Use the pixi Control Center application to manage your individual pixi system environment, depending on the user rights available to you.

The user interface of the pixi Control Center is divided into five tabs:

General
Tables
Database Settings
Auto Emails
Import and Export

General tab

View the credit card log and the generated polling files of your shipping vendors and search for failed transactions via the search function. You can use the tools to control processes, such as database and shop connections, as well as to check on the number and validity of your pixi licenses.

Credit cards

View credit card transactions in the Credit Cards section. Use the search and the status filter to display unsuccessful and successful credit card transactions. By double-clicking on the selected record, you can view detailed information about failed credit card transactions.

Credit card overview

This overview shows you all the credit card transactions that have ever been executed via your system. You can see whether the invoice has been successfully charged against the credit card or errors have occurred.

You can also use the Status column in conjunction with the symbol to identify in detail which transactions have failed.

Transactions where the symbol is displayed in the Paid column indicate a successful debit process of the credit card. If there were several failed attempts to change a credit card, the column Paid is showing a at first. Once the invoice has been successfully charged, the status of each transaction changes to in the Paid column.

However, up until the amount due is debited against the credit card various transactions are carried out - so-called Calls. The most important are:

Auth_Call: If the credit card authorization has failed and you have corrected the credit card data manually, you can use the "Reauthorize" button to authorize the credit card data again.
Capture_Call: This call is executed automatically at the Ship-ut of the invoice.
Refund_Call: This call is executed as soon as a credit card refund is carried out manually in pixi Customer Service> Customer Account tab.

Note: The wording of the calls may vary slightly for the individual credit card providers. In the case of iPayment, the Capture Call is called "iPayment_Capture_Call" for example.

Detailed view

In the detailed view, all transactions for an operation (invoice number) are displayed. Customer information, all Calls used for this invoice including parameters, the XML, which was sent to the credit card provider as a request and its confirmation as well as other error details are displayed.

Polling tables

Definition "Polling": Polling is a file communicating shipping information for the shipping vendor (including possible shipping extra charges).

In the Polling Tables overview, you see a list of all invoices waiting for polling. This means: All invoices which have not yet been sent, or where polling has failed.

Tools

Database connection You can restart your database connection here as well as view the point in time of the last reboots in the history.

Shop connection Here you can export your complete stock via pixi into the shop according to certain restrictions. Attention: Please contact the pixi Support to enable this feature.

The option "Update physical stock" allows you to force the complete recalculation of the stock in pixi before the stock export is carried out.

pixi license verification

Every time a user opens a pixi application, a connection to the ASTA server is established. The ASTA server accepts the connection, disconnects the users whose session has expired, and saves all user names who are currently logged in. The service then checks whether the number of users logged in at the same time matches the number of licenses.

The number of authorized users can be viewed here:

More users than licenses

If the number of logged-in users exceeds the number of purchased licenses, you will receive a message when you open a pixi application that all licenses are in use.

In this situation, the pixi license-check will display all users who are currently logged in after clicking on the "Display" button - including the blocked user. You'll find him at the top of the table. As long as no user logs out to release a license, surplus users are blocked by the system and can't work with pixi.

Sufficient licenses for all users

If the number of users does not exceed the number of licenses, the display of the pixi license check is empty and the footer of the display shows: Maximum number of users: 0.

Clear / reset inventory

Warning: You should avoid deleting stock and adjust it using put to stock and take from stock instead or with the following functionalities:
- Inventory program in pixi Mobile
- [Recommended] Bin Inventory program in pixi Mobile
- Change Quantity functionality in pixi Inventory desktop application

For example, you can reset your stock levels in preparation for an inventory.

Attention: For legal reasons this function can only be activated by pixi support. Please contact the support department under servicedesk@descartes.com.

Click on the "Select Bins" button and a new window will open.
In the selection menu, you can select either a single location or all locations. Once you have made the selection, click the View button to refresh the view.
Select the storage bins to be reset.
You can select individual storage locations by holding down the CTRL key and clicking with the mouse on the storage locations.
You can select several storage locations by holding down the Shift key and using the cursor keys (arrow up and arrow down) to select several storage locations or to select them with Shift and a mouse click.
After you have made your selection, click the OK button to reset it.

The storage bins are now reset and the stock level of the items included is automatically adjusted by the total amount of the items.

Tables tabs

This tab contains important configurations in the form of tables, e.g. bins and boxes.

Boxes

You can create boxes that are to be used for the SCAN-IN process. In addition, you can create new boxes using a wizard. Note that the physical number of the available boxes matches the number created in pixi.

Important settings

Box Nr: Enter the box number to be displayed in the pixi Shipping during Scan-In. Please note that Box Nr "0" cannot be used.
Location: Define the location for which the box is used.
Express Box: Use Express Boxes to send orders with set shipping date (delivery date).
Waiting for Send: Here you can see whether the respective box is empty (N) or is currently assigned (Y). This field is set automatically.
Ship Lock: In the column you can see, whether a box can't be used for the shipping process. The default setting is disabled (N).
Box Start and End Date: see Start and expiration dates of boxes
Hex Color Code: Enter the box color in this format #XXXXXX, e.g. #008000. This color is displayed in the Box screen in pixi Mobile programs Scan-In and Pick to Box. You can enter any HTML hex color code.

Credit card processor

Settings for credit card providers. Settings for this function can only be carried out by the pixi support.

Stock Movements

Stock movements describe and categorize all the changes in your inventory to improve the tracking of item movements. pixi already provides some systematic stock movement types to automatically record stock movements. You can also define additional stock movement types for putting in stock and retrieve from storage using the pixi Inventory application or pixi Mobile. The management of the individual stock movements is carried out in this table. Read more: Tracking stock movements

Bins

You can create bins for specific locations here. You can also create new storage locations using a wizard. Further Information: Configuration of storage bins in pixi

Important settings

Bin Name: In case of multiple locations, note to assign unique designations for the storage bins. Using a mobile data collection device (e.g. Picco), you can avoid incorrect stock movements into and from inventory.
- Using the database setting "Display Alternative Bin Names" (pixi Control Center > Database Settings > Mobile) you can define an alternative bin name using regular expressions as the actual naming of the bins in your warehouse is different to the ones set up in pixi.
  Example: The bin names configured in pixi Control Center follow the format "AB12345678" but what you want to see in pixi Mobile is "12-34-56-78". The regular expression you need to enter into the database setting is: "^\(?(AB)?([0-9]{8})$|||^(AB)(.{2})(.{2})(.{2})(.{2})$|||$2-$3-$4-$5".
Location: Specify the location of the storage bin. A change of location is only possible for empty bins.
Max Items: The value entered here is not considered. It is an outdated function that couldn't be removed because of compatibility.
Sort Nr: This is used to control the route (picking path) optimization for collective picking.
Warning: Use maximum 9 digits! Otherwise, bins with more digits might not be considered on picklist creation!
Bin Group: You can group storage bins in so-called storage groups. This can simplify the picking process in shipping - read: Picklist Generation

Note: Special characters should not be used when naming, as this can cause problems when creating pick lists.

Countries

The settings of this table are especially important for the import from the shop, the determination of the value-added tax rates for customer orders and the handing over to the shipping vendor.

Important settings

Group: To have several countries belonging to a particular country group, enter the same defining term for each country in this field. It is, for example, used as filter for the picklist.
Invoice Copies: The number entered in this option represents the number of invoices that are printed for this country after an invoice has been created in the pixi Invoices application. Not only invoices are printed several times but all documents that belong to the invoice printing, e.g. slip notes etc.

Suppliers

You can maintain your suppliers in pixi or import them from the shop with the items. The import default is:

Short
Supplier Name

This table is no longer available from pixi ELI/AVA. See also: Buying with pixi

Locations

This is where you manage your various locations where items are stored. These must be created by the pixi Support, as each new location is subject to a charge. Please also contact pixi Support in case of any changes.

We need following information to create new locations:

Allow Shipping (Yes / No)
Special location (Yes / No): If yes, then the stock is not adopted into the shop (e.g. POS)
Contact address data for reports

Settings

Location *: This is the identifier of a location. It can contain a maximum 3 characters.
Show Location: If this setting is activated, this location can be selected in other pixi applications. In the pixi customer service, for example, when selecting the location.
Calculate delivery date: Since often not all created locations are provided for the shipment of customer orders, you have the possibility to exclude the inventory and the supplier orders of certain locations from the calculation.
Default location: this is, among other things, important for the application of the correct VAT rates for customer orders (see VAT determination in customer orders), but is also used in other areas in pixi.
Location type: Define the location's type. You can choose between 3 options:
- Normal: Select this type, if it is a warehouse that is used for shipping items. Usually, stock from this location gets exported to connected channels.
- POS Location: identify a location that is used only for a retail store (POS). This setting is required especially for BBD and batch management.
- Returns Location: If you process returns with pixi Mobile, you can use this location type to put damaged items or items that need to be checked to bins of this location. If this type is selected, the location is automatically considered as a special stock location and stock is not exported.
Location Name: Name of the location which is shown in many other pixi applications.
Address data of the location for reports and templates for supplier orders, offers or invoices.
BoxNo: Here it's best to enter "99999". Other values, e.g. actual box numbers, can cause problems.
Allow Shipping *: You can allow shipping for specific locations. This option does not affect displaying stock quantity in pixi Customer Service.
Automatic invoice printing: You can deactivate automatic invoice printing for any location.
E-Mail Purchasing (Buying) Department: The email address specified here is used for the dispatch of supplier orders by email to the supplier within Buying of the corresponding pixi web application.
Special locations:
- The stock levels of items in a special location will only be displayed if the registration has been made at this location. If the registration is made at a location that is not a special location, the inventory of the special location is not included in the overall quantity. In this context, note the database setting "Show Stock for Current Location" (pixi Control Center > Database Settings > General)
- Stock levels of locations defined as special locations are not exported. Use the "Stock Export option" setting (pixi Control Center > Tables> Locations) to determine whether or not the inventory of a location is to be exported.
Stock Export option: Specify here whether the stock of this location should be exported.

* These fields are editable by pixi Support - all other fields can be edited by pixi Administrators.

Messaging Events

In this table you can define which pixi Messaging Events are activated for your database.

Events can only be (de)activated by users that have the pixi Administrator role assigned!

ID: Unique event ID
Name: Messaging event name
Enabled: Shows, whether the event is (de)activated
Last Execution: Shows, when the event was executed last time

You can find additional information about pixi Messaging as well as further information regarding the events in this article and its sub-articles: pixi Messaging

Shipping Vendors

This is where your various shipping vendors are managed, which are used to ship customer orders. These must be created and edited by the pixi Support, as a shipping service vendor license is subject to a charge.

Settings

Disabled: If you enable this option, the shipping vendor will not be displayed in Ship-Out > Change Shipping Vendor.
Vendor Code *: This is the identifier for the shipping vendor.
There are some special codes that are reserved for shipping vendors, e.g. DHL, DPD, UPS, DHD, SWP.
Codes you should not use: HER
Shipping Label *: Define, how the shipping label or polling should be created.
- Default Polling: A polling file gets created by pixi Shipping on Ship-Out of the invoice.
- Polling Template - Save as File: The template from "Polling Template" is used to create the polling file and can be used b a 3rd party software for further processing.
  See Enhanced Shipping Vendor Polling for more details.
- Polling Template - Send to Label Printer: The template from "Polling Template" is used and directly sent to a label printer defined in pixi. In this case no polling file gets created.
- Use External Polling: In order to get the shipping label from an external source as PDF for example, this option should be used.
- Amazon Seller Fulfilled Prime: See Amazon Seller Fulfilled Prime for more details.
- External Carrier Service: The shipping information is transmitted to a third party provider and the shipping label is finally printed there (e.g. Descartes ShipRush)
- No Polling / Label: no polling file or shipping label is created
Label Type *
Polling Template *: See Enhanced Shipping Vendor Polling for more details.
Polling file extension *: See Enhanced Shipping Vendor Polling for more details.
Main procedure *: See Enhanced Shipping Vendor Polling for more details.
Detail procedure 1 *: See Enhanced Shipping Vendor Polling for more details.
Detail procedure 2 *: See Enhanced Shipping Vendor Polling for more details.
Print return label: If “Print returns label” is enabled for a logistics provider, the ship-out process is only completed when the external provider of the shipping label also provides the URL of the return label. Both, the shipping label and the return label, are subsequently sent to the printer set in pixi.
Tracking and tracking URL: Settings for the processing of shipping vendor tracking IDs by pixi. If the "Tracking" option is deactivated, then shipping confirmation emails are created immediately after the ship-out. The database setting "Auto Emails - Hours for shipping confirmation" is ignored in this case.
Tracking ID folder: Currently, there is no functionality behind this option.
Scan-Out when creating Invoice:
- On: Ship-Out automatically processed when creating the invoice
- Off: the Ship-Out has to be done in pixi Shipping

Info: If the database setting "1-Scan-Shipping - Automatic Ship-Out" (pixi Control Center > Database Settings Tab > Folder Shipping) is deactivated, the Ship-Out when using 1-Scan-Shipping™ must also be processed via the Ship-Out tab in pixi Shipping. If the "1-Scan-Shipping - Automatic Ship-Out" setting is activated, the Ship-Out of 1-Scan-Shipping™ orders will happen automatically - even if "ScanOut when generating the invoice" is deactivated.

* These fields are editable by pixi Support - all other fields can be edited by pixi Administrators.

VAT Rates

Please pay attention to the delivery thresholds and the resulting changes when dealing with VAT. Settings for this function can only be carried out by the pixi Support. Please read: Prices, VAT & Co.

Shops

Your clients are managed here. Please contact pixi Support for the administration of your clients / shops, as these are subject to a charge. Please note that changes should not be made during business hours/operations.

Settings

Shop ID *: This is the identifier of a shop. It can contain maximum 3 characters.
Short Name *: This is a short version of name of the shop shown in several pixi applications.
Exchange Rate Source ID *: It defines where the exchanges rates are taken from. By default it is "1" which means the exchange rates are imported from the European Central Bank.
Currency ID *: This defines the shops currency and is used for recalculations from other currencies (e.g. order currency).
Options * for old e-mail functionality, such as Email Conf, Email HAL, EmailNLB, ...: These options should not be used anymore. They are still there for compatibility reasons.
Configuration of invoice numbers: length, leading zeros, year at the end, new beginning with turn of the year, date insertion, last character, invoice prefix.
VAT Country: This is the country where the shop is managed and which is decisive for determining the VAT rate for customer orders.
Settings for DTAUS and SEPA transactions: see DTAUS / SEPA transactions
ESR Id: ISR identification number for your account (used for Swiss QR invoices)

* These fields are editable by pixi Support - all other fields can be edited by pixi Administrators.

Package Types

This table contains all information regarding available package types. New types can be created and existing ones can be updated.
Package types can be specified as follows:

Code: Enter a code that uniquely identifies the package type. This code is also shown in pixi Shipping > Ship-Out.
Name: Enter a name for the package type. This name is also shown in pixi Shipping > Ship-Out.
Dimensions
- Length, Height, Width: Enter values for the packages dimensions.
- Dimensional Unit: Choose the unit for the above entered values. You can choose between inches and centimeters.
Weight
- Maximum Weight: Enter a value for the maximum weight of this package type.
- Weight Unit: Set the unit for the packages weight. Currently only kilogram can be used.
Disabled: Set the checkmark to disable the package type.
Position: With this option you can define the package types order in the dropdown list pixi Shipping > Ship-Out. Enter "1", if the type should be shown on top. If more than one types have the same value, they are alpabetically ordered by name.
System: In case a package type is predefined by pixi, then it is shown as a system package type.

Info: As barcodes for package types cannot be printed using pixi, you can for example use this barcode to print such barcodes: https://www.barcode-generator.de/V2/en/index.jsp

Payment Types

All available payment methods and their specific settings are managed here. You can create new payment types by yourself.

Special features of Payment codes for payment methods:

B: Used for the payment type "Cash". No polling file is created after the Scan-Out, regardless of the shipping vendor.
L: Used for the payment method Direct Debit. A DTAUS / SEPA file is created as soon as the invoice has been created.
N: Used for the payment type Surname. After Scan-Out of the shipment additional fields (for example Price) are transferred in the polling file.
K: Used for payment type Credit Card. The credit card is charged, if credit card transaction via pixi is activated.
"-": This payment code is reserved to show the return amount for pixi POS reports. If the invoice amount is 30 € and the customer paid 50 €, then 20 € is shown as return amount.
A and U: This payment codes can not be used in pixi POS.
“ , ” and blank space: These characters cause problems when creating picklists. Payment methods that use these characters in their payment code cannot be used for creation.

Settings

Code *: Single digit code, which must be allocated and stored for each payment type based on the database structure. Special features: L (direct debit) generates a DTAUS after invoicing; N (Surname) creates the specific surname polling file after Ship-Out.
Auto Address Lock *: Automatically sets a shipping lock for this order with the specific payment type during the scan-in.
Orderline Status: Determines which pixi status orders with this payment type are created after the import (for example, ANG - Accepted, HAL Hold).
XML Tag: This is the XML tag transferred by the shop to specify the payment type during the import process.
Important: Always set at least one semicolon before and after the tag, e.g. ";CASH;"
Auto Scan Out Invoice: Automatic Ship-Out of invoices
Auto Set Invoice Paid: If this setting is activated, invoices are automatically set to paid after the Ship-Out process (caution: only compatible with the pixi Centaurus version - 4.5x.x.x).
Auto order When On Hold: If this setting is activated, orders with the status HOLD in automatic order are taken into account in the pixi Buying.
Auto Reserve Stock: Activates the reservation for items that are contained in purchase orders for this payment type.
Reserve On Status Date: If this setting is activated, reservation only takes place at that point in time when order status is changed from status HAL to ANG (when the customer has paid).
Auto Reserve Statuses: When a specific order status is logged, there's always a reservation taking place.
HAL Cancel days: Determines the number of days from the import date for orders with the status HAL when an automatic cancellation is made by pixi.
CA Substract From open Orders When Refund: If this setting is active, this payment type is not taken into account in the reimbursement recommendation in the pixi customer account.
Seperate Orders In Boxes: By activating this setting, it is not possible to combine customer orders with this payment type in pixi.
CA Auto Create Payment: If this setting is activated, automatically generated payment events are assigned to the corresponding invoice in the customer account.
CA - Event ID for Auto Created Events: Select the event from the dropdown list which is to be used for the generation of an automatic payment.
Refund Event ID: The event ID which was selected will be used to create an event in pixi Customer Account and matched to the corresponding credit if a return was created with this payment type and credited using the refund option "Don't create SEPA transaction" in pixi Web.
CA Do Not Allow Ship Out: If no payment is assigned to the customer order or invoice, the Ship-Out displays a message that it can't be carried out.
Match To Invoices: If this setting is activated, the payment type is available in the invoice filter of the pixi Payments application.
Match To Orders: If this setting is activated, orders using this payment type in status HAL are available for the payment assignment to the order in the pixi Payments application.
Update Address From Bank Line: Banking data of orders assigned via the payment application are displayed in pixi as follows:
- For pre-paid orders: Customer Service > Orders > Payment Data
- For orders on account: Customer service > Invoices > Payment Data
- For returns: Customer service > Returns Wizard.
DATEV Account POS: When value is entered there, it is used as DATEV account for payments of the concerning payment type when exporting POS data. If no value is entered, value of setting "Default Account Number for POS Payments" in pixi Control Center > Database Settings > Payments > DATEV Export > Other defaults is taken.
Autom. reservation after X days: The setting defines how many days after the order date, reservation for the order with this payment type will be automatically created overnight.

* These fields are editable by pixi Support - all other fields can be edited by pixi Administrators.

Database Settings tab

Here you can view all the database settings, amend them yourself, and have settings set by the pixi support.

Search for database settings

You can search for the title of the database name (for example, POSAllowOrdBckp) or the description of the setting (German or English).

Type a search term into the search box.
Click the Search button or press the Enter key.
The search results are grouped and displayed by folders where the respective setting is located.
You have the option to change the settings directly in this view. Please note, that settings can't be set correctly by drop-down menu in the results view (drop-down menu is possibly empty). To do this, first go to the corresponding folder of the setting, if you want to change it.

You have the option to deny the pixi support access to your database. If this function is active, no updates will be applied and the scope of support is limited.

Block pixi support

Open the pixi Control Center and go to the "Database Settings" tab and click on "General". Under "General" you will find the corresponding setting "Block pixi Support". If you enable it, the pixi support will no longer have access to your database.

Auto e-mails tab

In the Auto e-mail tab you can manage the emails sent via pixi.

Import and Export tab

User Documentation Imports 2.0