LS Central 17.3 Release Notes

About This Release

Released - February 18, 2021

This version is built on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2020 release wave 2, cumulative update 3, build 17.3.20469.20605.

Discontinuation of LS Nav

LS Retail policy for LS Central is that new features and fixes go into the next new release, not previous releases. When LS Central 15.0, the first AL version, was released, it was decided to make an exception to this by continuing to release fixes and new events in LS Nav 14.x for a limited time. Now the time has come to end this exception. The last version of LS Nav 14, version 14.04, was released in January 2021.

All open support tickets related to versions prior to LS Central 15.0, that is all tickets related to LS Nav, have been closed. Partners can submit new tickets for LS Central if the issue still applies there.

LS Central 17.3

LS Central 17.3 is delivered as an extension with dependency on the Business Central Base App. This means that LS Central does not make any changes to the Business Central Base Application. The release package includes both the runtime app and the source code.

LS Central AL code

The source code is delivered in AL files that can be modified by partners. It is, however, highly recommended to make all modifications in extensions, and if you need to alter the LS Central or Business Central behavior then do that by subscribing to events.

It is LS Retail's priority to make it easy for the partners to extend LS Central. Therefore, there is a special section in our Support Portal (login required) for partners to submit requests for new events. These requests are given priority.

(click the image to expand and collapse)

LS Central extension

The release package includes LS Central as a runtime app that can be installed as an extension. To install the extension, you first need to publish it, see Publishing and Installing an Extension v2.0. Once the extension has been published, the LS Central extension can be installed using the Extension Management page in Business Central.

Important Notice for an Upcoming Release

LS Central Object Prefixing

One of the requirements for apps on AppSource is to add an Affix to all objects in the app. To prepare LS Central for AppSource, all LS Central objects will be prefixed with the prefix LSC. The plan is to release the prefixed objects in LS Central version 17.5, which is scheduled to be released on the 15th of April 2021.

There is a 30-character limit on object names. Over 1000 LS Central objects will exceed that limit when the LSC prefix is added to the object name. These object names will be adjusted, for example by using abbreviations, shortened words, or other naming adjustments.

For all object types except PageExtensions and TableExtensions the prefix is on object level. On PageExtensions and TableExtensions the prefix is on control/field/action level. Captions are not changed. AL source file names are not changed.

All apps that have dependency on LS Central should be tested and adjusted to the prefixed names. This is a breaking change and upgrades must use ForceSync.

To help partners to prepare for this change a container with LS Central version 17.2 with prefixed objects will be made available for download. Get the container on the LS Retail Portal (login required), the Technical Support help desk, where you can also contact Support if you have any questions.

New or Enhanced Features

BackOffice

Column Width in POS Data Tables

When you add a column to a POS Data Table, the system now checks if the Preferred Width % field needs a value for the column to be visible.

Fashion: Manually Load Variant Suggestions

You now have the option to disable the automatic suggestion of all variant combinations in the Variant Suggestions page, when using a Variant Framework assigned with the Registration TypeAutomatic Selection.

You can activate this option by using the Disable Auto. Variant Suggestion setting in the Variant Framework Codes Card. When this setting is activated, you can apply Dimension Filters in the Variant Suggestions page, and use the Load Suggestions action to manually load the variant combinations. This allows you to load only a subset of the variant suggestions based on the selected filters.

For more information see Variant Framework in the LS Central Help.

POS Display Renamed to POS Line Display

Configurations in LS Central for the "Line display" device used to be called "Display" in some instances. All configurations have now been renamed to either "Line Display" or "POS Line Display".

Printing Shelf and Item Labels Through LS Hardware Station

It is now possible to print shelf and item labels to a designated printer for each store, so the printing can be triggered automatically and without the user having to select a printer or confirm a print request. This is done through the setup in LS Hardware Station.
Note: This is only valid for label printers supporting EPL and ZPL programming languages or similar.

Retail Image Link in LS Central Tables

Retail Images have now been linked to the following LS Central tables and are accessible on the relevant pages (lists and cards):

  • Dining Area Layout
  • Dining Table Property
  • Hierarchy
  • Hierarchy Nodes
  • Item
  • Member Contact
  • Member Notification
  • Membership Card
  • POS Media Control
  • POS Media Playlist
  • POS Printer (Logo)
  • POS Menu Line
  • POS Menu Header
  • Published Offer
  • Retail Setup
  • Search Index Table
  • Staff Management Employee
  • Store – Images, Logo, and QR Code

Images are automatically migrated to this new structure by an upgrade codeunit when this version is installed for the first time. Some images might be duplicated (or multiplied), but after the migration all Retail Images that are not linked to any record (owner) are deleted. The Where Used function now only looks for usage in the Retail Image Link table.

Note: If a Retail Image record contains the value Image Location, the link is used when displaying an image in LS Central, the location is a URL that points to a source outside the LS Central database. Otherwise, the Retail Image stored inside LS Central is displayed.

A new field, Link Type, has been added to the Retail Image Link table. This new field has the default value Image, but the Link Types Logo and QR Code are used for Logo and QR Code for Direction in the Store table. This means that when you are looking for an image, you should consider filtering to Type = Type::Image, but not only “Display Order”.

LS Hardware Station

Authentication Device

Authentication device is a new name for a device previously referred to as Keylock. Because a keylock device can now be various types of devices that can be used to log on and off the POS, for example Dallas Key, Keylock, or Fingerprint scanner, it was decided to change the name of the device within the LS Hardware Station.

The Authentication device is added to the POS Hardware Profile in LS Central the same way as all other devices, and it can be automatically added to the system using the Detect Hardware functionality.

Improved Device Dialog Messages

The dialog window that appears when you pay with a card now shows improved and more useful messages. When you start or finish an EFT connection, the messages "Starting Session" and "Finishing Session", respectively, are displayed in the dialog window.

When you press the Cancel button in the dialog window (which appears if the EFT supports Cancel from POS), the message "Attempting to Cancel" is displayed. Now the Cancel button no longer appears when you start or finish a session.

Increased Load Time for Virtual Devices

Virtual device timeout in LS Hardware Station has been increased.

Update With LS Pay

LS Hardware Station has been updated with LS Pay version 2.19.2.38. No new plug-ins were added.

LS Retail Apps

LS Central AppShell

LS Central AppShell, iOS version, has been not working with LS Central from version 17.0. The iOS AppShell can be used with LS Central when it is configured to use the NavUserPassword authentication. Using the Windows authentication is still not working and the cause for this is being investigated.

In the LS Central AppShell, Android version, the option to pay through the AppShell has been not working with LS Central from version 17.0. This has now been fixed.

Replenishment

New Integration Events for Replen. Calculation Codeunit

New Integration Events have been added to the Replen. Calculation codeunit which let you:

  • override the assignment of Replen. Journal Lines parameter before its insertion during Replenishment Journal calculation.
  • override the insertion of Replen. Journal Details during Replenishment Journal calculation.

Hospitality

LS KDS

KDS - Recall from list

This is a new operation in KDS that lets you recall an item or chit from a list.

LS Activity

Enhancements in LS Activity

  • Product restrictions in Activity can be set to certain times and days for specific club members, membership, or access profiles. This can be useful for operations that are really catering for specific members or clients.

  • Standard Customer Discounts are now also applied to lines in the Additional Charges, if applicable.

  • Tasks are now issued to an activity and issued tasks are listed in the Reservation FactBox. When looking at the task entries all assigned resources (location, room, and so on) are shown on the Task List FactBox.

  • Improved visibility for allowances when using POS Command VIEWALLOWANCE - if an item within an allowance has a location filter that is different from POS location, then these allowance buttons are shown with the Cancel skin.

  • LS Activity Web Services has been updated to allow for sending No. of persons. This can affect pricing or availability.

LS Central for Hotels

LS Hotels Enhancements

  • Block room for charges is possible by setting Charge to Room on reservation as Closed.

  • New action, Copy Reservation, on the Reservation Card.

Hotel Reservation Templates Enhancements

  • The pages for the Reservations and Group Reservations on the Hotel POS have been enhanced, so they show more detailed information on the reservations.

  • These pages are also responsive to the size of the POS device.

  • Items that are included in the rate are shown as nested items in the Rate section.

  • If there are activities on the reservation, the status of those activities is now shown.

  • If the activities are included in the reservation rate, then no price is shown for the activity.

Fixed Issues

Retail

BackOffice

Cash & Safe: Automatically Delete Suspended Transaction

The Functionality Profile offers the possibility to automatically delete suspended transactions upon posting a Z-Report. Now this also works when Cash & Safe Management is activated.

Incorrect Discount When Applying a Coupon

When more than one coupon with the same code were used in the same transaction, the second coupon would not apply. This has now been fixed.

LS Web POS

Error in Long Item Descriptions

When selling a scale item with an item description longer than 30 characters, the POS would display an error and not sell the item. This has now been fixed.

Replenishment

Usage of Purchase Order Multiple for Item Store Records Assigned with Warehouse

An issue in Replenishment calculation, where the Purchase Order Multiple is not considered when an Item Store Record is assigned with a warehouse, has now been fixed.

Replenishment Journal

A bug where the Global Dimension 1 and Global Dimension 2 is not updated in the transfer orders created by replenishment journal has been fixed.