Optimum Control - Common Issues
Optimum Control — Common Issues and How to Get Help
ℹ️ Optimum Control is the F&B inventory management system used at Argus restaurants — covering inventory counts, recipe costing, vendor management, ordering, and reporting. It's a TracRite product.
📧 For most Optimum Control program issues, contact TracRite support directly at Support@tracrite.net. They have the deepest knowledge of their own software and can resolve most program-related problems.
This article explains how Optimum Control is set up at Argus, common issues you might run into, and where to go for help. Optimum Control is unusual in a couple of important ways — please read the Critical Info section first.
⚠️ Critical Info — Read This First
Only two venues are licensed: Maestro's and Lakeside Dining
Argus uses Optimum Control at two F&B venues only:
- Maestro's has its own Optimum Control instance and database.
- Lakeside Dining has its own Optimum Control instance and database.
Other F&B venues (Yacht Club, Whiskey Bar, Boardwalk, Boathouse / Clubhouse) do not have their own Optimum Control instances. Their inventory and reporting is folded into either Maestro's or Lakeside, depending on how that venue is organized. If you work at one of these other venues and need OC access, you'll need a license for whichever site (Maestro's or Lakeside) your venue rolls into.
Licenses are per WORKSTATION, not per user
Optimum Control is licensed by workstation, not by individual user. This means:
- The license is installed on a specific computer, not assigned to a person.
- All users at that workstation share the same Optimum Control login and password — there is no individual sign-in.
- All users are admin-level inside Optimum Control (admin within the program — this has nothing to do with Windows admin or Argus IT admin).
- Licenses are limited at Argus. New licenses require approval and are not always immediately available.
If you need access to both Maestro's and Lakeside data, your workstation needs two licenses installed — one for each venue.
The database is at the Resort property — network connection required
The Optimum Control databases live on a server at the Resort property. To use Optimum Control, your workstation must be connected to the Resort network, either:
- Via wired Ethernet to the corporate network, or
- Via the internal corporate Wi-Fi at the Resort
You cannot connect through:
- Guest Wi-Fi or visitor Wi-Fi
- A personal hotspot
- Public Wi-Fi (hotel, café, etc.)
- A remote connection from off-property
If your workstation isn't on the right network, Optimum Control will not be able to reach the database and won't function.
⚠️ Quick Diagnostic
Before troubleshooting further:
Question 1: Is your workstation on the Resort corporate network?
- ✅ Yes (wired Ethernet OR connected to corporate Wi-Fi) → continue.
- ❌ No (on guest Wi-Fi, off-property, or unsure) → see "Network Connection Issues" below.
Question 2: What is the issue?
- 🟡 Can't sign in — don't know the username/password → See "Sign-In and Credentials" below.
- 🟡 Optimum Control won't open or can't connect to the database → See "Connection and Database Issues" below.
- 🟡 Reports won't generate, error in a report, or missing data → See "Reports and Data Issues" below.
- 🟡 Inventory count won't save, missing items, or vendor not in list → See "Inventory and Vendor Issues" below.
- 🟡 Need access from a new workstation, or need additional venue license → See "Requesting Access or a New License" below.
- 🟡 Program is slow, frozen, or crashing → See "Performance and Crash Issues" below.
Sign-In and Credentials
Optimum Control uses one shared login per workstation per venue licence. Because the login is shared by everyone who uses that workstation:
If you don't know the username and password for the workstation you're using:
- Ask another F&B staff member at your venue who uses the same workstation — they should know the credentials.
- Ask your F&B manager or executive chef — they will know.
- Do not contact IT or TracRite for credential lookup — this isn't a user-level account, it's a workstation login that your team controls.
⚠️ A note on credential hygiene: because the Optimum Control login is shared, please don't write it on a sticky note on the monitor or anywhere visible. Use a shared, secured location your team agrees on (a sealed envelope in a locked office, a password manager your team uses, etc.). Treat it like a team password.
If the password has been changed and no one knows the new one, contact TracRite at Support@tracrite.net — they can reset it. Mention which venue (Maestro's or Lakeside Dining) and your workstation.
Network Connection Issues
If Optimum Control can't reach the database (errors about connection failure, database unreachable, server timeout, etc.), the most common cause is a network issue.
Step 1: Confirm what network you're connected to
- Click the network icon in the bottom-right of your screen (near the clock).
- Verify you're connected to the corporate Argus network at the Resort — NOT guest Wi-Fi.
- If you're on guest Wi-Fi by accident, disconnect and reconnect to the corporate network.
Step 2: Test general network access
- Open a web browser and try to load an internal Argus site or shared drive.
- If you can reach internal resources, the network is working — but Optimum Control specifically can't reach the database, which is unusual. Restart Optimum Control and try again.
- If you can't reach internal resources at all, the network connection itself is the issue — submit an Argus IT ticket.
Step 3: Wired vs Wireless
If you have the option, a wired Ethernet connection is more reliable than Wi-Fi for Optimum Control work. If you're using Wi-Fi and having intermittent connection problems, plug in via Ethernet and retest.
Step 4: If you're trying to use Optimum Control off-property
You can't. Optimum Control's database is at the Resort and is only accessible from the Resort's internal network. If you need to do inventory work outside business hours, you'll need to be on-site or wait until you're back at your venue.
Connection and Database Issues
If you're on the correct network but Optimum Control still won't connect to the database:
- Close Optimum Control completely and reopen it.
- Restart your workstation. A clean reboot often clears stuck connections.
- Check with other F&B staff at your venue (and the Resort) — can they connect?
- If yes, the issue is specific to your workstation. Submit an Argus IT ticket.
- If no, the OC database server at the Resort may be down. Submit an Argus IT ticket AND email TracRite at Support@tracrite.net.
Reports and Data Issues
A specific report won't generate or shows an error
- Try a smaller date range first — large date ranges can time out.
- Check the filters / parameters at the top of the report.
- Restart Optimum Control and try again.
- If the report still fails, email Support@tracrite.net with the report name, parameters, and a screenshot of the error.
Report shows incorrect or missing data
This is usually an operational issue, not a software issue:
- Was the inventory count for the period completed and committed?
- Were all invoices entered for that period?
- Were recipes updated to match current preparation?
- Was this period's data correctly assigned to the right venue?
Talk to your F&B manager or executive chef — these are operational data questions, not IT or TracRite questions.
Exporting to Excel or PDF fails
- Try a different export format (Excel vs PDF vs CSV).
- Confirm your workstation can open Excel / PDFs in general (try opening any other file of that type).
- If only Optimum Control exports fail, email Support@tracrite.net.
- If all Excel or PDF activity is broken on your workstation, submit an Argus IT ticket.
Inventory and Vendor Issues
An item is missing from inventory
Items are added by F&B management within Optimum Control. If you're counting and an item isn't there:
- Check spelling and try search variations.
- Confirm with your supervisor / executive chef that the item is set up.
- If it's a new item that hasn't been added yet, ask your F&B manager to add it.
Inventory count won't save
- Make sure all required fields are completed.
- Look for any error messages on screen.
- Try saving in smaller increments.
- If saves consistently fail with errors, email Support@tracrite.net with screenshots.
A vendor isn't appearing in the order list
Vendors are managed by F&B management. New vendors must be added before they can be used in orders. Talk to your F&B manager or executive chef.
Requesting Access or a New License
Optimum Control licenses are limited at Argus. They are per-workstation, per-venue, not per-user.
When you need to submit a license request
- You're being assigned to use a workstation that doesn't currently have Optimum Control installed.
- An existing workstation needs an additional venue licence (e.g., you have Maestro's installed and now also need Lakeside).
- A workstation is being replaced and the licence needs to move to the new device.
How to request
Submit an Argus IT ticket with:
OPTIMUM CONTROL LICENSE REQUEST
================================
Requester name:
Company email address:
Job title:
Property / venue:
WORKSTATION
[ ] Existing workstation already at the venue — asset tag:
[ ] New workstation that hasn't been deployed yet
Location of the workstation (which room, station, office):
WHICH VENUE LICENSE IS NEEDED?
[ ] Maestro's
[ ] Lakeside Dining
[ ] Both Maestro's AND Lakeside Dining (two licenses required)
JUSTIFICATION
Why is this access needed:
APPROVAL
Approved by (manager / GM):
Approval date:
What happens next
- IT reviews the request and confirms whether a license is currently available.
- Licenses are limited. If none are immediately available, your request will be queued and you'll be notified.
- When a license is available, IT will coordinate the installation on your workstation.
- After installation, IT or your manager will provide the workstation-level credentials.
Performance and Crash Issues
Optimum Control is slow
- Confirm your network connection is stable — slow or weak Wi-Fi to the Resort network will cause OC to lag.
- Wired Ethernet is usually much faster than Wi-Fi for OC work. Try plugging in.
- Close other heavy programs on your workstation.
- Restart Optimum Control and your workstation.
- If slowness persists for multiple staff, the database or network may be under stress — submit an Argus IT ticket and email Support@tracrite.net.
Optimum Control freezes or crashes
- Force-close the program (Task Manager → select Optimum Control → End Task).
- Wait 30 seconds.
- Reopen Optimum Control.
- If it crashes again, restart your workstation.
- If it still crashes after a clean reboot, note exactly what action triggered the crash and email Support@tracrite.net.
Property-Wide Issues
If multiple F&B staff at Maestro's or Lakeside can't use Optimum Control at all, the issue is one of:
- The OC database server at the Resort is down or unreachable — submit an Argus IT ticket (the database is hosted on the Argus network) AND email Support@tracrite.net.
- The Resort's network is having issues — affects more than just OC (you can't reach internal resources). Submit an Argus IT ticket.
- The venue's network connection to the Resort is broken — submit an Argus IT ticket.
When to Contact Who
Talk to other F&B staff at your venue or your F&B manager / executive chef FIRST if:
- You don't know the workstation's Optimum Control login
- An item is missing from inventory that should be there
- A vendor needs to be added
- You see incorrect data in a report and want to understand why
- You're not sure how to do something in the system
- You need to know which venue your reporting rolls into
Contact TracRite (Support@tracrite.net) if:
- A report consistently fails with an error
- The program crashes repeatedly
- Saves consistently fail with error messages
- Orders won't send to vendors and the setup looks correct
- The password has been lost entirely (no one at the venue knows it)
- You're seeing program errors no one at the venue recognizes
- Performance is bad across multiple staff and the network is fine
Contact Argus IT (submit a ticket) if:
- Your workstation won't turn on or has hardware problems
- You can't reach the corporate network (general connectivity issue)
- You need a new Optimum Control license for a workstation
- You need an existing license moved to a different workstation
- The OC database server appears to be down
- Optimum Control is missing entirely from a workstation that previously had it
- A printer, monitor, or other hardware is failing at the F&B office
- TracRite has told you the issue is local
What to Include in Your Ticket
If submitting an Argus IT ticket about Optimum Control:
- Your workstation's asset tag number — the small Argus IT label on the device.
- Your company email address.
- Which venue — Maestro's or Lakeside Dining (the OC instance involved, not necessarily your home venue).
- What workstation and where — e.g., "Maestro's chef office workstation," "Lakeside back office desktop."
- What you were trying to do when the issue occurred.
- What exact error message appears, if any — screenshot is ideal.
- Is it just this workstation, or other workstations at the venue too?
- Have you contacted TracRite (Support@tracrite.net)? If yes, what did they say?
Related Articles
- New User Onboarding Request — What to Include (KB-3001) — for new F&B staff needing access to a workstation that has OC
- How to Request New Hardware (KB-200001) — for new workstations that will need OC installed
- Squirrel POS Terminal Not Working (KB-170009) — separate F&B system, vendor-supported
KB-210001 | Created: May 20, 2026