Setting Up Key Business Data
Now that your products are set up, let's add the essential business information for selling and managing relationships.
Overview
In this section, you'll set up:
- Customers - For tracking sales and managing credit
- Suppliers - For reordering and supplier management
- Payment Methods - For processing transactions
Adding Customers for Credit Sales
Why Add Customers?
- Track purchase history and preferences
- Manage credit sales and payment terms
- Build customer relationships
- Analyze buying patterns and customer value
Adding Your First Customer
📹 Video: Adding a Customer
Steps to Add Customer
- Tap "More" at the bottom navigation
- Tap "Base Data"
- Tap "Customers"
- Tap the "+" button to add a new customer
Customer Information to Enter
- Full Name - Customer's complete name
- Phone Number - Primary contact (required for credit sales and communication)
- Description - Customer details or notes (optional)
Priority Customers to Add First
Start with these customers:
- ✅ Your top 5-10 regular customers
- ✅ Anyone who frequently buys on credit
- ✅ Wholesale customers who buy in bulk
- ✅ VIP customers who get special pricing or treatment
- ✅ Customers with outstanding credit balances
Managing Customer Information
📹 Video: Editing Customer Details
📹 Video: Deleting a Customer
Customer Management Actions
- View Customer Details - Tap on any customer to see their profile
- Edit Customer Info - Update contact details and information
- Customer History - View all purchases and payment history
:::tip Customer Management Add customers as you need them. You don't have to add all customers upfront - you can add them when they make their first purchase. :::
Setting Up Suppliers
Why Track Suppliers?
- Know who to reorder from quickly
- Maintain supplier contact information
- Track which supplier provides which products
- Manage supplier relationships
Adding a Supplier
📹 Video: Managing Suppliers
Steps to Add Supplier
- Go to "More" → "Base Data" → "Suppliers"
- Tap the "+" button
- Fill in supplier details
Supplier Information
- Contact Person - Your main contact at the supplier
- Phone Number - Primary business phone
- Description - Special arrangements, minimum orders, or important details
Essential Suppliers to Add
- ✅ Your main product supplier (primary source)
- ✅ Backup suppliers for key items
- ✅ Local suppliers for quick restocking
- ✅ Specialty suppliers for unique products
- ✅ Emergency suppliers for urgent needs
Supplier Management Tips
- Regular Updates - Keep contact information current
- Performance Tracking - Note which suppliers are reliable
- Relationship Building - Maintain good communication
- Comparison - Track pricing and quality across suppliers
Configuring Payment Methods
Understanding Payment Types
Your app supports different payment methods to match how customers prefer to pay:
- Cash - Immediate payment in physical money
- Bank Transfer - Payments via bank accounts (CBE, Awash, Abyssinya, etc.)
- Mobile Money - Tele Birr, M-Pesa, etc.
- Card Payments - Credit/debit card transactions
Setting Up Payment Methods
📹 Video: Payment Methods
How to Set Up
- Go to "More" → "Base Data" → "Payment Methods"
- Tap "+" to add each payment type you accept
- For each method, enter:
- Name - Clear name (e.g., "Cash", "Tele Birr - Abebe", "CBE - Kebede")
- Account Number - Add the account number related to the account
- Description - Brief explanation of the payment method
Recommended Payment Methods to Set Up
Essential Methods (Set up first):
-
Cash - Always needed for immediate transactions
- Name: "Cash"
- Description: "Physical cash payments"
-
Company Bank Account - Main business account
- Name: "CBE - Company Account"
- Account Number: Your business account number
- Description: "Main company account"
-
Manager Accounts - If managers accept payments
- Name: "Tele Birr - [Manager Name]"
- Account Number: Manager's mobile money number
- Description: "[Branch Name] manager account"
Additional Methods (Add as needed):
- Other bank accounts (Awash Bank, Abyssinia Bank, etc.)
- Additional mobile money accounts
- Card payment terminals
- Other payment services
Payment Method Best Practices
- Start Simple - Begin with Cash and one electronic method
- Add Gradually - Add more methods as your business grows
- Clear Names - Use names your customers and staff will recognize
- Regular Review - Remove unused methods, add popular ones
- Staff Training - Ensure your team knows how to process each method
- Verification - Always verify payment receipt before completing sales
Managing Payment Methods
- Edit Methods - Update names and descriptions as needed
- Track Usage - See which methods customers prefer in analytics
- Remove Unused - Clean up methods you no longer accept
- Add New - Stay current with popular payment options
✅ Phase 1 Complete!
🎉 Congratulations! You've completed the essential setup for your Lemat Stock system!
What You've Accomplished:
- ✅ Product Management - Added base items with photos, attributes, and details
- ✅ Inventory System - Created variants with pricing, stock levels, and branch assignments
- ✅ Advanced Features - Set up QR code printing, stock adjustments, and transfers
- ✅ Customer Database - Added key customers for credit sales and relationship management
- ✅ Supplier Network - Set up your supplier contacts
- ✅ Payment Processing - Configured all payment methods you accept
Your Business is Now Ready For:
- 💰 Processing sales with multiple payment options
- 📊 Tracking inventory across multiple branches
- 🤝 Managing customer credit and relationships
- 📦 Reordering from suppliers efficiently
- 📈 Understanding your business performance
- 🏪 Operating multiple locations
Quick Success Tips:
- Start Selling - Begin with simple cash transactions to test the system
- Monitor Stock - Check low stock alerts daily
- Track Credit - Follow up on customer payments regularly
- Review Analytics - Check your daily performance
- Train Your Team - Ensure staff know how to use key features
Ready to start making sales?