NexaPOS vs spreadsheets and stock cards
Many shops start with a notebook, stock cards or a spreadsheet, and that can work well. Here is how they compare with a POS for the jobs a growing shop does every day.
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| Topic | Spreadsheets and stock cards | NexaPOS |
|---|---|---|
| Recording a sale | Spreadsheets and stock cards: Written in a book or typed into a sheet, often after the customer has left. | NexaPOS: Recorded at checkout, with a receipt, by the person who made the sale. How it works |
| Knowing what is in stock | Spreadsheets and stock cards: Stock cards or a sheet updated by hand, so the number is only as current as the last update. | NexaPOS: One catalogue with stock by branch and a movement history that shows why each number changed. How it works |
| Knowing when to reorder | Spreadsheets and stock cards: Someone checks the shelves or the sheet and remembers to order. | NexaPOS: Reorder alerts when a product runs low. How it works |
| Checking deliveries | Spreadsheets and stock cards: The delivery note is compared with the order by hand, if the order was written down. | NexaPOS: Purchase orders and goods receiving, so deliveries are checked against what was ordered. How it works |
| Cash at the end of a shift | Spreadsheets and stock cards: The cash is counted and the total written down; working out what it should have been takes time. | NexaPOS: Opening float, expected versus counted cash, and the variance recorded at every shift close. How it works |
| Who did what | Spreadsheets and stock cards: Hard to tell who made a sale, a void or a change unless everyone writes it down. | NexaPOS: Cashier, manager and administrator access, with every sale, shift and void tied to a person. How it works |
| Customers | Spreadsheets and stock cards: Names and amounts owed in a notebook or a phone. | NexaPOS: Customer profiles with purchase history, segments and credit tracking. How it works |
| Several branches | Spreadsheets and stock cards: A file or a book per branch, combined by phone calls and copying. | NexaPOS: Branch performance side by side, with stock per branch. How it works |
| Reports | Spreadsheets and stock cards: Built by hand from the records, usually at the end of the month. | NexaPOS: Sales, payment methods, top products, gross margin, expenses and staff performance. How it works |
| When the internet drops | Spreadsheets and stock cards: A paper book keeps working; a spreadsheet on one computer does too. | NexaPOS: Offline-capable checkout for eligible sales. Eligible sales can be captured during a connection loss and synchronized safely later. How it works |
When a spreadsheet is enough
- You run one small shop, you are at the counter yourself, and you sell a short list of products.
- You count stock regularly and the counts match your records.
- You do not need to know who made each sale, or compare branches.
Signs it is time to switch
- Stock counts often do not match what the records say.
- Cash at the end of the day is regularly over or short, and nobody can tell why.
- You have staff on the till, or more than one branch, and cannot see what happens when you are away.
- Reports take days to put together, so decisions wait.
Not sure yet? The setup readiness checklist shows what to prepare before moving to a POS, and the free templates help you organise your products and stock first.
See NexaPOS with your own store in mind
Book a free demo: we walk through NexaPOS using your kind of store and answer your questions, with no obligation.