How to automate your buying-group host file
5 min read · by the Better Retailer team
Updated
The short answer
Connect your POS to your buying group's host (FTPS, SFTP or a web link), choose the days and times to check, and let it apply each new host file: costs, carton sizes and supplier codes update, new items arrive inactive, and recommended price changes follow your rules, with every change queuing a shelf label.
1. Get your host login from your buying group
Most buying groups (SPAR, Metcash for IGA, Friendly Grocer and Foodland, Foodworks, New Sunrise) can give your store a login to their host, usually your customer number and a password, or a web link to the file. If you already collect files with your current POS, it's the same login.
2. Add a host connection
In Better Retailer, go to Stock & buying → Host files and add a connection: pick the buying group and supplier, choose FTPS, SFTP or a web link, and enter the host name and login. The password is stored encrypted and can't be read back. Press Check now to test it.
3. Choose when to check
Tick the days and times to look for new files, in Sydney time. If your group sends the host file on Monday evening, tick Monday 7pm and Tuesday 6am, so it's loaded before you open on Tuesday.
4. Set your price rules
Turn on processing host files automatically and pick the file layout. Then decide what happens when the recommended price changes:
- Price goes up: update my price automatically, or ask me first
- Price goes down: ask me first, or update my price automatically
- New items in the file: add them as inactive, or skip them
- Costs, carton sizes and supplier codes always update
5. Review what's waiting
Price changes waiting for you appear under Host price changes to review: each item with its current price and GP, the new price and the GP it would give, and the old and new cost. Filter to increases or decreases, tick the ones you want, adjust any price, then update. Every price that changes queues its shelf label, so the shelf matches the till.
6. Running beside your old POS
Better Retailer only copies files from the host; it never moves, renames or deletes them. Your current POS keeps getting the same files while you run both side by side, so there's no risk to your live store.