This article goes over how to create a remote station. Remote stations are useful for a variety of reasons, from syncing data between multiple stores, performing inventory off-site, or working on a laptop.
Before setting up a remote station, please carefully review Remote Operation: Operator’s Guide. The guide goes over common terms, scenarios, and questions to make the process as smooth as possible. When you’re ready, come back to this article to learn how to set up a remote station.
In order to use Remote Operation, you must own the Deluxe Package. Contact sales@certek.com to purchase. Then, make sure “Remote Operations” is turned on in your “Optional Features.”
Note: Please build remote nodes on the main station at your store.
There are two different scenarios you might find yourself in when working with remote operation. Please follow the steps in this article based on the scenario that applies to you.
- You’re adding a brand new computer as a remote station. In this scenario, this computer has never used Artisan before. For example, a laptop you just purchased from a store, which will operate as a remote station. Click here to follow the instructions.
- Converting an already existing station to a remote station. You’ve used Artisan on this computer before, and are now converting it to a remote station. Click here to follow the instructions.
Adding New Station as a Remote Operation
1. Install Artisan and launch the program.
2. You’ll need a key from CerTek. To get this key, you’ll need to provide CerTek with some information–your hardware ID on the new station. Click on “Help,” and “About Artisan POS Software.”
This will automatically copy a code to your clipboard. Paste that code into an email and send it to the CerTek Staff.
The staff will send you a key. Keep this for a future step.
3. On the welcome screen, click on “Use Real Data.”
Select “Connect to Existing Company Data.”
Write down the sever name, port number, and database name. You will need this information later. Close Artisan.
4. On the desktop on your main computer, right-click on your Artisan icon. At the end of the “Target” field, press the space bar on your keyboard and type “-machine “newremote” (where “newremote” is the name of your new remote station) in the following example.
Click “Apply” and “OK.”
5. Open Artisan on your main computer. Click on “Start Real Data.”
Select “Connect to Existing Company Data.”
The screen will default to something like this:
Input the port number, database number, and database name that you wrote down from earlier.
Click “Continue.”
You’ll see the following screen. Press “Enter.” This will assign the next number in line (for example, if there are already three stations, this will become station number four).
Write the station number down, as you’ll need this information later. You can find this information later when you login at the left side of the screen right underneath the login button.
Select “Office Computer” as the Device Profile and “No Credit Cards” as the Payment Processing Profile. Leave the last two options as default. Press “OK.”
Enter the license key from CerTek by going to “Help,” and “Enter License Keys.”
Enter the key. Save the record.
It will appear as an access key in the “Features Licensed” section.
Next, follow the “Building Remote Node” steps.
Converting Existing Station to a Remote Station
1. Write down the station number of the station you’re trying to convert (ex. 001-02).
2. Close Artisan on the station you’re converting to remote.
3. On the main computer, build the remote node (follow the next steps).
Building Remote Node
- “Main Menu” and click on “Tools.” Select “Remote Operation.”
2. Turn Remote Operation on.
Artisan will confirm this.
You’ll see that remote connection is now turned on.
4. Remember that the remote node must be created on the main computer at your local site/store. (From “Tools,” on the “Main Menu,” click on “Remote Operation.” Then click on “Create Remote Node“).
Select “Yes.”
Select the station number that corresponds to your remote station (look at the left side of the screen under the log in button to find this info). If this is a new station, this should be the same as the station number you wrote down in previous steps.
Press “OK.”
This process may take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on the size of your data. Please keep this in mind, as you will not be able to use this computer until this is complete.
The default location of the Remote Node is Documents\Artisan\Remotes.
Data saved here will be roughly double the size of a normal backup. For example, if a normal backup is 2GB, remote data is 4GB.
5. Locate that remote data and transport it to the station you are turning into a remote. You can transport this data via a flash drive or DropBox, for example.
6. While the data is being transferred, you’ll need to download PostgreSQL on the remote station. Click here to download PostgreSQL. The program will ask for a password, supplied by CerTek. CerTek will supply additional files if needed, depending on the version of PostgreSQL you are on. Write down the PostgreSQL port number and remember the password CerTek gives you, as you’ll need this information later.
Refer to an optional instruction at the end of the article.
7. Once the remote node data is transferred and PostgreSQL has finished installing, launch Artisan on the remote station.
On the “Welcome Screen,” select “Restore Data From a Backup.”
8. Enter the Database Server Name, Database Server Port Number, and Database Name. The port number is the port number you wrote down earlier in step number 6. Click on “Set Up Server.”
Enter the password provided by CerTek and the port number you wrote down. Leave the other fields (admin user name and server) alone.
A confirmation message will appear.
Click “Continue” and select the data you brought over from a flash drive or DropBox. Wait until the data has finished restoring. This may take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on the size of your data. You’ll see the main Artisan screen when it is finished.
9. Next, enter “Artisan Task Manager” into your computer’s search bar and launch the program.
Click on “Task” and “New.”
Name the Task “Remote 00X-0X” with “X” being the station/site number.
Change the “Task Type” to “Remote_Operation.”
You must do this for the “Artisan Task Manager” on both the main computer and the remote station. Press “Save.”
For the main computer: The database server port number and name must match the information used on your store’s local version of PostgreSQL.
For the remote station: The database server port number and name must match the information used on the remote version of PostgreSQL.
Press “Save” and “Run” for both task managers.
10. Next, create a “Customer Record” in Artisan on the local/main computer. Input “Test” as the first and last name. Save the record.
11. Make sure both task managers are still running. You might need to wait around 15 minutes for the Task Manager to cycle.
Look at both the remote station and the main computer to see that the test record was passed between them.
12. On the remote station, search for “Artisan Task Manager” in the Windows startup.
Right-click and select “Open File Location.”
Right-click on the “Artisan Task Manager” and send it to the desktop.
This will create a shortcut on your desktop.
13. Next, right-click on that shortcut and select “Properties.”
At the end of the “target” field, press the space bar on your keyboard and type two dashes, then in quotes, type the name of the remote task you made in the Artisan task manager.
For example, the end of the target field here…
Matches the name of the task in our task manager for the remote station:
14. For the final step, click on the Windows button and search “Run.”
Type shell:startup
Copy and paste the task manager shortcut we created into this folder. Close the folder.
Now, whenever the computer restarts, the Task Manager will run automatically. This is very important, as remote operation will NOT work without running the Artisan Task Manager. Please check on the Artisan Task Manager daily to ensure it is running without errors.
Repeat steps 12-14 on the main computer.
Optional Step
If you come across errors after step number eight, contact CerTek support. We will provide you with a special file (pg_hba.conf). You will need to copy and paste this file into the appropriate PostgreSQL folder:
Program Files – > PostgreSQL – > Select your version number (ex. 12) – > data.
Windows will ask you to “copy” and “replace” the file. Close the folder and head back to step number eight to set up the server.