Choosing POS software in Pakistan: 9 things to check before you pay

There is a lot of POS software on offer in Pakistan, and most demos look the same. These are the questions that separate the ones that work in a real shop from the ones that don't.

1. Does it bill without internet?

Load-shedding and weak signal are part of the day. Ask what happens to a bill when the connection drops, and how long it can keep selling offline.

2. Can your staff use it in their language?

If the cashier can't read English comfortably, Roman Urdu or Urdu screens matter more than any feature list.

3. Does it take the way your customers pay?

Cash, JazzCash, Easypaisa, Raast, card and udhaar, sometimes on the same bill.

4. Does it work with the printer and scanner you have?

Most shops already have a 58 mm or 80 mm thermal printer and a USB barcode scanner. You shouldn't need new hardware.

5. Is udhaar part of it?

If credit customers live in a separate register, your profit and your cash never agree.

6. What about FBR or PRA?

If you are a Tier-1 retailer or a restaurant that must report sales, check that the POS can send invoices and print the QR.

7. Can you get your data out?

Ask how to download everything to Excel. If the answer is vague, think twice.

8. Who can see what?

The cashier should make bills, not see your profit. Check that each person gets their own login and role.

9. What does it really cost?

Monthly fee, setup, hardware, extra users, extra branches. Ask for the total for your shop in rupees.

How Apna Munshi answers these

Munshi's POS software bills offline for up to 72 hours, works in English and Roman Urdu, takes all the payments above, prints on standard thermal printers, keeps udhaar on the same screen, sends bills to FBR, PRA, SRB or KPRA, exports everything to Excel, and gives each person a role. You pay per module in rupees after a free trial.