but not to operate a PlentyONE POS or manage stocks, all you need is a mobile Android or iOS device. Table 1 lists the basic hardware requirements for using the plentymarkets App.

Table 1. Managing business data with the plentymarkets App
Device type Requirements

Android devices

Version 6.0 or higher

iOS devices

Version 11 or higher

1.2. Case 2: Mobile stock management system

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1.3. Case 3: The point of sale system PlentyONE POS

The point of sale system PlentyONE POS is a component provided as part of the plentymarkets App. However, note that there are additional hardware requirements for using PlentyONE POS. Table 2 lists the hardware that PlentyONE POS supports. The table also shows the devices on which PlentyONE tests new releases before publication.

Table 2. Supported hardware for PlentyONE POS
Device type General requirements Tested devices

Operating systems

  • Android devices with OS version 6.0 and higher, ARM processor and device classes Small, Normal, Large and X-Large. You can find out the DPI of a mobile device e.g. here.

  • iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod) with OS version 11 and higher
    → There are some limitations regarding the use of Bluetooth scanners on iOS devices.
    → If you want to use the PlentyONE mobile POS system in Austria, then you can only operate it on Android devices.

For every regular release

  • Elo Touch Solutions I-Series 15I1 - E021201

  • M3 SM10

  • Samsung Galaxy Tab A 6 - SM-T580

  • Apple iPad Air 2

Regularly

  • Samsung Galaxy Tab A - SM-T555

  • Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 - SM-T530

  • Apple iPad Mini Retina

  • Advantech UPOS-211 sundsits edition

  • Honeywell Dolphin 75e

Selectively

  • Samsung Galaxy S4

  • Apple iPhone 6

  • Apple iPad Mini

Receipt printer

  • ePos-Print API

  • Printers with LAN or WLAN only

  • EPSON TM-M30

  • EPSON TM-T88V-i (QR code printing)

Fiscal printer

  • Required for using PlentyONE POS according to regulations defined by the Kassensicherungsverordnung (only relevant for POS operated in Germany)

  • EPSON TM-T88VI-FISCAL

  • EPSON TM-M30F

Scanner

  • Scanners with USB or Bluetooth only

  • Inateck BCST-10 (Bluetooth)

  • Albasca USB hand scanner MK-1000 (untested but used by several customers)

Customer displays

  • In combination with receipt printer EPSON TM-M30 only

  • EPSON DM-D30

Card terminals

  • Important: The usage of card terminals requires that you have an existing contract with the respective payment provider. In addition, you should carefully check and adhere to the individual requirements for operating card terminals. Click on the link to the respective plugin at the right side of this table to view all important information.

2. Downloading the app

The free plentymarkets App is available on Google Play and iTunes. Install the app on every mobile device that you want to use.

Is your company data safe on this device?

The plentymarkets App is safe in the sense that users can only log into the app with access data. But because the app can contain sensitive business data, we still recommend that you spend a few minutes thinking about security. Are your employees allowed to download the app on their own smartphones? Do your devices’ screens lock with a PIN or a password? Spend some time thinking about how your company will answer these sorts of questions.

3. Granting access to the app

The app will only work if you’ve booked a PlentyONE ERP system. This means users will log in with the same access data they use for the booked PlentyONE system.

First, create access data for all employees who should use the plentymarkets App. Decide which app functions each employee should be allowed to use.

3.1. Creating user accounts

Do all of your employees have a user account? If not, log into PlentyONE and create the necessary accounts.

Your employees will later log into the app with the user name and password you’ve created for them.

Which rights do app users have?

Admin users automatically have the right to access all PlentyONE functions without limitation. Think twice before you create admin accounts because they will also have the right to create, manage and edit other user accounts.
If you want to decide for yourself which functions and menus should be visible, we recommend that you create user accounts without activating one of the options Administrator or Only API user. Later on, you can use roles to assign the required rights to those user accounts.

3.2. Defining rights

Should your employees be able to see all the functions in the app or just a few? Maybe your cashiers should have access to the mobile POS system but not to the inventory management functions.

In PlentyONE, you can decide which menus and key figures should be visible for each user account.

Defining app rights:

  1. Open the menu Setup » Account management » Roles.
    → The overview opens.

  2. Click on Search () to search for roles.

  3. Open the desired role.

  4. Click on Rights.

  5. Go to the option plentymarkets App / PlentyONE POS.

  6. Activate the functions and key figures that the role should have access to in the app. Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 3.

  7. Save () the settings.

Table 3. Defining app rights
Setting Explanation

Visible functions

Which app functions should your employees see? Place check marks to specify which exact menus this user should see.

Incoming items

Should your employees be able to see and edit the purchase price when booking in items? Place check marks to grant the rights.
This area is not activated unless you’ve checked the Incoming items option under Visible functions.

POS functions

Which POS functions should your employees be able to use? Place check marks to specify the exact functions the back end user should work with.
This area is not activated unless you’ve checked the POS option under Visible functions.

Visible key figures

Which key performance indicators should your employees see? Place check marks to specify the exact data the user should be able to see.

3.3. Assigning an app PIN

Will several employees share one device? Constantly logging in and out can quickly waste a lot of time. In such situations, we recommend having employees use a PIN to switch from one account to another instead of having them log in and out with their user name and password. If all of your users have their own PIN, they can quickly switch to a different user account in the plentymarkets App.

Assigning an app PIN:

  1. Open the menu Setup » Account management » Accounts.

  2. Open a user account.

  3. Go to the Login data area.

  4. Enter an app PIN for the user. Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 4.

  5. Re-enter the app PIN.

  6. Save () the settings.

Table 4. Assigning an app PIN
Setting Explanation

App pin

You can enter a 4 to 12 digit PIN for employees who work with the plentymarkets App. If you save a PIN, it will be possible to quickly switch from one user account to another in the plentymarkets App. However, users can also log into the plentymarkets App with their password.
Tip: Once the PIN has been saved, this field will contain 4 dots. These dots show that an app PIN has been saved for the user account. The actual PIN might consist of more numbers.
When switching from one user account to another, it will be possible to select any user account that has a PIN. To remove the PIN, for example because the user no longer works with the app, delete the 4 dots and save the user account.

Repeat app PIN

Re-enter the PIN.

3.4. Simultaneous use

Your PlentyONE edition specifies how many users can log into PlentyONE at the same time. This limit applies to your PlentyONE back end and to the plentymarkets App.

You can do the following if you reach the user limit:

How many accounts can I create?

We only limit simultaneous use and not the number of user accounts you can create.

4. Logging in and finding your way around

4.1. Logging into the app

The plentymarkets App will only work if you’ve booked a PlentyONE ERP system. In other words, you’ll log in with the access data that you use for your PlentyONE system.

Logging into the app:

  1. Log into your mobile device.

  2. Tap on the plentymarkets App.
    → The login screen is displayed.

  3. Enter the login details for your PlentyONE system. Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 5.

  4. Tap Login.
    → The start screen is displayed.
    → You will remain logged in until you either log out or lock your user account. That means that you can open and close the app without having to log in again.

Table 5. Logging into the app
Setting Explanation

Language

Do you want to use the app in English or German? Select a language from the drop-down list.

PlentyID

Enter the PlentyID of your PlentyONE System.

Correct example: your-store.co.uk
Incorrect example: \\https://your-store.co.uk
Incorrect example: your-store.co.uk/

User

Which user account do you want to log in with? Enter the user name that you were initially given.

Password

Enter the password that you were initially given.

4.2. Finding your way around the app

Have you logged into the plentymarkets App? Welcome! The start screen is the first menu you’ll see. Take a look at the header. Here you’ll see two important symbols:

Have you opened the main menu? Look at the header again. Now you’ll see two additional symbols in the top right corner:

  • The cloud icon (). This symbol shows whether you’re currently using the app in online or offline mode. If you want to use the app in offline mode, then you’ll also need the plugin plentyBase ItemCachePOS.

  • The user icon (). This symbol shows who is currently logged in. Tap on this symbol to lock the screen, switch to a different user account or log out of the app altogether.
    This symbol displays the initials of whoever is currently logged in. It is whatever colour was chosen for this user account in the PlentyONE back end.

Re-load the menu

Swipe down to refresh the screen.

5. Logging out, locking the screen or switching the account

5.1. Logging out of the app

Proceed as follows to log out of the plentymarkets App.

Logging out of the app:

  1. Tap on the menu icon () in the top left corner of the app.

  2. Tap on Logout.
    → The Logout window is displayed.

  3. Decide whether you want to re-enter your access data the next time you log in. Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 6.

Table 6. Logging out of the app
Setting Explanation

Log current user back in automatically

Use the toggle button to tell PlentyONE whether you want to re-enter your access data the next time you log in.
Activated () = Next time the app is opened, the same user account is logged in automatically. No password is necessary to log in next time the app is started.
Deactivated () = The user account is logged out completely and the login details are discarded. To log in again, the language, PID and user details must be entered.
Note: This setting is saved and applies to all users of the app.
Alternative approach

Alternatively, tap on the user icon and then on the logout icon . Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 6.

5.2. Locking and unlocking the screen

If you need to step away from the app for a moment, but you don’t want to log out altogether, then lock the screen so that no one can use the app without permission.

Locking the screen:

  1. Tap on the menu icon () in the top left corner of the app.

  2. Tap on the user icon () in the top right corner.
    → You will see a list of users who have an app PIN.

  3. Tap on the lock icon () in the bottom left.
    → Access to the app is locked.
    → Your name is shown first in the list of users.

Unlocking the screen again:

  1. Tap your user account.

  2. Enter your PIN or your password.
    → Access to the app is unlocked.
    Tip: You can change to a different user account even if access to the app is locked. Tap a different user account in the list to change users.

5.3. Switching to a different user account

Are several employees sharing one device? Constantly logging in and out can quickly waste a lot of time. Instead of having users log out, it will be faster if they use a PIN to switch from one account to another.

Switching to a different user account:

  1. Tap on the menu icon () in the top left corner of the app.

  2. Tap on the user icon () in the top right corner.
    → You will see a list of users who have an app PIN.

  3. Tap on the desired user account.

  4. When users log into the app for the first time, they need to enter the password. From the second login, the PIN has to be entered.
    → The user account is switched.

Once you switch users, the same area of the app opens. If the new user does not have rights for this area of the app, the main menu of the app opens instead.

Order details are saved

If you switch user accounts while ringing up a customer, the newly logged in user will see the transaction that was started. This way, new users can finish the transaction that was started.

6. Customising the app

6.1. Working with templates

Do you want to control, e.g. which information is displayed first, second, third, etc and which font size is used to display information in the app?

You can create templates for several different app functions. For example, you can decide how your item and order data should be displayed in the app or what your mobile pick lists should look like.

6.1.1. Creating a new template

Creating a new template:

  1. Log into the PlentyONE back end.

  2. Go to Setup » plenty app.

  3. Click on whichever app function you want to create a template for.

  4. Click on New template ().
    → The New template window opens.

  5. Enter a name for the template.

  6. Save () the settings.
    → The template is created and opened for editing.

6.1.2. Filling the template with information

Scroll up and down through the newly created template. Do you see both of the headings? Each heading corresponds to a different view. For example, one area might control how information is displayed in a list of search results. And the other area might control the detailed view.

Filling the template with information:

  1. Expand the settings () for each piece of information that should appear on the template.

  2. Decide what this information should look like and where it should appear. Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 7.

  3. Save () the settings.

Table 7. Filling the template with information
Setting Explanation

Description

Enter a title for this piece of information. The title is displayed directly above the corresponding information. If you don’t enter any text into this field, then the information will be displayed without a title.
Example: If you expand the settings for the item ID and enter the title "My item ID", then the item ID 12345 will be displayed like this:

My item ID
12345

Line

Which row should the information be displayed in? Select a row number from the drop-down list. The smaller the number, the higher up this piece of information will be displayed.
Do not display = This piece of information will not be included in the template.

Row priority

Have you put several different pieces of information in the same Row? If so, then decide which one should be displayed first, second, third, etc.
In other words, first the Row option is taken into consideration. Then the Row priority option is considered.

Column

Should this information be displayed on the left, the right or should it take up the whole width of the screen?

Font

Font size

How small or large should the font be? Select a font size from the drop-down list.

Font style

How should the text be formatted? Click in the field and choose the desired formatting.
Additional options in the template

You’ll see additional options when you expand some pieces of information. For example, if you expand the item price, then you’ll be able to select the appropriate sales price from a drop-down list. Keep an eye out for the following additional options:

  • Item price » Price selection = Select the sales price from the drop-down list.

  • Barcode » Barcode selection = Select the barcode type from the drop-down list.

  • Item image » Image size = Select a size for displaying the item image.

6.2. Choosing a background image

Instead of using the default background, would you rather use a colour that matches your own corporate design? You can decide which image or colour is displayed.

Changing the background image:

  1. Tap on the menu icon () in the top left corner of the app.

  2. Tap on Settings.

  3. Tap on Appearance.

  4. Tap on a background image or a background colour.
    → The background will change.

  5. Tap on the check mark () to confirm the change.

7. Connecting the app to plentyBase

plentyBase is a tool that enables your local computer to communicate with PlentyONE. In other words, plentyBase establishes an interface that allows you to use the printers that are connected to the computer in the PlentyONE back end and/or the plentymarkets App.

For example, you need to connect the app to plentyBase if you want to:

Receipt printer does not require plentyBase

The receipt printer is connected to the plentymarkets App via the printer’s IP address. As such, you do not need plentyBase to operate the receipt printer. This means that you only need plentyBase if you want to use other printers with PlentyONE POS.

Connecting the app to plentyBase:

  1. Download the installation files for plentyBase onto your computer.

  2. Install plentyBase onto your computer. Carry out the settings as described in the plentyBase documentation.
    Tip: Since you want to connect plentyBase to the app, select the option HTTP server.
    Tip: Write down the HTTP port. You will need this information again shortly.

  3. Start plentyBase on your computer.

  4. Log into the plentymarkets App.

  5. Tap on the menu icon () in the top left corner of the app.

  6. Tap on Settings » plentyBase.

  7. Carry out the settings as described in the plentyBase documentation.

  8. Tap on the check mark () in the upper right corner to confirm the change.

8. Updating the app

Are you looking forward to an upcoming feature? We’re happy to keep you in the loop about changes to the software! Each version of the app gets its own version number. You can see a record of changes in our changelog. Subscribe to the changelog and always stay up to date.

9. Uninstalling the app

If your internet connection is down, POS orders are saved on your device and uploaded to PlentyONE once connection returns. If you uninstall the app on your device before all orders were uploaded to PlentyONE, the orders saved on your device are deleted permanently and cannot be recovered by you or the PlentyONE support team. As such, check that no offline orders exist on the device before you uninstall the app.

10. Troubleshooting

I can’t log into the app. What am I doing wrong?

Make sure that you’ve correctly entered the PlentyID for your PlentyONE system. Enter the domain without https:// or http://. If you don’t know the URL, log into your PlentyONE back end. Then, move the cursor over the shop symbol with your plentyID on the upper right. The URL is listed in the second line of the tooltip that is displayed.

Correct example: your-store.co.uk
Incorrect example: \\https://your-store.co.uk
Incorrect example: your-store.co.uk/

If the problem persists, ask the app team for help in the forum.

I incorrectly entered my password several times in a row. Now my account has been blocked. What should I do?

Find someone who has administrator rights to the PlentyONE system. This person will need to open the menu Setup » Settings » User » Accounts. Then he or she will open your user account and click on the button Unblock login in the header. If the problem persists, ask the app team for help in the forum.