How to Assign or Replace a Machine on a Workstation

How to Assign or Replace a Machine on a Workstation

Each workstation running AccuArk is linked to one POS machine. This article explains how to assign, replace, or move machines between workstations.

Understanding Machine Assignment

• A machine is a logical POS terminal defined in AccuArk (with its own settings, balances, and history)
• A workstation is a physical computer running AccuArk
• Each workstation is assigned to exactly one machine at a time
• The assignment is tracked via a hardware fingerprint, so the machine "remembers" which computer it belongs to

Viewing Your Current Machine

When you open Program → Machine Configuration, the title bar shows your current machine:

• "Machine Configuration - Register 1 (This Machine)" means your workstation is assigned to "Register 1"

Replacing the Machine on Your Workstation

If you need to switch your workstation to a different machine (e.g., you replaced hardware, or you want to rearrange registers):

1. Open Program → Machine Configuration
2. Use Menu → Open to browse and select the machine you want to use
3. Click Menu → Set as This Machine
4. Confirm the replacement when prompted
5. The system asks if you want to deactivate the old machine:
   • Yes = deactivates the old machine (frees a subscription slot)
   • No = keeps the old machine active (another workstation can use it)

Important Rules

• Only active machines can be assigned to a workstation. If a machine is inactive, activate it first.
• The "Set as This Machine" menu item is hidden when you are already viewing your own machine (since you are already assigned to it).
• After replacing a machine, the title bar updates to show "(This Machine)" next to the new machine name.

When to Replace a Machine

• Hardware replacement: You got a new computer and want it to use the same POS settings as the old one
• Register rearrangement: You want to swap which register is at which counter
• Troubleshooting: You need to move a machine assignment to isolate an issue

Moving a Machine Between Locations

If you need to move a machine to a different store location:

1. Open the machine's configuration
2. Change the Location dropdown to the new location
3. The system checks subscription capacity at the target location
4. If there is room, save the machine — it is now at the new location
5. If the target location is at capacity, you are prompted to deactivate a machine there first

Important: Moving a machine to a new location updates its available tax rates to match the new location. Any tax rate selected in the Tax Rate dropdown is reset, so you must choose a new default tax rate after the move.