Article

DataWorks releases SmartSpoke POS interface

by Linda Rosencrance
Contributing Writer, MSDW

DataWorks, developer of NeXT inventory control software, has launched SmartSpoke, its fourth-generation point-of-sale interface system.

Building on traditional hub and spoke design, SmartSpoke adds a new communication layer. The SmartSpoke interface offers full customer database integration, which enables any NeXT enterprise system user to do localized and global marketing as well as global customer management.

"Our headquarters' software, NeXT, provides centralized control for multi-store retailers. NeXT prepares batches of encrypted inventory and price changes that sit behind a secure FTPS server waiting to be picked up by SmartSpoke," said Mark Cecil, DataWorks CEO, in a statement.

Cecil said NeXT prowls around its local system to determine if any SmartSpoke system has pushed new sales or customer information up from the field. Because SmartSpoke switches the POS communication layer from passive to active, it eliminates the need for a communication listener on the POS side, he said.

Besides making communication easier, SmartSpoke guarantees POS security. Because it's PCI compliant, SmartSpoke removes the risk from hacking, according to the company.

The company is shipping SmartSpoke integrated to the Microsoft Dynamics RMS first, and then it will offer full integration to the MICROS 9700 point-of-sale system, according to Cecil.

"Microsoft RMS is a great stand-alone POS for traditional retail environments. With the interface to NeXT, it now allows enterprise retailers to leverage our centralized back office with their local POS. We extended the RMS ability to control and aggregate information among multiple locations," said Cecil.

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About Linda Rosencrance

Linda Rosencrance is a freelance writer/editor in the Boston area. Rosencrance has over 25 years experience as an reporter/investigative reporter, writing for many newspapers in the metropolitan Boston area. Rosencrance has been writing about information technology for the past 16 years.

She has covered a variety of IT subjects, including Microsoft Dynamics, mobile security issues such as data loss prevention, network management, secure mobile app development, privacy, cloud computing, BI, big data, analytics, HR, CRM, ERP, and enterprise IT.

Rosencrance is the author of six true crime books for Kensington Publishing Corp.

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