Sage 100

A couple years ago we investigated getting a customer with POS locations on to a PIN/Chip Debit and Credit Card machine for SPS, the IPP320 (widely used here in Canada), but their remote locations use a terminal server and no matter what we did the swipe device didn't work through remote desktop. Sage tried to get it working too, with similar results. Now the customer is asking about this again (complaining about how poor it look for their customers to see them typing in CC information via remote desktop), and since I think the US is rolling out PIN / Chip, perhaps someone else has run into this problem? Any solutions?

I haven't of any chip solutions that work with Sage, but I am all ears as well. I have a client using a swipe reader via TS (Server hosted by I-BN, @GaryFeldman ) and it was working the last I heard. They have to do a couple extra steps every morning because Sage doesn't play well with Citrix (this may be fixed now). I am assuming you are using Sage 100 as the POS.

Could you create a vpn ONLY for the credit card machine?

They are using a modified stock Sage 100 screen (eg. with UDF / UDS for calculating change for cash sales...). Doug, I don't know how that would work? Sage 100 over a slow connection is unworkable, and apparently the IPP320 (back then) needed to be on the same machine as the software using it.

If the IPP320 has to be on the same machine as Sage 100 then it would be doable if there is guaranteed bandwidth, but may be cost prohibitive.

Regarding the IPP320 same machine requirement. Could you have a vpn connection and use TS at the same time on the same computer?

The Remote Desktop TS connection used to run Sage 100 and the vpn for the IPP320 communication.

IPP320 is a USB device connected to the POS computer, and it isn't recognized in the terminal session, nor is it a network device that can connect to the server over the vpn by itself. They tried running Sage over a vpn previously, and had to switch to the terminal server because it was just too slow. Sage is restarting testing with SED 2.0, so... *fingers crossed*

You could initiate a Skype session with SPS customer service and use sign language to communicate the CC info.

They could have a copy of Sage SO AR and IM, etc installed locally transmit the data entry files to the server periodically. Not sure about licensing.

Even more fun is (IIRC) the software used as a bridge between the hardware and SPS is made by a third party, so the hardware manufacturer was a brick wall.

I have a client using a device from DIGI called AnywhereUSB https://www.digi.com/products/usb-and-serial-connectivity/usb-over-ip-hubs/anywhereusb to remotely connect a package scale to their terminal server so they can weigh packages in Starship. Maybe something like that will work?

Thanks Greg, that looks promising! When we installed the device drivers on the server, there was no device to connect with... the remote USB software seems to be designed for exactly that type of connection.