A good POS (point of sale) system does much more than print bills. It controls your stock, shows you which items make money and stops cash going missing. This guide lists what to check before you buy one for a shop, pharmacy, hardware store or supermarket in Sri Lanka.
1. It must keep billing when the internet goes down
Internet and power cuts still happen in many towns. A POS that only works in the browser stops your counter when the line drops. Choose a system that bills offline on the counter computer and sends sales to the cloud when the connection comes back. That way the queue keeps moving and the owner still sees sales on the phone.
2. Sinhala (and Tamil) on receipts and screens
Many customers and cashiers prefer Sinhala. Check that the system prints item names in Sinhala on the thermal printer, not boxes or question marks, and that the cashier screen can show Sinhala names too.
3. Fast billing at the counter
- Barcode scanning and quick search by name or code
- Touch screen buttons for loose items (vegetables, bread, short eats)
- Weighing-scale barcodes for items sold by weight
- Cash, card, QR and credit sales on the same bill
- Hold a bill and serve the next customer
Ask for a demo and time how long a 10-item bill takes. Seconds matter in a busy shop.
4. Stock you can trust
The POS should reduce stock with every sale and add it with every GRN (goods received note). Look for:
- Low-stock alerts and re-order lists
- Expiry dates and batch numbers (important for pharmacies and food)
- Supplier-wise purchases and supplier balances
- Stock adjustments with a reason, so losses are visible
5. Reports the owner can read on the phone
You should not need to sit at the shop computer to know today's sales. A cloud dashboard should show sales by day, cashier, item and branch, profit (when buying prices are entered), cash in hand and credit outstanding.
6. More than one branch?
If you have two shops or plan to open one, check that each branch bills on its own and the owner sees all branches together. Prices should be changeable centrally and sent down to the branches.
7. Users and cash control
Every cashier should log in with their own name. Discounts, bill cancellations and price changes should need a higher permission. The day-end report should compare the cash counted with the cash the system expects.
8. Local support you can actually reach
When the printer stops at 7 pm on a Saturday, you need someone who answers the phone. Ask who installs the system, who trains your staff, how remote support works and what happens if the computer fails (backups).
Questions to ask any POS company
- Does it work offline? What happens to sales made offline?
- Can it print Sinhala on my thermal printer?
- Can I see sales on my phone?
- Is there a monthly fee, and what does it include?
- Who visits if something goes wrong, and how fast?
- Can I move my existing items and stock into it?
How Tecrosoft can help
Our POS & billing system is built in Sri Lanka for Sri Lankan shops: fast counter billing that keeps working offline, stock with batch and expiry control, credit and cheques, and a cloud dashboard for the owner. We install it, train your staff and support you in Sinhala or English. Book a free demo and try it with your own items.
Talk to a Sri Lankan software team
Free demo, advice in Sinhala or English, and setup with your own data.