The Sandbox test Environment is a standard module available for all customers starting in version 2.55.0007. This new feature of FocalPoint allows for the creation of a copy of the current live FocalPoint system for use in a testing or evaluation setting without having to worry about affecting current live information.
Possible uses of a Sandbox system include:
•Training new employees where they can enter contracts without affecting inventory or financial's
•Evaluating a new module or one that has not been used before
•Testing new procedures or settings such as changing from cash based accounting to accrual
Create Sandbox
Clicking this button will make a copy of the current FocalPoint system for use in a test or evaluation environment. Please note: this may take several minutes as a complete copy of the FocalPoint desktop system is being created. When the Sandbox system has been successfully created a message is displayed to the user.
Reset Sandbox
Occasionally the Sandbox may need to be reset to clear test transactions and return to the system options from the live system. Or it may need to be removed for disk space considerations on the server. These are both accomplished in the Server Manager. To reset the Sandbox, select the Reset Sandbox button from the Database tab in Server Manager. Note that this button is not available unless a sandbox was previously created.
As is the case with creating a sandbox, the reset will take several minutes and will notify the user once it has been completed.
Remove Sandbox
To remove the Sandbox from the server, select the Remove Sandbox button from the Database tab in Server Manager. As was the case with the resetting of the Sandbox this button is not available unless a Sandbox was previously created. A message will be displayed when the Sandbox system has been successfully removed and another can then be created at any time it is needed.
The use Sandbox Environment simply start the FocalPoint Desktop application and note that on the Login screen there is now a new option to use the Sandbox. Note: this option will not be visible until a Sandbox system has been created from the Server Manager.
Sign in using the normal user and password for FocalPoint. Upon signing into the sandbox system users will notice immediately that the background has been changed to provide a bold visual cue that they are in the Sandbox system and not their live system.
At this point the Sandbox system can be used in any manner desired without worry of affecting the live system. If it is to be used as a training environment for new employees their users and terminals can be defined in this system and any transactions made will not affect the live system. If the system is to be used for evaluating new modules or settings in the Store Manager these can simply be switched on or off in the store manager When a Sandbox Environment of FocalPoint several areas of the current database are changed to ensure that nobody using the Sandbox system can inadvertently make a mistake that will adversely affect the store’s customers. For example, the email settings in the Store Manager file have all been cleared so that customers cannot be emailed an order that was created for their account in the Sandbox system. In addition, every document printed, previewed, etc. in the Sandbox system will have a watermark to indicate it is not from the live system.
Several financial areas of the Sandbox system contain software changes to prevent it from being used for financial purposes. For example, the revenue export will prompt the user that they are performing a revenue export from the Sandbox and the export itself has had several columns purposefully added to it so that it would not be allowed to be imported into QuickBooks.
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