How to choose management software for a small business

1. Start from your trade, not from the feature list

Software that "does everything" rarely does what you need well. First write down the three figures you want to know every week: the margin on a product, the money cashed in, the remaining stock, the unpaid invoices. The right software is the one that gives you those three figures without effort.

2. Check that it holds up in the field

In West Africa, where we are based, three constraints rule out a lot of software. Your market has its own:

• Payment methods: mobile money must appear next to cash and bank.
• Outages: the software must keep working, at least partly, when the network drops.
• Devices: it must run on the phones your team already owns.

3. Control who sees what

As soon as several people use the software, each one must have access limited to their work. A cashier does not need to see the margins. Good software also records who did what, and when.

4. Try before you pay

Be wary of software you cannot try. A demo with sample data, then a trial with your own figures, teach you more than any brochure.

5. Work out the total cost

The displayed price is only part of the cost. Add set-up, training, extra users and support. An all-inclusive subscription is often more predictable than a licence with options.

6. Know who will answer you

The day a figure looks wrong, you need a quick answer, in your language, during the hours you work. Ask how support works before you sign.