Choosing pharmacy software is a decision you will live with every day at the counter. Demos always look good, so here are eight practical things to test before you sign. Ask your pharmacist and your accountant to sit in on the demo. They will spot things you will not.

1. GST billing and returns

Check that invoices print in the layout you want, with your own logo. Then ask what the software produces for filing: GSTR-1, GSTR-3B and, if you are on the composition scheme, CMP-08. Ask to see the actual reports.

2. Batch and expiry tracking

Stock should be tracked by batch, not just by medicine name. Ask how expiry alerts work, how far ahead they warn, and whether the oldest batch is suggested first at billing.

3. Controlled drug and prescription records

If you sell Schedule H, H1 or X medicines, you need proper records. Ask to see the register and how prescriber and patient details are captured at the counter. Your pharmacist will know what an inspector expects.

4. Speed at the counter

Time a real bill. Can you complete it with the keyboard and a barcode scanner, without touching the mouse? Try a bill with five items and a split payment.

5. What happens without internet

Ask what still works if the connection drops for an hour. Billing should not stop. Ask also whether anything needs an online check, and how often.

6. Backups and data ownership

Where is your data stored, and who can take it out? Ask how backups work, where they go, and how to restore one. A backup kept only on the same disk will not save you if the disk fails.

7. Licence terms

Read what happens when the licence expires. Software that locks you out of your own records on a missed renewal is a risk. Look for terms that let you at least read and export your data.

8. Onboarding and support

Ask who moves your data from the old software, who trains your staff, and how you reach support. A phone number and a WhatsApp line that people actually answer are worth more than a long feature list.

A quick way to compare

Score each product from one to five on these eight points, using the same real bill and the same questions for every vendor. The right choice usually becomes obvious, and if it is not obvious, you have found a good question to ask them next.

If you are looking at PHARVILO, we would be glad to walk through these eight points on your own stock and bills.