Pharmacy software checklist: 15 questions to ask before you buy (Pakistan, 2026)

Most medical store owners buy software once and then live with it for years, so the choice deserves more than a quick demo. This pharmacy software checklist gives you 15 questions to ask, the tests to run during a trial and the costs to add up before you pay anyone. It works whether you run one counter in a small town or a busy pharmacy near a hospital.

Start with how your shop works

There is no single best pharmacy software in Pakistan for every shop. The right one fits how yours works, so write that down first. How many counters bill at once on a busy evening? Who may give discounts or void a bill? Is a second branch coming? How often does the internet fail, and how long is load-shedding? How much udhaar do you give, and how many distributor bills arrive each week?

The 15 questions

1. How fast can a cashier bill a customer?

A queue at the counter is where slow software costs you customers. Ask the seller to bill five items without touching the mouse: scan a barcode, or type the first letters of a brand or generic name and pick it with the arrow keys. Ask what happens if the cashier presses the complete button twice. Good pharmacy POS software never makes a duplicate bill.

2. Does it sell by box, strip and tablet?

Distributors bill by the box, and customers buy a strip or four loose tablets. The software should count stock in the smallest unit, so selling five tablets reduces the box stock correctly, and the strip or tablet price should follow the pack price without the cashier doing sums.

3. Does it track every batch and sell by FEFO?

Every medicine on your shelf belongs to a batch with its own number, expiry and cost. The software should record all three on each purchase, sell the batch that expires first (FEFO, first expiry, first out) without the cashier choosing, and refuse expired batches. Generic billing software may treat a medicine as one item with one price, so ask to see batches in action.

4. Will it warn you before stock expires?

Look for a list of stock expiring in the next 30, 60 and 90 days, with its value at cost. Many distributors take near-expiry stock back only before a cut-off date, so good pharmacy expiry management saves real money.

5. Can it handle distributor schemes?

Enter a real distributor bill with a 10+1 bonus, a line discount and some freight. The software should work these into a landed cost per tablet or bottle, so your profit figures are real. It should also warn you when a supplier bill number is entered twice.

6. Can it replace your udhaar register?

If you give credit, the software must replace the paper register. Check for a credit limit per customer, a running khata of bills and payments, and a report of who has owed money for over 30, 60 or 90 days. Ask how your old opening balances get in.

7. How quickly can you load your products?

Typing every medicine by hand is the slowest part of starting. Ask whether there is a ready medicine database to pick from, and whether your existing product list and opening stock can be imported from a file.

8. What happens when the internet or power goes?

Software on the shop PC can bill without internet, but still needs power for the PC and the network. Online software needs a connection for every bill, so you need a backup such as a mobile hotspot. Ask what happens if the line drops in the middle of a bill.

9. Where are the backups?

Your sales history, stock and udhaar are worth more than the computer. Ask where backups are kept, how often they are made and how you would restore them on a new PC. If the data lives in the shop, you also need a copy away from it.

10. Can you control what each person may do?

Every person at the counter needs their own login. You should decide who can give discounts and how much, who can change a price and who can void a bill, and changes should be recorded with a name and time.

11. Does it print a proper pharmacy receipt?

Most counters use a 58 mm or 80 mm thermal printer. Check that the receipt prints without a print window, shows your drug sale licence number and can print batch and expiry on each line.

12. Does it handle FBR, and can you leave it off?

FBR POS integration is required for retailers FBR classes as Tier-1. If that is you, the software must report each invoice and print FBR's number and QR code. If not, you should be able to leave it switched off. Our guide to FBR POS integration for pharmacies explains who needs it.

13. Who helps you, and how do updates arrive?

Ask who you call when something goes wrong, whether an update can stop billing mid-day, and whether a failed update can be undone.

14. What will it cost over three years?

Add three years of licence or subscription to the PC, UPS, thermal printer, barcode scanner and any backup internet. Then ask what happens if you stop paying: can you still open and print your records?

15. Can you try it with your own stock first?

A demo shows the software on a good day; a trial shows it on yours. Load real distributor bills, bill real customers for a week, and try a return and a void.

How MediPOS answers the 15 questions

We make MediPOS, so weigh this part accordingly. It was built for Pakistani medical stores from the start: TP and RP, 10+1 schemes, udhaar, EasyPaisa and JazzCash are everyday screens, not add-ons.

The pricing page shows current prices and the modules in each plan. The Offline edition runs one branch; several branches need Cloud. Two honest gaps: MediPOS does not send SMS reminders for udhaar, and the owner mobile app is still in development.

Common questions

What computer do I need?

MediPOS Offline needs 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 and at least 4 GB of RAM, with 8 GB recommended for the main PC. Cloud software needs only a modern browser and a steady connection.

Should I choose offline or cloud software?

Offline suits one shop with unreliable internet. Cloud suits owners with several branches, or who want to check sales from home. Our comparison of offline vs cloud pharmacy software covers the trade-offs and prices.

Does a small medical store really need batch tracking?

Yes. Even a small shop loses money to expired stock, and a company recall asks for batch numbers. Once batches go in with each purchase, FEFO selling and expiry lists work on their own.

Related reading

• Offline vs cloud pharmacy software
• FBR POS integration for pharmacies
• Getting started with MediPOS
• Plans and prices