Max for Brands Admin Office Knowledge Centre

Access the Admin Dashboard

Log in with the authorised email address and password, then use the dashboard to review current activity.

Procedure

1. Open the Max for Brands dashboard link supplied by your administrator.
2. Enter the authorised email address and password, then select Sign In.
3. Use the date-period filter to switch between Today, This Week, Last Week, This Month, or a custom reporting period.
4. Review the dashboard scorecards, recent visits, and the rep activity timeline.

Important notes

• The dashboard score is a weighted indicator based on activity such as check-ins, survey completion, and notes. Treat it as a quick comparison rather than the only performance measure.
• The dashboard timeline can show stores visited, surveys completed, answers submitted, notes, and geotagged check-ins.
• Use authorised accounts only. Do not share passwords between administrators.

Manage Reps and App Access

Create and maintain the people who use the field app. In this setup, the system term “rep” generally refers to unit managers or field users.

Procedure

1. Open Reps > Manage Reps.
2. Search for the user or select an existing record.
3. Confirm the Rep ID used for app access.
4. Reset or update the password when required.
5. Set the user as active or inactive.
6. Enable Access All Customers only for authorised users who need to see the complete customer database.
7. Link the rep to the correct manager.

Important notes

• Access All Customers removes the need to create a call cycle for that user. Use it sparingly.
• Deactivate users who have left or no longer require access instead of reusing their account.

Create Managers and Rep Types

Build the reporting structure and classify field users so surveys and work can be targeted correctly.

Procedure

1. Open Reps > Manage Managers to create area managers or other supervisory roles.
2. Assign the relevant reps to each manager, either from the manager record or from the rep record.
3. Open Rep Types to create the classifications used by your business.
4. Assign one or more rep types to each rep.

Important notes

• Rep types can be used to restrict surveys to specific groups, such as Grocery, Perishable, or Pen Bev, depending on the agreed operating structure.
• Keep naming consistent. Duplicate or unclear rep types make survey targeting difficult.

Manage Call Cycles in List View

Maintain the planned store visits for each rep, including day, week number, and monthly frequency.

Procedure

1. Open Reps > Manage Call Cycle.
2. Filter by month, rep, customer, channel, or other available fields.
3. Review the assigned day, week number, and visit frequency.
4. Edit, reassign, duplicate, or delete a call-cycle entry when required.
5. Use Export to download the current call-cycle data.
6. Use the import wizard to download a template, upload a completed file, or paste rows directly from Excel.

Important notes

• A blank week number can indicate that the visit occurs every week on the selected day.
• Validate the frequency against the number of intended monthly visits before importing.
• Keep a controlled master copy of the imported file for audit and correction.

Duplicate a Call Cycle for the Next Month

Copy all call-cycle entries from an existing month into the upcoming month instead of rebuilding the schedule manually.

Navigation

Reps → Manage Call Cycle → Copy

Procedure

1. Open Reps from the left-hand menu, then select Manage Call Cycle.
2. Select Copy above the call-cycle table.
3. Under From, confirm the Source Month. This is the month you are copying from.
4. Confirm the Source Year.
5. For Source Week, select All weeks. This copies every call-cycle entry in the source month.
6. Under To, select the Target Month. This is normally the upcoming month.
7. Confirm the Target Year. Use the same year unless the copy crosses into a new calendar year.
8. For Target Week, keep All weeks or leave the week unselected to retain the original week numbers. Select a specific week only when every copied entry must be remapped into that week.
9. Select Copy to duplicate the call cycle.
10. Change the month filter to the target month and verify that the copied entries, days, week numbers, customers, and frequencies are correct.

Example: Copy July into August

• Source Month: July
• Source Year: 2026
• Source Week: All weeks
• Target Month: August
• Target Year: 2026
• Target Week: All weeks / retain the original week numbers
• Select Copy.

Important checks

• Verify the source and target months before selecting Copy. Copying the same month more than once may create duplicate entries.
• When copying December into January, update the Target Year to the new year.
• After copying, review the target month in both Table and Calendar view where applicable.
• Confirm that rep assignments, customer assignments, visit days, week numbers, and frequency still match the upcoming month’s plan.

Use the Call-Cycle Calendar

View and adjust a specific rep’s planned visits on a calendar.

Procedure

1. Filter to one rep before opening Calendar view.
2. Review the planned customer visits by day.
3. Select a calendar date to create a new call-cycle entry for that day.
4. Drag and drop an entry to move it to another date when appropriate.
5. Use the entry controls to duplicate or delete a call.

Important notes

• Filtering to all reps can make the calendar difficult to read. Select the rep first.
• After moving an entry, confirm that the day, week number, frequency, and customer are still correct.

Review the Rep Call Report

Monitor check-ins, targets, visit duration, missed calls, and the latest note captured at each store.

Procedure

1. Open Rep Call Report.
2. Select the reporting period and, when needed, filter to a specific rep.
3. Review total check-ins, target, achieved visits, customers, and average visit time.
4. Use the scorecard and timeline to investigate individual performance.
5. Review Missed Calls to identify stores not yet visited.
6. Scroll to the detailed check-in table to review check-in time, checkout time, assigned call day, call type, coordinates, and latest note.
7. Export the detailed table when a spreadsheet is required.

Important notes

• A completed check-in without a checkout may require follow-up.
• Use location and timing data as supporting evidence, not in isolation; check the visit note and schedule context.

Manage the Customer Master

Maintain the store records used by call cycles, surveys, photos, orders, and stock-data integration.

Procedure

1. Open Customers > Manage Customers.
2. Use column controls to show or hide the fields needed for your task.
3. Open a customer record and verify the store name, address, linked rep, external ID, channel, territories, and hierarchy levels.
4. Edit the record when authorised.
5. Review linked surveys, photos, and activity where available.

Important notes

• The external ID should match the store code used by the connected source system.
• Do not change the system-generated Max for Brands ID when maintaining the customer master.
• Territory 1-3 and Level 1-3 can be used to build a practical hierarchy for reporting and survey targeting.

Create Channels and Import Customers

Set up channels before importing customers and use a controlled export-import process to update the master data.

Procedure

1. Open Customers > Channel Types.
2. Create any required channel before importing customers that use it.
3. Export the current customer master and retain it as the controlled working file.
4. Update only the fields that should change.
5. Import the revised Excel or CSV file.
6. Confirm that existing records were updated and new records were added.

Important notes

• Never change the Max for Brands unique ID in the exported master.
• Create channels and hierarchy values before import so records do not fail or land in the wrong category.
• Use Levels for structured hierarchy; use extra tags or channels only where they add real reporting value.

Create a Survey

Create the survey record, define its audience and dates, and decide whether it is available to merchandisers.

Procedure

1. Open Surveys > Manage Surveys and select New.
2. Enter a clear survey name. A consistent convention such as YYYY-MM - purpose - channel helps with reporting.
3. Select the survey type.
4. Optionally restrict the survey to one or more rep types. Leave this blank when all relevant reps should see it.
5. Enter a short description.
6. Set the start date and end date.
7. Add a notification email only when a submission email is genuinely required.
8. Set the survey status to active when ready.
9. Select Available to Merchandisers when the survey is intended for merchandisers.

Important notes

• A survey assigned to merchandisers may still be visible to the unit manager for oversight or completion if the merchandiser is unavailable.
• Keep the number of notification emails controlled to avoid unnecessary inbox traffic.
• Do not activate a survey until targeting and questions have been reviewed.

Target a Survey to the Correct Stores

Use channels, levels, territories, and individual store selection to control exactly where a survey appears.

Procedure

1. Choose All Stores only when the survey is truly universal.
2. Otherwise, select the required channel.
3. Refine the selection using Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, or territories where configured.
4. Review the matched-store count.
5. Remove individual stores that should not receive the survey.
6. Use the store search field to confirm a specific store is included.
7. Save the survey after checking the final store list.

Important notes

• Targeting is only as accurate as the customer hierarchy in the master data.
• Use a structured hierarchy for common groupings. Avoid creating many one-off tags that become difficult to maintain.

Build Questions and Use the App Preview

Add questions while checking how they will appear in the field app.

Procedure

1. Open the survey and select Manage Questions.
2. Choose the appropriate question type, such as radio buttons, checkbox, select list, text, number, date, or photo.
3. Enter the question wording.
4. Add answer options. For long option lists, paste a comma-separated list where supported.
5. Mark the question Required when it must be completed.
6. Create the question and review the app preview on the right.

Important notes

• Use concise, action-based wording. One question should test one thing.
• Make only essential questions mandatory to reduce incomplete or rushed submissions.
• The builder auto-saves changes as questions are created.

Add Conditional Questions

Show a follow-up question only when a previous answer meets a defined condition.

Procedure

1. Create the controlling question first.
2. Create the follow-up question.
3. Enable Conditional.
4. Select the controlling question.
5. Choose the comparison, such as equals.
6. Enter or select the answer that should trigger the follow-up.
7. Test both answer paths in the preview.

Important notes

• Example: If “Is the issue resolved?” equals No, display “Why is it not resolved?”
• Check spelling and option values carefully. The condition must match the original answer option.
• Test every branch before activation.

Add Photo Questions, Camera-Only Rules, and Sections

Require real-time evidence and organise long surveys into readable sections.

Procedure

1. Add a Photo question.
2. Enable Camera Only when the image must be captured in real time rather than uploaded from the gallery.
3. Drag the question number or handle to reorder questions.
4. Add sections to group related questions.
5. Move questions into the correct section.
6. Review the app preview after reordering.

Important notes

• During the training, the preview did not immediately reflect one reorder. Refresh or verify the final order before publishing.
• To request several survey photos, create separate photo questions. The standalone Photos module has a separate upload limit.
• If multiple images per single survey question are required, confirm whether that enhancement is available in the current release.

Generate Product Questions in Bulk

Create the same set of audit questions for several products without manually retyping each product name.

Procedure

1. Open the survey question builder and select Build Product Questions.
2. Choose the product category or supplier.
3. Select all products or only the required SKUs.
4. Choose the questions to repeat for each product, such as expiry date, quantity, stock count, price, or photo.
5. Choose whether to create a separate section per product.
6. Generate the questions.
7. Review the generated sections and questions before activation.

Important notes

• Product names come from the product master. Correct product descriptions before generating the survey.
• Separate sections per product are easier to navigate for detailed audits.
• Bulk generation saves time but still requires a final review for mandatory fields and wording.

Set Mandatory and Active Rules, and Understand Recurring Surveys

Control whether a survey blocks checkout or is temporarily disabled, and understand the recurring-versus-once-off option discussed for profile enablement.

Procedure

1. Enable Mandatory when the rep must complete the survey before checking out.
2. Select the stores where the mandatory rule applies.
3. Use Active/Inactive to publish or disable the survey.
4. Where enabled, choose Once-Off when the survey should disappear after completion.
5. Choose Recurring when it must be completed again on future visits.
6. Delete an incorrect submission only when the user must complete the entire survey again.

Important notes

• Mandatory surveys can stop checkout. Use them only for essential work.
• The recurring-versus-once-off setting was discussed as functionality to be enabled on the profile; it was not demonstrated as an active field in the training account.
• Making a survey inactive disables it; it does not erase historical submissions.

Use Survey Reports and Exception Lists

Track coverage, incomplete stores, rep submissions, answers, and attached photos.

Procedure

1. Open Surveys > Survey Reports.
2. Select the survey and reporting period.
3. Review targeted stores, completed stores, and the completion rate.
4. Open the exception list to identify incomplete stores and responsible reps.
5. Filter by rep, date, store, or other available fields.
6. Review question-level answers and photo links.
7. Export the report to Excel when further analysis is required.

Important notes

• Use the exception list as the first operational follow-up list.
• An exported survey list may not include every requested hierarchy field. Confirm the available columns before relying on it for monthly exception management.
• Power BI or enhanced reporting was discussed as a future/parallel reporting solution.

Export Survey Photos

View all photos submitted through a selected survey and export them for reporting.

Procedure

1. Open Surveys and select Survey Photo Gallery.
2. Choose the survey and reporting period.
3. Apply store, channel, customer, rep, or other available filters.
4. Review the photo cards and confirm that each image is linked to the expected submission.
5. Select Export PowerPoint or the available image-download option.
6. Enter the recipient email address and start the export.
7. Wait for the background job to complete, then review the delivered file before sharing.

Important notes

• Generation runs in the background and may take several minutes.
• Check the recipient email and filters before starting an export.
• Photo links in spreadsheets should be tested before sharing externally.

Build and Schedule Survey Insights

Create visual dashboards from survey responses and schedule a survey-specific report by email.

Procedure

1. Open Surveys > Survey Insights.
2. Select the survey.
3. Review submission totals, completion, customer coverage, channel coverage, trends, and automatically generated charts.
4. Save a named dashboard view.
5. Open the scheduling controls.
6. Choose the frequency and time.
7. Add one or more recipient email addresses.
8. Save the schedule.

Important notes

• Schedules are configured per survey, not as one combined email for all surveys.
• Use daily emails for urgent campaigns only; otherwise choose a less frequent cadence to avoid inbox overload.
• Charts depend on question type and available data.

Maintain Products, Categories, and Price Lists

Maintain the products used in surveys, ranging, and orders.

Procedure

1. Open Products > Manage Products.
2. Search for the SKU and confirm the name, category, supplier/company, unit, price, and external ID.
3. Add or update the product image when required.
4. Use Export and Import for controlled bulk maintenance.
5. Open Product Categories / Price Lists to maintain supplier groupings and order-routing settings.

Important notes

• Product descriptions should match the terminology used in source reports and field instructions.
• Units such as single, case, crate, or pallet must be loaded correctly because they control ordering options.
• Include the barcode in a suitable external-ID/barcode field where available; it is important for future cross-system matching.

Capture and Process Orders

Allow field users to create an order at a store and enable the admin team to review, export, edit, and process it.

Procedure

1. In the field app, open the customer and select Orders > New Order.
2. Choose the relevant category or price list.
3. Search for products and add the required quantity.
4. Review the basket and enter a PO or reference number when required.
5. Confirm the order.
6. In the admin dashboard, open Orders > Manage Orders.
7. Open the order to review products and quantities.
8. Edit when authorised, export to Excel or PDF, and mark the order as Processed.

Important notes

• Products and order units must be configured correctly before rollout.
• Pricing can remain blank where the process captures quantities only.
• Signature and supporting-document capture for orders was discussed as requested/coming functionality; confirm current availability.

Email Orders to Suppliers Automatically

Configure a price list so orders for that supplier are automatically emailed to the correct recipients.

Procedure

1. Open Products and select Manage Product Categories / Price Lists.
2. Locate the supplier or product category used for the order.
3. Select Edit.
4. Add the operational recipient email address or addresses.
5. Save the configuration.
6. Run a test order and confirm that the supplier receives the order detail.
7. Document the approved recipient list and ownership for future updates.

Important notes

• Keep recipient lists current and use shared operational mailboxes where appropriate.
• Test each supplier route before full deployment.
• Automatic email routing reduces duplicate manual capture but does not replace internal order validation.

Create Document Libraries

Make planograms, SOPs, catalogues, training files, and other resources available to field users.

Procedure

1. Open Documents and create a logical library or folder structure.
2. Select Manage Documents and choose New Document.
3. Enter a clear title.
4. Select the channel, stores, or audience that should receive it.
5. Assign the document to the correct library.
6. Upload the PDF or supported file.
7. Choose All Customers only for company-wide resources.

Important notes

• Agree the library structure before uploading many files.
• Large files consume field-user data. Compress documents before upload when practical.
• Use clear version names and remove or replace outdated documents.

Capture Photos and Apply Tags

Capture store evidence using photo types and searchable tags.

Procedure

1. Create the required photo tags in the admin dashboard.
2. In the field app, open the customer and select Photos.
3. Choose a photo type such as Win, Customer, Issue, Other, or Shelf Audit, as configured.
4. Select the appropriate tag.
5. Take or upload the photo.
6. Add a clear comment.
7. Submit the photo and use the device share sheet when immediate sharing is needed.

Important notes

• During the training, up to 20 photos per photo submission was referenced.
• Multi-select tags were discussed as an enhancement. Confirm whether it is currently available.
• Field users should not change a submitted tag; the back-office team can correct it when required.

Use Photo Reports and Manual Upload

Filter, review, correct, download, and share photos from the back office.

Procedure

1. Open Photos > Photo Reports or Photo Gallery.
2. Select the date range and filter by customer, supplier/tag, channel, rep, or store.
3. Open a photo to review who captured it, when, where, and against which store.
4. Reassign the store or correct the tag when authorised.
5. Download or delete the photo when required.
6. Use Share Report to create a filtered link.
7. Use Manual Upload when a valid photo was received outside the app and must be included in reporting.
8. Export to PowerPoint or Excel where available.

Important notes

• A shared report link remains tied to the selected parameters. Changes within that date range, such as deletion, affect what recipients see.
• Review the filtered report before sharing externally to avoid exposing unrelated photos.
• Manual uploads should record the correct rep, store, type, tag, and date.

Review and Push Customer Notes

Review notes captured by field users and create a store-specific action or follow-up from the back office.

Procedure

1. Open Customer Notes to review notes by rep, store, and date.
2. Open an existing note to edit it when authorised.
3. Create a new note when an instruction must be sent to a specific store or user.
4. Enter a meaningful title and clear action.
5. Assign the correct customer and user.
6. Set the date or follow-up requirement.
7. Use voice dictation where available, review the text, and save.

Important notes

• Notes are customer-specific.
• Follow-ups can appear in the user’s app under Notes or My Pulse, including upcoming, overdue, and completed actions.
• Do not use notes for urgent safety-critical communication without a separate confirmed contact method.

Copy a Survey and Edit an Active Survey

Duplicate a previous survey for a new period and understand what can be changed after submissions exist.

Procedure

1. From Manage Surveys, select Copy on the survey to reuse.
2. Enter the new name and dates.
3. Review targeting, mandatory rules, and questions before activating.
4. To update an active survey, open Manage Questions.
5. Add new questions or reorder existing questions.
6. Do not attempt to delete a question that already has submission data.

Important notes

• Copying is useful for monthly surveys but all inherited settings must be checked.
• Renaming a survey does not change historical submissions.
• When submissions exist, questions can generally be added and reordered, but existing answered questions cannot be deleted.

AI Survey Generation and Information Questions

The training demonstrated planned or account-dependent tools for generating survey questions with AI and adding an information/document item.

Procedure

1. When enabled, select Generate with AI in the survey builder.
2. Describe the audit or task list required, and optionally upload a source document.
3. Generate the draft questions.
4. Review every generated question, answer type, mandatory rule, and target before publishing.
5. For an information item, select the Info question type and add explanatory text or a reference document when that feature is available.

Important notes

• AI generation was demonstrated on another account and was not enabled on the training account.
• AI use may have an additional cost.
• The Info/document question was described as an upcoming feature. Confirm that it is live before including it in a procedure.
• Never publish AI-generated questions without human review.

Create Merchandiser-Specific Surveys

Make a survey available to merchandisers while retaining visibility for unit managers.

Procedure

1. Create or edit the survey.
2. Select Available to Merchandisers.
3. Set the store targeting and dates.
4. Confirm whether the survey is mandatory for the intended field role.
5. Test with a merchandiser account and a unit-manager account before launch.

Important notes

• The unit manager may see the merchandiser survey but may not be required to complete it.
• Role-specific behaviour can depend on profile configuration. Test the exact permissions in production-like accounts.
• Survey list exports may require further reporting enhancement to include manager and store hierarchy.

Use Ranging for Structured Product Checks

Capture a structured yes/no product availability check with an optional value and expiry date.

Procedure

1. In the field app, open the customer and select Ranging.
2. Choose the product category.
3. For each product, record whether it is on shelf.
4. Enter the configured optional value, such as price, stock count, or shelf facings.
5. Enter the expiry date when required.
6. Submit the ranging data.
7. In the dashboard, open Ranging Report and select the category and reporting period.

Important notes

• Ranging uses a fixed structure and is suited to stock checks, availability, values, and expiry dates.
• Ranging does not automatically create an exception or mandatory task. Use a note or survey when completion must be enforced.
• Use the product-question survey builder when custom questions are needed per product.

Review Expiry and Range Reports

Analyse ranging data by product or by store and identify products approaching expiry.

Procedure

1. Open the Ranging Report.
2. Select the category, reporting period, and other filters.
3. Choose whether stores or products appear across the top of the matrix.
4. Review ranged status, captured value, expiry date, and days left.
5. Export the report for follow-up.
6. Filter or sort to prioritise the shortest days-left values.

Important notes

• Confirm the report is using the correct product category and store set.
• Treat missing submissions separately from a recorded No response.
• Use a survey rather than ranging when a mandatory explanation or evidence photo is required.

Protect IDs, Barcodes, and Integration Links

Maintain the identifiers that allow stores and products to match correctly across MAX and external data sources.

Procedure

1. Keep the Max for Brands system ID unchanged during exports and imports.
2. Populate the customer external ID with the matching store code from the source system.
3. Populate the product barcode or agreed external ID consistently.
4. Use the same barcode across retailers where it represents the same physical product.
5. Validate a sample of stores and products after every bulk import.
6. Document which source system owns each identifier.

Important notes

• Incorrect store codes can break stock-data matching and reporting.
• Barcodes were described as important for future or expanded source-system queries.
• Do not use product descriptions as the only integration key because naming varies between retailers.

Admin FAQ and Confirmed Limitations

Quick answers to the most common questions raised during the session.

Troubleshooting and Escalation Checklist

Use this checklist before escalating an admin-dashboard problem.

Information to collect before escalation

• Capture the user name, role, store/customer, date and time, browser/device, and exact module.
• Include the affected survey/order/customer/product name and ID where available.
• Attach a full-screen screenshot and the steps that produced the issue.
• State whether the problem affects one user, one store, or all users.
• Record what checks were already completed and whether the issue can be reproduced.