Bistrack POS Import

What is this?

Bistrack is the most feature-rich POS import in Margin Master, supporting five different import variants to accommodate different store configurations. It can import from comma-delimited files or connect directly to a live Bistrack SQL Server database.

Walk through it in the app: guide 4006 — Importing your BisTrack data. Margin Master can walk you through these steps live: turn on Training / Guide Mode from the Help menu, then type 4006 into the Lessons & Guides box — or ask Margin Master support to run it with you.

Import File Format

Standard Variant (37 fields)

DIB6828 Variant (16 fields)

A reduced format without Location, PrimeVendor, AVendor, ProductGroup, or competitor fields:

DirectConnect Variant

Instead of importing a file, DirectConnect queries your live Bistrack SQL Server database directly:

• Reads from Product, Stock, and SupplierProduct tables
• Only exports items flagged with udfExportToMarginMaster = 1
• Uses cursor-based pricing calculations for accurate cost data
• Performs batch inserts using bulk operations

How Import Works

File-Based Import (Standard, DIB1040, DIB6828, MAP1)

Bistrack file imports run in two phases:

1. Preload phase — Margin Master reads all import files and loads the raw data into a preload table in one pass. This step handles all files together (cross-file batching), so multi-file imports are processed efficiently regardless of the number of stores.
2. Build phase — The preloaded data is used to build the final per-store tables. Because the preload is already done, this step does not re-read any files.

The progress bar reflects both phases, so you see accurate progress across the full import rather than restarting at 0% per file.

DirectConnect Import

1. Open Store Manager... - POS/vendor store matchup.

2. Use Bistrack Direct Connect? - switch from file import to the live database.

3. Connection String for the Bistrack SQL Server.

4. Test Connection.

5. Restore from Cloud...

6. Margin Master connects to your Bistrack SQL Server using the connection string configured in Options.

7. It queries the Product, Stock, and SupplierProduct tables, filtering for items flagged for export.

8. Pricing is calculated using cursor-based logic within the Bistrack database.

9. Results are bulk-inserted into the local database using Z.BulkOperations.

Field Mapping

Pricing a Purchase Order

You can price just the items on one open purchase order. Export the PO from Bistrack in the same layout as your normal catalog export and name the file PO followed by the purchase order number - for example PO1015900.csv.

Put the file wherever your other Bistrack exports go: your Import Path (Tools > Options > Miscellaneous), a yard folder under your Network Import Root, or a sub-folder of the Import Path. Purchase order files are the one exception to the current-folder-only rule - Margin Master looks in sub-folders for them.

Then choose Data > Get POS Data as usual. Margin Master reports what it did with each PO.

What happens to a purchase order file:

To price the order, pick its number from the PO Number selection box, then price and export as you normally would.

The PO Number tag clears itself. Once Bistrack exports one of those items in a normal catalog export, the item comes back untagged. Price a purchase order before the yard's next export, or re-apply the PO file.

The purchase order file is not renamed .BAK after it is used, so it is re-applied on every import while the order is open. Delete it once the order is closed.

A purchase order for a yard you have never imported cannot be tagged - there are no items to tag. Import that yard's catalog file first, then run the import again.

Troubleshooting

Every import failure shows one error dialog; the log under File > Utilities > Show Log Files has the detail to send to support.

Tips

If you are unsure which Bistrack variant to use, start with the Standard variant. Your Bistrack administrator can confirm which export format your system produces.

For DirectConnect, make sure the udfExportToMarginMaster flag is set to 1 on the items you want to analyze in Margin Master. Items without this flag are skipped.

The DIB6828 variant is a simplified format with fewer fields. Use it if your export does not include location, vendor, or competitor data.

Configure Bistrack settings in Options > Bistrack tab, including the connection string for DirectConnect mode.

Common Questions

Q: Which Bistrack variant should I use? A: Your store's Bistrack export format determines the variant. If you have a 37-column CSV with competitor prices, use Standard. If you have a 16-column file, use DIB6828. Your Bistrack administrator or Margin Master support can help identify the correct variant.

Q: What is DirectConnect and when should I use it? A: DirectConnect queries your Bistrack SQL Server in real time instead of importing a file. Use it if you want the most current data without manually exporting files. It requires network access to your Bistrack database and the UseDirectConnect toggle enabled in Options.

Q: My DirectConnect import is very slow. Is that normal? A: DirectConnect uses cursor-based pricing calculations, which can be slower for large catalogs. The bulk insert step is fast, but the pricing query depends on your Bistrack database size and server performance.

Q: File-based imports seem faster than they used to be. Why? A: A performance rewrite in mid-2026 eliminated an N² processing loop that previously processed each store against every import file independently. The new pipeline preloads all files first, then builds all stores in one pass — significantly faster for multi-store setups.

Q: What does the RetailUnits field do? A: In the Standard variant, RetailUnits (field 15) is read from the file but ignored during import. It is not mapped to any Margin Master column.