FAQ - How to use Enabler to Monitor Pump Activity

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Many forecourts operate with the site automation controlling pumps - for example, a pump must be authorised by a cashier before fuelling can start. In most cases a Point Of Sale (POS) provides the User Interface (UI) for site staff to control pump activity.

However, some forecourts operate pumps with automation to record the details of fuel pumped, but the pumps do not need to be controlled - they are always allowed to deliver fuel. In this case the site automation does not control the pumps, it just monitors their activity.

In The Enabler, we refer to this as Monitor mode, and this can be selected through configuration. When Monitor Mode is used, The Enabler will:

Automatically authorise pumps to deliver fuel whenever a nozzle is lifted.
Store the details of fuel delivered in The Enabler's database - ready for you to process or export.
Automatically clear completed deliveries in Enabler's Pump ActiveX control.
Display Live Forecourt Status through our Enabler ActiveX API (EnbPumpX) including:

Show pump status.
Retrieve electronic totals/meters (where supported)
Send Price Changes to the pumps (where supported)

(Optional) Automatically stack completed deliveries in Enabler's Pump ActiveX control, so that recently completed deliveries are visible and accessible through our API.

No POS or external application is required for the pumps to operate this way. All the usual events, properties and methods remain available in The Enabler API, but your application does not need to authorise pumps to start delivery.

The section below describes the how to configure Monitor Mode in The Enabler.

Enabler Configuration Monitor Settings

Site Mode

Go to the Site Mode tab of Enabler Configuration and the following settings in the site profile:

Monitors
Turns on monitor mode for the forecourt. When turned on, this option has two effects on the operation of the system:
- Pumps are automatically authorized when the hose is lifted.
- Deliveries are automatically cleared by the system after a (configurable) timeout, or when the pump calls again.
This option can be combined with the Stacking and Auto Stack options.

If you want details of recent deliveries to remain on Enabler's ActiveX Pump Icon, you need to ensure the following stacking options are turned on.

Stacking
When on, the most recent fuel delivery may be put onto a ?stack? allowing another fuel delivery to begin before the first one is paid for. If this is not set, then stacking or auto-stacking will not be allowed.
Auto Stacking
Allows the system to automatically put the current sale onto the stack if a second delivery is started before the first has been paid for. Since this depends on Stacking, this field is turned off if Stacking is turned off. If this is not set and a current delivery is pending, then the pump cannot start a new delivery unless the current delivery has either been cleared or stacked.

If you want the details of the last delivery to be cleared as soon as the nozzle is lifted to begin the next delivery, then the Stacking and Auto Stacking options can be turned off.

Site Settings

Go to the Site settings tab and check the following settings:

Monitor delivery timeout
Sets the period of time (in seconds) that a completed delivery is available (on the pump icon) before The Enabler clears it as a monitor delivery. This setting only applies if the current pump or site mode allows Monitors or Attendants. You may specify a shorter timeout so that deliveries are cleared faster.
Max stacked deliveries
This determines the maximum number of stacked deliveries per pump. If this is set to 0, then stacking will not be allowed.

For detailed information of these settings, please refer to the Enabler Configuration Application Reference Manual available from the Documentation page.