Standard Operating Procedure: Creation of New Counter Environment

Document Overview

Title: Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Creation of New Counter Environment
Issuing Authority: Government of India, Ministry of Communications, Department of Posts
Project: India Post - Advanced Postal Technology (APT)
Module: Booking Solution
SOP Number: 2
Date: August 19, 2025
Prepared by: Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology (CEPT)

1. Introduction

This SOP details the process for managing counter environments within the Booking Solution module. It covers three main actions:

Creating a new counter environment (shift and counter combination)
Modifying the details of an existing environment
Viewing the details of an existing environment

Location in System: Booking Solution → Counter Operation → Create New Environment

2. Create New Counter and Shift

The main screen shows two sections:

A. Office Details

This section displays the information for the selected post office (e.g., Mysuru HO). This data is managed by a master data team and cannot be changed here.

B. Existing Environment Details

This is a table listing all currently configured counters and their shifts. For each row, you can see:

Counter Number & Shift Number
Shift Begin and End Times
Special counter types (Night Counter, Extended Counter)
SBI POS Device number (if assigned)
Action Buttons: View and Modify

3. Step-by-Step Procedures

3.1. CREATION OF A NEW ENVIRONMENT

Purpose: To set up a new counter and shift combination
How to Start: Click the "Create new environment" button
Process:
1. A form will appear. The system will auto-fill the Counter Number and Shift Number (no manual entry needed)
2. Fill in all mandatory fields (marked with *), including:
  - Valid From/To Dates: The period this counter shift is active
  - Counter Type: Specify if it's Permanent, Night, or Extended
  - Shift Timings: Begin time, End time, and Duration
  - Service & Device Details: Assign services and hardware to this counter
3. To assign an SBI POS Device:
  - Select the SBI_POS_DEVICE option
  - The system will show a list of unassigned device numbers
  - Physically cross-check the POS machine's number with the list before selecting
4. Click "Save". The system will create the new environment and show a success message
Important Note: An SBI POS device, once assigned, is tied to that specific counter

3.2. MODIFICATION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT DETAILS

Purpose: To change the settings of an existing counter shift
How to Start: Click the "Modify" button next to the counter you want to edit
Process:
1. A pop-up window will open with the current data pre-filled
2. You can change all details EXCEPT the Counter Number and Shift Number
3. To reassign an SBI POS Device to a different counter:
  - Go to the counter it's currently on and click Modify
  - Deselect the device number and save. This unlinks it
  - Next, go to the desired counter, click Modify, and assign the now-available device number
4. Click "Save". Changes are immediate and reflected in the table

3.3. VIEWING ENVIRONMENT DETAILS

Purpose: To see what services and devices are configured for a specific counter
How to Start: Click the "View" button next to any counter
What you see: A pop-up displays two lists:
- Service Details: All postal services enabled for that counter (e.g., Andhra Enrolment)
- Device Details: All hardware devices assigned to that counter (e.g., Barcode Scanner, Cash Counting Machine)