General trading company software for stock, trade credit and clear profit

1Buying in bulk, selling in lots

Record each purchase with supplier, quantity, unit and cost, including part payments and pay-by dates. Sell in the units your customers use: cartons, bags or pieces. Stock is held in one base unit per product, so every conversion is consistent.

2Trade credit on both sides

You are likely to give credit to customers and receive it from suppliers. The two dues lists, money to receive and money to pay, give you the position at a glance. Compare them weekly: if receivables are rising faster than payables, a cash squeeze may be coming.

3Profit per product

Because costs update with each purchase, the gross profit report shows what each product earns. Trading margins are often thin, so identifying the lines that carry the business, and the ones that tie up cash for little return, is worth the minutes it takes.

4Expenses and net profit

Godown rent, transport, wages and electricity are significant. Record them as expenses and salaries, and the net profit view shows what remains. Many traders discover that a few low-margin lines no longer cover their costs.

5A small team

An office may have an accountant, a storekeeper and a salesman. Give each a login with a suitable role: the storekeeper receives stock, others bill and take payments, and only you see costs and profit.

6Controlling working capital

Trading is a game of cash cycles. Stock valuation shows money tied up in goods, customer dues show money waiting to arrive, and supplier dues show money you must pay. Reading these three together every week gives a picture of your working capital, and warns you if you are buying more than you can afford to hold.

7Pricing and margins

When you sell in bulk to shops, a small change in margin has a big effect on profit. Check gross profit by product monthly. If a line earns very little but ties up cash, consider raising its price, buying less of it or dropping it. Each decision is easier with reliable figures.

8Getting set up

Start with your suppliers and customers, entering their opening balances so the dues lists are correct from the first day. Add your main products with units and costs, and record the current stock. Then record each purchase and sale as it happens. Within a few weeks you will have reliable receivables, payables and margin figures to run the business on.

★Get started in four steps

1. Add suppliers and customersWith opening balances.
2. Add products with unitsBase unit and package units.
3. Record purchases and salesAs they happen.
4. Review dues and profit weeklyReceivables, payables and margins.

!Good to know before you start