Transaction lookup is slow or unsuccessful

When looking up sales transaction data to process for a return transaction or when performing any transaction search in Back Office mode, the POS application appears unresponsive, is delayed in retrieving the specified data, or fails in retrieving the specified data.

Use the following information to determine the problem’s possible cause and solution.

Slow transaction lookup during returns

Possible causes

This event may occur due to any of the following factors:

As the volume of data in the database increases, the POS application’s attempts to retrieve specific data from the server becomes delayed and less efficient.

Solution

NCR recommends establishing and applying a data management system based on store policy. This database maintenance method significantly decreases data volume in the database server as it helps retailers recognize which data to retain and remove. An effective data management system helps retailers determine the following:

  • which data is necessary to process ongoing and future store transactions, and thus should be retained within a specific period of time until rendered unusable.
  • which data is no longer usable for ongoing and future store transactions, and thus should be archived or stored in another database system.

As indexes become fragmented, data retrieval becomes less efficient and the server’s performance speed is reduced.

Solution

Depending on the degree of fragmentation, NCR recommends the following to reduce fragmentation in an index:

  • Re-organizing indexes
  • Rebuilding indexes

For more information, refer to SQL Server Configuration.

Slow or unsuccessful transaction search in Back Office mode

Possible cause

This event may occur due to the following factor:

The time period pre-configured for the transaction search process between the Web Server and a POS terminal is a maximum limit of 30 seconds. If the data retrieval process is not completed within this time period, the POS terminal displays an error message that the transaction search has failed.

Solution

Increase the maximum timeout period for the data retrieval process between the Web Server and the POS terminal. This solution requires modifying specific definition tags in the following files.

Definition tagFile nameFile locationDirectory
Transaction Search channel timeout valueCommunicationManager.xmlPOS terminal%PROGRAMFILES%\NCR\AdvancedStore\POS
TransactionSearch timeout valueweb.configWeb Server machineC:\inetpub\wwwroot\NCRRetailOne
Important

The definition tags must be modified in the order specified in the table above. The timeout value of each definition tag must be at least one second less than the timeout value of the preceding tag. NCR recommends using the following sample setting as a basis for the timeout values configuration:

  • Set the Transaction Search channel timeout value to 40 seconds.
  • Set the TransactionSearch timeout value to 39 seconds.

Follow these steps on each component and in the following order:

Follow these steps:

  1. Open the CommunicationManager.xml file using a text editor.
  2. In the <Messages> section, configure the channelTimeout value of the following Transaction Search definition tags as preferred.
  3. Save the changes.

Follow these steps:

  1. Open the web.config file using a text editor.
  2. In the <appSettings> section, add the TransactionSearch line with the preferred timeout value in seconds:

    <add key="TransactionSearch" value="39"></add>

    Note

    This example specifies 39 seconds as the TransactionSearch value. Configure the value as preferred.

  3. Save the changes.