From notebook to software: 7 steps to manage your shop accounts

Sales, dues, stock and cash in one place. A simple plan to move a Bangladeshi shop from the khata to software without stopping work.

Most shops in Bangladesh still keep accounts in a notebook (khata). It works, until a page is lost, a due is forgotten, or you cannot say how much profit you made this month. Software fixes this, but only if the change is done step by step.

1. Decide what you need to see every day

Write down the five numbers you want at the end of each day: total sales, cash in hand, bKash/Nagad balance, customer dues and low stock. Choose software that shows these on one screen.

2. Start with products and prices

Enter your products with buying price, selling price and current stock. Start with the 50 items you sell most; add the rest during quiet hours.

3. Move customer dues first

Dues are money you already earned. Copy every customer's due from the khata into the software with their phone number. Many shops recover old dues in the first month just because the list is finally clear.

4. Make every sale through the software

From day one, print or send an invoice for each sale, even small ones. Partial payments and dues are then counted automatically.

5. Record expenses and money movement

Rent, salary, electricity, delivery charges and cash sent to bKash: record them the same day. This is what turns sales into real profit.

6. Give staff their own login

Each salesperson should have a login with limited rights. You can see who sold what, and nobody can delete a sale without leaving a trace.

7. Check the report every night

Spend five minutes on the daily report. After two weeks you will know your best-selling items, your slow days and your real profit.

Tip: keep the old khata for one month next to the software. When the numbers match for two weeks, you can trust the software.

Common mistakes to avoid

Entering everything on day one. It is tiring and the counter slows down. Go product by product, starting with what sells most.
Sharing one login. When everyone uses the owner's password, nobody is responsible for mistakes.
Skipping small sales. A single pen or a cup of tea still changes your cash. If it is not entered, the day will not match.
No backup. Choose software that keeps your data online, so a broken phone or computer does not take your accounts with it.

How long does it take?

For a typical shop with 200-500 products, the setup takes one to three evenings. Staff usually learn to make a sale in less than an hour. The first week feels a little slower; after that it is faster than writing in the khata, and the month-end calculation takes minutes instead of a day.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a computer?

No. Good shop software works in a phone browser too. A computer and a small receipt printer help at a busy counter, but you can start with just a phone.

What if the internet goes down?

Note the sales on paper for those minutes and enter them when the connection is back. Keeping mobile data as a backup is usually enough.

Is my data safe?

Ask where the data is stored, whether there are daily backups, and whether you can download your own data. Each shop's data should be separate and visible only to your own logins.

Which software?

Hisab BMS was made for exactly this: sales, dues, stock, bKash/Nagad, staff and profit, in Bangla and English, on phone or computer. You can try it free for 7 days. If you prefer help to set it up, contact us.