frequently ask questions

What is the PortalMX solution?

Portal MX is a middle-ware gateway solution comprised of three core components which are Portal MX, ShipMX and AgentMX that are designed to connect disparate systems and is focused on e-commerce order management.

Examples of systems we can connect to:
RMS (e.g.: Retail Pro, Prism, Celerant, Cegid)
WMS (e.g.: Retail Logistics, Waterfall, Footworks
ERP (e.g.: SAP, Sage)
EFT (e.g.: Cybersource)

Can you describe the 3 core components of PortalMX?

The 3 core components are:
PortalMX: The heart of the PortalMX solution that contains the database engine, business rules and logic layer
ShipMX:  Our optional front-end web application connected to the PortalMX engine and designed for order management and customer service functions (e.g.: order status, web returns and refunds, stock levels, etc.)
AgentMX: The connection layer designed to exchange  data between Portal MX and other systems

What can I do with ShipMX ?

ShipMX’s features include :
Order lookup and order status
Track order fulfillment and shipment status
Customer lookup
Customer order history
Create returns and refunds
Cancel orders
Also Coming soon:
tock levels by location
Modify open orders (e.g.: add and delete items, change quantity and price)
Add Post order discount
Advanced reporting

What does PortalMX do?

Import orders and other data to the PortalM.X. Database
Apply fulfillment and allocation rules to orders, based on client’s own business rules, for example:
Prioritize by location and available quantity
Prioritize by distance of fulfillment center to destination address
Prioritize lowest shipping cost to destination (coming soon)
Split order fulfillment
Tracking number by order line
Real time inventory management
Near real-time get and send requests to other systems
On-demand get and send requests via PMX web api’s(coming soon)
Email order acknowledgements to order customers
Email shipment confirmation to order customers
Basic auto generated daily reports (e.g.: daily stock levels, open orders, Bill To/ Ship ToAddresses mismatching, Orders Shipped but Not Settled)
Rules Management (i.e.: Create/Edit allocation rules)

What does AgentMX do?

AgentMX is the connection layer between PMX and any other external system (ex.: RMS, WMS, ERP, shopping cart, etc.)
AgentMX supports two communication methods, which are FTP/SFTP and web API’s
There are currently several feed agents that support various get and send data requests
Examples of existing feed agents are:
EFTAgents:  Meant to deal with EFT systems (to capture payments)
FeedAgents:  Meant to get StyleMaster feeds from backend systems
InventoryAgents:  Meant to get available stocks from backend systems
ShipmentAgents:  Meant to communicate to backend systems the orders to be shipped from them
InvoiceAgents:  To communicate validated orders (shipped, settled)

How reliable is Portal MX?

Over the past three years, the PortalMX platform has produced a 99% uptime availability.

Is there a limit to the number of orders I can process through PortalMX?

Theoretically, there is no maximum number of orders that PortalMX can handle.  Currently, our largest customer efficiently processes as many as 15,000 orders per month during their peak season.

How quickly are orders allocated and fulfilled by PortalMX?

The import of orders, application of allocation rules and sending to fulfillment are all configurable based on your needs.
For example, you may choose to import orders every 5 minutes, allocate every 5 minutes, and send fulfillment every 5 minutes.  The physical shipment of the order will depend on your fulfillment center and shipping carrier.

Can PortalMX be tailored to my needs?

Yes, PortalMX is both configurable and extensible.  The three types of requests we envision are: agents to connect to different systems that we don’t already connect to, new order management business rules, and new ShipMX feature requests.  In the case your needs could not be immediately fulfilled, we can discuss your additional requirements at the outset of the project.

I am an existing M.X. Data Customer and Retail Pro User, what are the added benefits of using Portal MX

Portal MX is already designed to connect to RetailPro and comply with RetailPro XML data feed requirements.  By automating data feeds, PortalMX greatly reduces, if not eliminates, the need for manual data entry or procedures on Retail Pro.

What Retail Management or POS systems are supported by PMX?

PortalMX is designed to be external system agnostic.  PortalMX already supports RetailPro and can be adapted to other RMS systems.

I am interested. How quickly could PortalMX be up and running?

Portal MX was designed for seamless and rapid integration.  The out of the box solution can be installed within a day, and PortalMX can be up and running in as little as a few days to several weeks depending on your integration requirements.

Are there any specific system requirements for the new PortalMX solution?

PortalMX is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution, therefore there are no specific client-side requirements.  However, if you opt for the ShipMX web application, we recommend IE 8 or higher, and our customers have reported success with Firefox and Chrome.

Where is my data hosted by PortalMX?

PortalMX is hosted in a highly secure and reliable data center spread across redundant sites.

Can you give me examples of some areas that I should see improvement by implementing the PortalMX solution?

Yes, some areas our customers report seeing immediate improvements, are:
Automation of processes that reduce or eliminate the need for manual data entry
Increase fulfillment turnaround time of orders
Increase in inventory accuracy
Higher customer service to your own clients
Reduced system touch points (i.e.: most activities will be focused around automated PMX processes
Consolidated data from several systems
Increased ability to get and send data between your various systems

Who is M.X. Data? How long has MXData been in business?

M.X. Data was founded in 1988 in New York, NY, USA.  
A Paris, France office also opened in 1990 to cater to our European market. 
M.X. Data is a privately held software consulting company. 
Today, we are leading reseller of Retail Pro 
M.X. Data’s focus is to provide Retail Technology related support and consulting services to the luxury and specialty retail market worldwide.

My needs are constantly evolving; does M.X. Data plan on improving future versions of PortalMX?

Portal MX, along with ShipMX and AgentMX are three of M.X. Data’s core products.  As a result, M.X. Data has been improving and monitoring Portal MX on a steady basis over the past five years.
As future versions become available, existing customers will be the primary beneficiaries of improvements and new features, and the first ones to get notified and updated as soon as such improvements become available.  
In addition, PortalMX’s capacity for potential customization means that PortalMX improvements can be tailored to grow alongside your business needs.

What products and services does M.X. Data provide?

M.X. Data’s primary focus is on providing POS Software support, distribution and related consulting services.
M.X. Data also prides itself in offering a carefully selected selection of partner solutions targeting customers wanting to enhance their POS capabilities and/or bridge a gap in functionality between various systems.

What are standard support hours at MXData?

Standard support hours are Monday through Friday 9:00a.m. - 6:00p.m. EST.
Extended weekday support hours are 6pm-9pm EST.
Critical System Down support is also available on Saturday and Sunday between 9:00a.m. – 9:00p.m. on a call back basis
Additional extended hours and SLA’s are available via commercial agreement. 

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