How do I install a Bridge Client to be able to print from RetailVista?

This document describes the installation of the Windows (NedFox) Bridge Client. With this client, a Windows PC makes all connected Windows printers available within RetailVista.

The Bridge Client is the successor of RetailVista LocalServices and will eventually replace it completely. The main difference with LocalServices is that the Bridge Client can not only control thermal printers, but also laser printers. This allows RetailVista reports to be sent to Windows printers all at once, without a printer dialog appearing within the browser. This is a great advantage, especially for automated processes, as it allows for automatic printing, even from RetailVista Mobile, for example.

The Bridge Client can be downloaded via the URL http://install.nedfox.net/bridgeclient/Setup20210408.msi

This setup is exclusively intended for RetailVista version 21.2 and higher!

After installation, the bridge will start automatically. This will be visible through a printer icon in the Windows system tray.

This icon can be red, yellow, or green in color. A red icon means that the Bridge Client Windows Service has not yet started. A yellow icon means that the connection to the RetailVista cloud has not been successfully established, and a green icon means a correct connection to the RetailVista cloud.

Right-click on the system icon and select 'Configuration'. A dialog box will appear with the client info, showing the connected printers, along with information about the connection status and the status of the last print job.

Now click on 'File' and select 'Configuration'. In the screen that appears below, enter the following information:

Bridge URL: This is the URL to the bridge server. The support desk can provide this information. The remaining information is a standard RetailVista user account of type 'System'.

After entering and saving these settings, the Bridge Client software will connect to the RetailVista cloud and the icon should turn green. After that, one or more printers can be added to the Bridge Client, which will also be automatically visible in RetailVista.

Note: Network printers cannot be accessed by a standard Bridge Client Windows Service in terms of security.

It is important to use an Active Directory account to log in to that Windows Service.

The screen below shows an example AD account.

Afterwards, restart the service if necessary to log in with the specified account.