Overview

Book4Time consumes the Yellow Dog API for a 2-way integration.  This integration allows Book4Time to receive new or changed items from as well as post sales transactions to the Yellow Dog Inventory system.

Download the Book4Time Setup Guide here.

Sync Approach

Book4Time pulls new items and item edits from Yellow Dog and pushes transaction data to Yellow Dog.

The Integration consists of two elements:

  • Book 4 Time’s processes to pull items and post sales.

  • Yellow Dog’s Process Sales Application to process transactions provided by Book 4 Time in order to depelete inventory

Sync Frequency 

The push and pull of data is broken up into two separate Book4Time services run on a user defined schedule. Book4Time can also train the end user to run the sync manually.

Yellow Dog’s Process Sales Application will be scheduled to run hourly by default.

Requirements

POS Partner

Book4Time is responsible for controlling and scheduling the integration.

Book4Time must provide the following interface details:

  • Class

  • SubClass

  • SKU Type

  • Brand

  • Department

NOTE: Multiple instances (accounts) of Book4Time can be configured against the same Yellow Dog database, but Book4Time/the Client must ensure that all Book4Time instances have the same interface codes set up for the above types.

Yellow Dog

The minimum version of Yellow Dog Inventory must be v362 or higher and must be hosted by Yellow Dog.

Yellow Dog will provide API Username, password and Client ID.

Yellow Dog Implementation Guide will need to set up and schedule the Process Sales Application.

Responsibilities

Client

The client is responsible for configuring required Item Interfaces in Yellow Dog.

Data Exchange and Mapping

Sales Data

Book4Time controls the push of all data transmission via Yellow Dog’s API. 

  1. If transaction are not posted for any reason, Book4Time allows the end user to initiate a push of the missing transactions.

  2. Voids are not sent to Yellow Dog. Only returns.

  3. If there are multiple stores, the interface settings must be the same for each store.

Below are the corresponding data fields. 

Book4Time Field NameYellow Dog Field
Data TypeVendors (Vendor Maintenance)
Vendor NameVendor Description
Vendor NotesVendor Notes
Account NumberVendor Code
Data TypeProducts - Product Profile tab (Product Maintenance)
ClassGeneric Level A
SubClassGeneric Level B
Active SKUThis Item is Active
SKU TypeGeneric Code B
SKU NamePOSDescription 1
Extended DescriptionLong Description
SKU#SKU
Retail PriceDefault Retail
Unit CostDefault Vendor Price
BrandGeneric Code A
DepartmentGeneric Level C
Data TypeProducts - Location Default tab (Product Maintenance)
StockStore Available
Available at POSGeneric Code B
Current on HandStore on Hand
Data TypeProducts - UPC Codes tab (Product Maintenance)
UPC NumberUPCs
Data TypeVProducts - Product SKUs tab (Product Maintenance)
Vendor SKUVendor SKU
VendorVendor Code

Additional Information

Limitations

  1. There is a limit of 20 characters (alphanumeric) for the SKU.

  2. There is a limit of 30 characters (alphanumeric) for the UPC.

  3. SKU basically refers to the ItemID. The actual ItemID in Book4Time is similar to to the same in YDI.

  4. The transaction portion of the sync only pulls the last 24 hours or transactions.

  5. If transaction are not posted for any reason, Book4Time allows the end user to initiate a push of the missing transactions.

  6. Voids are not sent to Yellow Dog. Only returns.

  7. If there are multiple stores, you must use the same interface settings as Book4Time only respects one set of interface codes for an item.

  8. If multiple instances of Book4Time are configured against the same Yellow Dog database, all Book4Time instances must have the same interface codes. (12/2/24)

 Other Notes