Choosing pharmacy software in Pakistan: what to look for

A pharmacy runs on thousands of small items, each with a batch, an expiry date and a margin. Paper registers and memory work until they don't: an expired strip sold by mistake, a fast-moving medicine out of stock on a busy evening, or a month's profit that nobody can actually work out. Good pharmacy software fixes all three. This checklist is what to ask any supplier before you buy.

1. Expiry and batch tracking

This matters more than anything else. The software should record the batch and expiry of every purchase, warn you well before stock expires, and sell the earliest-expiring stock first. Ask the supplier to show you the near-expiry report on a live system.

2. A counter that keeps up with a queue

• Search a medicine by brand or generic name in a few keystrokes.
• Barcode scanning for items that carry one.
• Sell by strip, tablet or pack, with the price worked out automatically.
• A printed receipt in seconds, and returns handled without a manager.

3. Stock that tells you before you run out

Set a minimum level for each item and get a list of what to reorder. The best systems suggest quantities from what actually sold, so you stop over-buying slow items and running out of the fast ones.

4. Purchases and suppliers

Record each purchase invoice against its supplier, with the batch and expiry of every line, and keep each supplier's balance up to date. At the end of the month you should know exactly what you owe and to whom.

5. Reports you will actually read

• Daily sales and cash at closing.
• Profit by day, month and item, not just turnover.
• Best and slowest sellers.
• Stock value on hand.

6. Power cuts, backups and staff

• Ask what happens during a power or internet outage, and whether sales can continue.
• Data should be backed up automatically, off the shop computer.
• Each staff member should have their own login, so every sale and discount can be traced.

7. Support from people you can reach

Software is only as good as the help you get when something goes wrong on a busy day. Ask who installs it, who trains your staff, how quickly problems are answered, and whether you can reach them on WhatsApp. Ask to speak to a pharmacy already using it.

Before you decide

Ask for a demo on real data, check expiry tracking first, and talk to an existing user. A supplier who is confident in their software will be happy to do all three.