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Getting Started

Welcome to VMX POS! This page walks you through your first minutes in the system: unlocking the POS with your employee ID, finding your way around the top navigation bar, and the handy tools hidden under your name in the top-right corner. VMX runs in your web browser and works best on Google Chrome.

Unlocking the POS

When you open VMX POS in your browser (or after the system locks), you'll see the Session Locked screen:

  1. Type your employee ID into the Employee ID box. This is the ID number (or alternate code) assigned to you on your employee record.
  2. Click Unlock (or press Enter). You're in!

A few things you may see while unlocking:

  • "Invalid employee ID" — the ID you typed doesn't match any active employee. Check for typos; if your ID still doesn't work, ask a manager to confirm your employee record is enabled — and allowed to use the POS — under Admin → Users.
  • "Not clocked in" — if your store uses the Time Clock and your account requires clocking in, this warning reminds you to clock in for your shift.
  • Delay lock? — checking this box before unlocking extends the automatic inactivity lock from 15 minutes to 30 minutes for your session. Useful when you're working on a long task away from the counter.

Locking the POS

VMX locks the session so an employee ID is always tied to what happens on screen. You can lock it yourself, or let it lock automatically:

  • Lock it yourself: click your name in the top-right corner of any screen and choose Lock. On most pages (outside of the Register, Time Clock, and Cameras screens) you can also just press the Esc key.
  • Automatic lock: by default, VMX locks itself after 15 minutes with no mouse or keyboard activity (30 minutes if Delay lock? was checked at unlock). iPads and iPhones get a much longer timeout so tablet registers aren't constantly re-locking. Automatic lock timing can be adjusted or disabled per store — contact help@vmxllc.com if your store needs different behavior.
  • Switching employees: when an unlock prompt appears mid-page and a different employee enters their ID, VMX asks to confirm: "The Employee ID entered does not match the logged-in user. Continuing will refresh the page. Do you want to proceed?" — click OK and the page reloads under the new employee.

The top navigation bar

Every screen in VMX POS shares the same navigation bar across the top. Clicking the name of your garden center in the top-left corner always brings you back to the Dashboard.

The main tabs, left to right:

  • Inventory — search and edit your items, print tags, and manage counts. A number badge next to the tab counts the tags currently listed in your store's tag print queue (the Tags page). See Inventory.
  • Orders — purchase orders: create, receive, and track orders from your vendors.
  • Register — ring sales, returns, and payments. See Making a Sale.
  • Customers — search customer accounts, view purchase history, and manage A/R.
  • Reports — sales, inventory, accounting, and payroll reporting.
  • Deliveries — the delivery board. A number badge shows how many deliveries at your store are due today or earlier and still need to go out (canceled, on-hold, and already-delivered orders aren't counted).
  • More — a dropdown holding the rest: depending on the features enabled for your store this can include Time Clock, Tasks, Coupons, Promotions, Pickups, Attachments, Schedule, Cameras, and Admin.

On the right side of the bar:

  • Store selector — if your company has more than one store, the current store's name appears as a dropdown; pick another store to switch which location you're viewing. (Which stores each employee can switch to may be limited by their position.)
  • Your name menu — messaging, QR codes, support, and lock (see the next section).

Exactly which tabs each employee sees can be limited by their position and permissions, so don't worry if a coworker's navigation bar looks slightly different from yours.

The name menu (click your name, top right)

On any screen in VMX POS, click your name in the top-right corner of the navigation bar to open a menu of quick tools:

  • Send message... — send a message to other employees. The Attach screenshot? box (checked by default) sends a snapshot of the screen you're looking at along with your message, so it's perfect for "look at this" questions. Recipients must have an email address on their employee record — if someone is missing from the To list, add their email under Admin → Users.
  • Attach file... and Attach from QR... — upload a file (or snap a photo from your phone via QR code) and attach it to the record you're viewing. Available on pages that support attachments.
  • QR Code... — pops up a Scan QR Code window. Scan it with your phone's camera and the exact page you're viewing opens on your phone — an easy way to hand a screen to someone or keep working while walking the yard. The window shows "Waiting for scan..." and closes itself once the code is scanned.
  • Sandbox... / Live... — if your store has a practice sandbox set up, this switches between the live system and Training Mode. In Training Mode the navigation bar shows a PLAY label, and most screens also show a Training Mode banner with a Go Live link, so it's always clear which system you're on. Contact help@vmxllc.com if you'd like a sandbox for training new staff.
  • Support... — opens the Support Center:
    • Documentation — opens these docs, jumping straight to the page about the screen you're on when one exists.
    • VMXpert — chat with the VMXpert bot about using VMX or garden-center topics (shown when VMXpert is enabled for your store).
    • Support Tickets — report an issue to VMX (shown when support tickets are enabled for your store).
    • Support Session — starts a screen-share session; use this button when someone at VMX needs to see your screen. You'll be asked to Enter support code — the person at VMX helping you will tell you what to enter (or to leave the pre-filled code as is).
  • Lock — locks the session immediately.

Where to go next

Good next stops once you can unlock the POS and find your way around:

  • Dashboard — what all those notifications and daily reports on the home page mean.
  • Making a Sale — ringing items, adding customers, and taking payments at the register.
  • Inventory — adding items, printing tags, and keeping counts accurate.
  • Training Videos — short videos covering the register, purchase orders, inventory counts, promotions, and more.

And whenever you're stuck: click your name → Support..., or email help@vmxllc.com. We're happy to help!