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Installation Checklist

Marketplace Reporting > Installation Checklist

System Requirements

The following are system requirements Marketplace Reporting for Amazon and the Amazon MWS Integrator:

  • Marketplace Reporting for Amazon
  1. Marketplace Reporting is a Windows only application. It has been thoroughly tested with Windows 10, Windows 8, and Windows 7.  It should be compatible with Windows Vista and Windows XP (32 bit versions only), but we do not guarantee it since we do not support either OS any longer.
  2. It is available in both 32 and 64 bit executables. You can install either on 64 bit Windows OS; however, 64 bit executables will not work on a 32 bit Windows OS.
  3. It will run on any supported Windows OS without additional hardware requirements.
  4. It requires MS SQL Server 2008 or higher for data storage and retrieval and will not operate without a properly configured data connection to a supported database.
  • Amazon MWS Integrator
  1. The MWS Integrator should be installed on a server or workstation that runs 24/7/365 and does not power down or shut down for the evening.
  2. The MWS Integrator should be installed on the same server/workstation as the MS SQL Server for best overall performance.
  3. Internet access to Amazon and your account is crucial. Interruptions to the internet or to Amazon services will prevent report requests and data retrieval from your account.
  4. The MWS Integrator runs as a trayed application and not as a service. As a trayed application, it provides a way for users to set options and manually request various reports which a service application would not allow.
  5. If the computer hosting the MWS Integrator is shut down and restarted then the MWS Integrator will need to be restarted as well.
  • MS SQL Server
  1. Marketplace Reporting and the MWS Integrator are designed to work with MS SQL Server a RDBMS from Microsoft. Access to this service via a local area network (LAN) is required in order for it and the MWS Integrator to operate properly.
  2. Marketplace Reporting and the MWS Integrator is compatible with MS SQL Server 2008 or higher including 2008 R2, 2012, 2014, and 2016 Editions.
  3. Existing installations of MS SQL Server 2008 or higher on your LAN can be used to install Marketplace Reporting and MWS Integrator compatible database.
  4. If an MS SQL Server version 2008 or higher is not available, we can install MS SQL Server 2012 Express Edition (Express Edition 2014 or 2016 upon request). This is a free version with some limitations which are explained at the following Microsoft link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=52679 under system requirements -> Limitations.
  5. MS SQL Server is a Microsoft product and runs as a service on whichever computer, workstation, or server it is installed. Microsoft provides support and periodic updates for MS SQL Server.
  6. Installing the “SQL Server Native Client” 11.0 or higher is optional, but you may want to install it on workstations accessing MS SQL Server since it will provide a performance increase when accessing data stored in MS SQL Server. Though Marketplace Reporting nor the MWS Integrator require it, programs like MS Access, Excel, etc. would benefit.
  7. Be sure to provide the necessary permissions or privileges to user’s profiles so they can access the MS SQL Server without restriction. This is a network administration responsibility and not considered part of installation for Marketplace Reporting.

 

Amazon Marketplace Web Services (MWS) API Keys

Amazon MWS API keys are required in order to utilize and operate the MWS Integrator.  The MWS Integrator automatically requests and retrieves the necessary reports for Communique so you do not have to do so manually.

  1. You can go to the following link https://developer.amazonservices.com/ to sign up for MWS. You’ll be required to log in with your seller central credentials in order to access the MWS API keys for your store.
  2. Once you have logged into MWS, the next screen will prompt you to select an access option. For use with Communique, you will select the “I want to access my own Amazon seller account with MWS” access option.  Click the next button when ready.
  3. The next screen presented will contain the MWS API keys necessary to access your seller account via MWS.
  4. Highlight all data contained in the blue boxes and paste into a text editor like notepad and save the file to your computer for use when configuring the Integrator.
  5. You can create the following directory on a local hard drive used for installing Communique and the ASC Integrator <drive>:\AmazonSC\Synch. Save the MWS API keys file to the Synch subdirectory for later use.

 

Merchant Orders and Amazon Fulfilled Shipments Data

Prior to your installation appointment (Preferably the previous evening), you will need to generate an Amazon Fulfilled Shipments (for those selling FBA) and a Merchant Order Report.  Having both reports ready can save a lot of time setting up and installing Marketplace Reporting and the MWS Integrator.

  1. For Merchant Orders, go to your seller central account. Select Orders -> Order Reports.  Once at the Order Reports screen, set the select days to 120 then click on the “Request Report” button.  Once the request has been completed, you can download the file to your computer and save it to the <drive>:\AmazonSC\Synch\ sub directory or to any other directory where it can be easily retrieved for later use when installing Communique.  A suggested name for the merchant orders report is Orders120days.txt.
  2. For Amazon Fulfilled Shipments (FBA) go to your seller central account. Select Reports -> Fulfillment.  From the left side of the screen under the Sales section select the Amazon Fulfilled Shipments report.  From the Amazon Fulfilled Shipments screen, set the Event Date to “last 30 days.”  Click the “Request Download” button.  Once the request has been completed, you can download the file to your computer and save it to the <drive>:\AmazonSC\Synch sub directory or to any other directory where it can be easily retrieved for later use when installing Marketplace Reporting.  A suggested name for the fulfilled shipments reports is Fba30days.txt.

  

Cost of Goods (COGS) Data File

Gross Margins and Profitability is one of the core components of Marketplace Reporting.  In order to provide this level of functionality a COGS data file is required meaning a text or csv data file containing the merchant SKU (ProdSKU), cost per unit for merchant listings (CostPerUnit), and optionally for those selling via FBA a cost per unit (CostPerUnitFBA).

Market fees are never included for the item’s cost since they are handled separately by Marketplace Reporting. Fees can vary for each sale especially when engaging in repricing.  The cost for prep, packaging, etc. can be included as landed costs for FBA.  The cost can be the same or different for each fulfillment channel.

The following is a sample of a COGS data file layout in CSV format with headers:

ProdSKU,CostPerUnit,CostPerUnitFBA

SKU123,22.37,23.37

SKU456,19.34,22.34

SKU789,11.22,13.45

The CSV file format is the default file format, but Tab delimited is fully supported as well.

Headers are not necessary; Marketplace Reporting can automatically map the headers for you when present.  If headers are missing, you will need to manually map those fields yourself.

The COGS data file will be used to update the products from your merchant and Amazon fulfilled inventory listed in your account.

 

Installation Process and Sequence of Events

The initial installation of Marketplace Reporting requires data to be uploaded in a certain sequence in order for the process to begin correctly and to get you off to a good start using all aspects and reports.

  1. Database installation to an existing MS SQL Server 2008 or higher is required. If you do not have MS SQL Server installed, we can install MS SQL Server 2012 Express Edition or higher to any server on your LAN.  Express Editions are free and do not require you to purchase any licenses.  There are some limitations for this edition which can be found at the following Microsoft link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=52679 under system requirements -> Limitations.
  2. Communique will be installed on the workstation/server where MS SQL Server is located for testing and installation purposes.
  3. The MWS Integrator will be installed so reports can be requested and data retrieved as part of the installation process.
  4. Merchant and Amazon fulfilled inventory are requested from Amazon MWS and uploaded to Marketplace Reporting.
  5. The COGS data file is imported into Marketplace Reporting and the corresponding products (SKUs) costs are updated. Ideally each product has a cost associated with it prior to uploading orders from your account so COGS for each order can be correctly calculated.
  6. Merchant Orders and Amazon fulfillments via FBA are uploaded to Marketplace Reporting. Here is where those files you downloaded earlier come in handy.
  7. Payment/Settlements are downloaded directly from your seller central account and uploaded to Marketplace Reporting. Settlements for the last 90 days can be download via the MWS Integrator through the MWS API.  If you want more than the last 90 days, you need to go to the Reports -> Payments section.  Select the “All Statements” tab.  From there you can request additional settlements.  You will need to download each additional settlement you request and upload those manually.

 

  1. Wrap-up:
  • Various Order, Product, and Settlement reports are executed to view the data and results to ensure it is complete and working as it should.
  • MWS Integrator settings and options are checked and “Auto Run” is enabled for all of the reports it will be requesting.
  • Desktop shortcuts can be created from the workstation/server installation. Optionally, we can install Marketplace Reporting on any workstation which has access to the MS SQL Server via LAN.  Desktop short cuts to the workstation/server installation is preferable, but we can discuss your needs, explain the pros & cons and let you decide how you want to proceed with workstation installations.