- Prerequisites
- Firewall and Network Requirements
- Microsoft Edge Download Block
- SQL Server Authentication Setup for IT Administrators
- Antivirus and Endpoint Security Exclusions
- SQL Server Tools
- Install or Upgrade SQL Server Express
- Install or Upgrade SQL Server Management Studio
- Database Connection Setup
- Database Creation
- Database Restore
- Transfer Settings from Database
- Connecting a Second Computer
- A Tour of the Main Window
- The Menus
- The Button Row
- The Main Data Grid
- The Summary Section
- Banners and Badges
- The Options Window
- Store Configuration
- Miscellaneous
- Export Options
- Vendor Settings
- POS / Connections Tabs
- Background Service
- AI Assistant (Experimental)
- How POS Import Works
- Supported Point-of-Sale Systems
- Data Import Workflows
- RockSolid POS Import
- Epicor Eagle FTP Import
- Epicor MySQL Compass Import
- Transact POS Import
- Paladin POS Import
- Falcon POS Import
- Spruce POS Import
- Bistrack POS Import
- RockSolid Max POS Import
- ECS POS Import
- Prosperity POS Import
- Catalyst POS Import
- Westlake POS Import
- MI9 POS Import
- AS/400 POS Import
- CounterWorks POS Import
- Dimension POS Import
- PacSoft POS Import
- ProStix POS Import
- Sympac POS Import
- Propello POS Import
- EagleVision POS Import
- MySQL/Compass Connection Configuration
- ECI VPN Requirement (Spruce, RockSolid MAX)
- Propello POS Integration Guide
- Troubleshooting: Epicor Import Brought In 0 SKUs
- PACE POS Import
- Advantage POS Import
- General Store POS Import
- J-3 POS Import
- KeyStroke POS Import
- AutBusSystem POS Import
- Tomax POS Import
- Enterprise POS Import
- Computakey POS Import
- Redisell POS Import
- DART POS Import
- MIB POS Import
- Substruct POS Import
- DMAS POS Import
- RODS POS Import
- Procom POS Import
- Agility POS Import
- Acumen POS Import
- Cruise POS Import
- LSandE POS Import
- Retalix POS Import
- DIBCorp POS Import
- GMROI POS Import
- ECi Advantage POS Import
- Sunray POS Import
- ActivantAutomotive POS Import
- IBS POS Import
- Versys POS Import
- RMS POS Import
- TAMS POS Import
- Integrasoft POS Import
- Dynamic POS Import
- Microsoft ARS POS Import
- CDS POS Import
- Spartan POS Import
- Nitterhouse POS Import
- Jeds POS Import
- Theisens POS Import
- Emery Jensen POS Import
- SMS Pro POS Import
- Burdens POS Import
- Intact POS Import
- Bloom Retail POS Import
- NCR Counterpoint POS Import
- Horizon POS Import
- Cloud Vendor Data Sync
- Data Aging and Freshness Warnings
- Resetting Vendor and POS Data
- Rebuild Data and Rebuild Selection Lists
- Troubleshooting Vendor Sync
- Understanding the Strategy Hierarchy
- Pricing Strategies
- Creating a Strategy Step
- Updating and Deleting Steps
- Reviewing a Strategy and Running It
- Shared (Premade) Strategies
- SKU-Level Exceptions
- Manage Custom Groups
- Strategy Execution Cloud Tracking
- Ace Hardware MAP & IMAP Pricing
- Ace Critical Retail Pricing
- True Value Price Levels
- True Value Store Assessment
- Importing from Excel
- Cost Break Analysis
- Cost Break Strategies
- Min/Max Strategies
- Strategy Backup & Restore
- Add Items from Catalog
- Store Grouping
On This Page
MI9 POS Import
What is this?
MI9 is a retail management system used by larger multi-store operations. Margin Master imports MI9 data files and builds team-based pricing analysis tables, carrying the richest set of item, pricing, vendor and status fields of any POS system it supports.
Your MI9 export is one or more text files named MM*.txt, one per team, laid out as Margin Master support confirmed with you when your stores were set up.
How Import Works
The export file is read from the Import Path set under Tools > Options > Miscellaneous:
- Use a single main table (one row per SKU per store) — the main-table processing mode (see below).
When you choose the import command:
- Place your MI9 export files in the configured import folder. Files follow the
MM*.txtnaming pattern (for exampleMM_Team1.txt,MM_Team2.txt,MM_Unsequenced.txt). - Margin Master reads each file and loads its rows. Large files are handled in stages, so even the biggest MI9 exports import without running the computer out of memory, and a stage that fails is retried automatically before the error is reported.
- After the import, the main tables are rebuilt in whichever processing mode is selected on the MI9 tab (below). The import itself is the same in both modes.
Main Table Processing Mode
The MI9 tab under Tools > Options > POS / Connections has one setting, Use a single main table (one row per SKU per store). It chooses how the main tables are laid out; it does not change what the strategies do or the prices they produce.
- Off (the default) — multi table processing. Margin Master builds one main table per team, with one row per SKU per team: cost is averaged and on-hand is summed across the team's stores. Selecting a store picks that team's table.
- On — single main table processing. Margin Master builds one table with one row per SKU per store. Selecting a store filters that table by store number instead of choosing a table. This is what makes store-level pricing possible.
Changing the setting does nothing until you close the Options window. You are then asked to confirm, and the confirmation names every main table that will be replaced. If you answer Yes, Margin Master builds the new tables first and removes the old ones only once the build has succeeded, so a failed rebuild leaves everything as it was. No keeps the current mode; Cancel returns to Options.
Either way the rebuild reads every store's point of sale data, can take several minutes, and discards all current pricing work — future prices, applied rules and locks. Re-run your strategies afterwards.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No Files Found when you choose the import | The export is not in the Import Path (Tools > Options > Miscellaneous), or its name does not start with MM and end in .txt |
Check the path and the file name; Margin Master reads only the current folder, not sub-folders |
| 0 records for a branch, or far fewer than expected | The branch is marked Excluded, has no Store Group, or its POS Store # does not match the file | Open Store Manager and check the branch's row |
| Columns land in the wrong fields | The export layout changed | Contact Margin Master support with the file |
| Import finishes but the grid does not change | The rebuild was postponed (the Click to update data badge is showing) | Click the badge, or Data > Rebuild Data |
Every import failure shows one error dialog; the log under File > Utilities > Show Log Files has the detail to send to support.
Tips
- Team-based tables: MI9 groups stores into teams. Margin Master builds a separate main table for each team rather than one table per store.
- Store configuration: Each MI9 branch is a row in the Store Manager with its branch code as the POS Store #, a Store Group (its team) and an Excluded flag. Excluded branches are left out of their team table.
- Large files are fine: MI9 exports can be very large. Margin Master imports them in stages, so size alone is not a reason to split a file.
- Ace Hardware pairing: MI9 supports Ace Hardware vendor pairing, and Ace stores' exports carry the Ace SKU so items match the Ace catalog directly.
Common Questions
Q: What do the Team1, Team2, and Unsequenced file names mean? A: These correspond to store groups configured in your MI9 system. Each group gets its own main table in Margin Master. Stores not assigned to a specific team appear in the Unsequenced file.
Q: Why is my store not appearing in the import? A: Open the Store Manager. The branch may be marked as Excluded, may have no Store Group, or its POS Store # may not match the data in the import file.
Q: The import reported an error part-way through. Is the rest of my data in? A: Margin Master retries a failed stage automatically; if it still fails, the error is logged and the remaining data continues to import. Send the log under File > Utilities > Show Log Files to Margin Master support.
