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How Does the Integration Stay in Sync?

Questions

How does Modern Retail's Integration system work to keep things in sync? Is the site plugin talking to Modern Retail or Counterpoint directly? Does MR poll the Counterpoint system and keep its local database updated and then push data to the ecommerce platform on a schedule? And when Modern Retail creates a product in the ecommerce platform, is it doing so by connecting to the standard API, or does the Modern Retail plugin handle it?

Answers

  • How does Modern Retail's Integration system work to keep things in sync?
    • In a nutshell, Counterpoint is the point of sale system and all products are typically entered into that system first (most POS systems like to be the "master" of inventory). The retailer (that's you) selects which products they want to sell online, and our integration adds those products to the ecommerce platform; depending on which platform, they're added as "draft" products. In WooCommerce, they can be edited in pretty much any way you want, and you can change the product name, description, categories, add images etc. The only fields you do not want to touch in WooCommerce are Inventory, Price (and Sale Price) and the SKU. The SKU stores what we call the Integration ID, which connects everything together of course.
  • Is the site plugin talking to MR or CP directly?
    • Our Counterpoint integrator is a self updating app that operates on the Counterpoint side, and we utilize a WooCommerce extension on the WooCommerce side. 
  • Does Modern Retail poll the Counterpoint system and keep its local database updated, and then push data to the ecommerce platform on a schedule?
    • Yes! This schedule can be altered to fit the needs of the business as well.
  • When Modern Retail creates a product in the ecommerce platform, is it doing so by connecting to the standard API, or does the Modern Retail plugin handle it?
    • Products are created using the extension, or "plugin" for most ecommerce platforms.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us with a support request from the Modern Retail Admin Panel.