Platform Overview

Retail Pilot is a comprehensive Windows desktop Point of Sale (POS) and retail management system designed for small to medium-sized businesses. It provides features you need to manage your retail operations efficiently.

User Roles

Getting Started

Installation

1. Download the Retail Pilot installer (.exe) from the official website.
2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
3. Launch the application from the desktop shortcut or Start menu.
4. The system will initialize the database on first launch.

License Activation

1. Purchase the key from
   from themeinnova.com
2. Activate Key
   Once you purchased you get the key from store, enter the key on respected column and click Activate.

Login

1. Launch Application
   Open Retail Pilot from your desktop or Start menu.
2. Enter Credentials
   Default admin credentials:
   Username: admin
   Password: admin123
3. First Login
   Change the default password immediately in Settings → Users for security.

Initial Setup Checklist

• Change default admin password
• Configure company settings (name, address, GST, phone, email)
• Create user accounts for staff members
• Add product categories
• Import or add products to inventory
• Add customer profiles
• Customize invoice branding

Dashboard

The Dashboard provides a quick overview of your business performance with real-time metrics and insights.

Dashboard Widgets

Today's Sales

Displays total sales amount for the current day with transaction count.

Total Orders

Shows pending and in-progress orders that need attention.

Low Stock Alert

Highlights products below minimum stock levels requiring reorder.

Cashflow Overview

Net cashflow calculation (Income - Expenses) for today or selected period.

Recent Transactions

Latest sales, expenses, and income entries for quick reference.

Expense Breakdown

Visual chart showing expense distribution by category.

POS & Sales

The Point of Sale screen is the core module for processing customer transactions with full inventory integration.

Creating a Sale

1. Select Customer
   Choose a customer from the dropdown or use "Walk-In Customer" for anonymous sales.
2. Add Products
   Browse by category or search by name, SKU, or barcode. Click on products to add them to the cart.
3. Adjust Quantities
   Use +/- buttons to modify product quantities. The system validates against available stock.
4. Apply Discounts
   Set per-item discounts or apply an overall cart discount percentage or fixed amount.
5. Review Totals
   Cart displays: Subtotal, Tax, Discount, and Final Total.
6. Select Payment Method
   Choose from: Cash, Card, UPI, Credit, Partial Payment, or Free.
7. Complete Sale
   Click "Complete Sale" to process. Inventory is automatically updated.
8. Print Invoice
   An invoice is generated automatically. Option to print or download PDF.

Payment Methods

Sales Management

View and manage all completed sales from the Sales Management screen.

Features

• View all sales with invoice numbers, dates, customers, and totals
• Filter by payment status (Paid, Partial, Credit, Free)
• Filter by date range
• Search by invoice number or customer name
• Edit sales (updates inventory automatically)
• Delete sales (restores inventory)
• Export sales data to CSV
• View/print invoices

Billing

The Billing module provides invoice management and professional PDF generation for all sales.

Invoice Features

• Auto-generated invoice numbers (INV-00001 format)
• Company branding (logo, name, address, GST, contact)
• Itemized product lists with quantities, prices, discounts, and taxes
• Payment status tracking
• PDF export with custom fonts

Managing Invoices

View Invoices

1. Navigate to Billing from the sidebar
2. View all sales displayed as invoices
3. Payment status shown with color-coded badges

Filter Invoices

• By Date: Use date picker for custom ranges
• By Payment Status: Filter paid, pending, partial, or credit invoices
• Search: Type invoice number or customer name

Download Invoice PDF

1. Click the download icon on any invoice
2. Choose save location
3. PDF is generated with company branding and invoice details

Edit Invoice

1. Click edit option on invoice
2. Modify customer, products, quantities, or discounts
3. Save changes - inventory and cashflow update automatically

Orders

The Orders module manages quotes and estimates that do NOT affect inventory or cashflow until converted to actual sales.

Understanding Orders vs Sales

Creating an Order

1. Navigate to Orders
   Click Orders in the sidebar menu.
2. Click "New Order"
   Opens the order creation form.
3. Select Customer
   Choose the customer for this quote/order.
4. Add Products
   Browse or search products and add them with quantities and prices.
5. Set Delivery Date (Optional)
   Specify expected delivery or completion date.
6. Record Advance Payment (Optional)
   Enter advance amount if received. Remaining amount calculated automatically.
7. Save Order
   Order is created with auto-generated order number (ORD-00001).

Order Status Management

Order Features

• Dashboard showing total orders, pending count, in-progress count, and completed count
• Filter orders by status
• Search by order number or customer name
• Overdue orders highlighted (past delivery date)
• Advance payment tracking with remaining amount
• Export orders to CSV
• Order details view with status color coding

Inventory

Comprehensive product and stock management with category organization and bulk operations.

Adding a Product

1. Click "Add Product"
   Click the floating action button (+ icon) in the Inventory screen.
2. Basic Information
   Enter product name, SKU, barcode, and description.
3. Pricing Details
   Set purchase price, selling price, tax rate (%), and discount.
4. Stock Information
   Enter current stock quantity and minimum stock level for alerts.
5. Category
   Assign the product to a category (create new if needed).
6. Save Product
   Click Save to add the product to inventory.

Bulk Import from CSV

1. Click "Import from CSV" in the Inventory screen
2. Select a CSV file with the following format:

CSV Format Guide

Category Management

1. Click the category icon in the Inventory screen app bar
2. View all categories with product counts
3. Add new category with name and description
4. Edit or delete existing categories
5. Deleting a category sets products to "Uncategorized"

Stock Management Features

Low Stock Alerts

Products below minimum stock level are automatically highlighted with a red badge. Filter view to show only low stock items.

Inventory Search

Search products by:

• Product name
• SKU code
• Barcode number

Filtering Options

• All Products: View entire inventory
• Active Only: Show only active products
• Low Stock: Products below minimum level
• By Category: Filter by specific category

Export Inventory

Click "Export to CSV" to download complete inventory data including all product details, pricing, and stock levels.

Product Details

Click any product to view:

• Complete product information
• Current stock status
• Pricing and tax details
• Category assignment
• Inventory adjustment logs
• Sales history for the product

Customers

Manage customer profiles, track purchase history, credit limits, and outstanding balances.

Adding a Customer

1. Click "Add Customer"
   Click the + button in the Customers screen.
2. Basic Information
   Enter customer name, phone number, and email address.
3. Address Details
   Fill in complete address information.
4. Business Information
   Add GST number if applicable (for business customers).
5. Credit Limit
   Set maximum credit amount allowed for this customer (0 = no credit).
6. Save Customer
   Customer profile is created and can be used in sales.

Customer Dashboard

The Customers screen displays summary cards showing:

• Total Customers: Number of registered customers
• Total Orders: All orders from all customers
• Total Revenue: Sum of all customer purchases
• Outstanding: Total unpaid amount across all customers

Customer Statistics

Each customer card shows:

• Total number of orders placed
• Total purchases amount
• Total paid amount
• Outstanding balance
• Credit limit and remaining credit

Walk-In Customer

A special "Walk-In Customer" is automatically created with:

• Unlimited credit limit
• Used for anonymous sales
• Default selection in POS
• Cannot be deleted

Customer Search and Sorting

Search

Search customers by:

• Name
• Phone number
• Email address

Sort Options

• Name: Alphabetical order
• Orders: Most orders first
• Purchases: Highest spending first
• Outstanding: Highest balance first
• Recent: Newest customers first

Customer Details View

Click any customer to see:

• Complete profile information
• Purchase history with dates and amounts
• Outstanding balance breakdown
• Payment history
• Credit limit vs. used credit
• List of all orders and sales

Collecting Payments

1. Open customer details
2. Click "Collect Payment" button
3. Enter amount received
4. Select payment method (Cash, Card, UPI)
5. Add payment date and reference number
6. Click Save - outstanding balance updates automatically

Export Customers

Click export icon to download CSV file containing:

• Customer details
• Statistics (orders, purchases, outstanding)
• Contact information

Cashflow

Track all income and expenses with real-time balance calculations and category-based organization.

Understanding Cashflow

The Cashflow module has two main components:

• Income: Money received (sales payments, other income)
• Expenses: Money spent (rent, utilities, salaries, purchases)
• Net Cashflow: Income - Expenses

Adding Income

1. Navigate to Cashflow
   Click Cashflow in the sidebar, ensure Income tab is selected.
2. Click "Add Income"
   Opens the income entry form.
3. Enter Details
   
   • Amount received
   • Description (e.g., "Sales payment", "Consulting fee")
   • Category (Sales, Services, Other Income)
   • Payment method (Cash, Card, UPI, Bank Transfer)
   • Transaction date
4. Save Entry
   Income is recorded and reflects in cashflow balance immediately.

Adding Expenses

1. Switch to Expenses Tab
   Click the Expenses tab in Cashflow screen.
2. Click "Add Expense"
   Opens the expense entry form.
3. Enter Details
   
   • Amount spent
   • Description (detailed note about the expense)
   • Category (Rent, Utilities, Salaries, Purchases, Marketing, Other)
   • Payment method
   • Expense date
4. Save Entry
   Expense is recorded and deducted from cashflow balance.

Date Filtering

Filter income and expenses by:

• All Time: View complete history
• Today: Current day transactions
• This Week: Last 7 days
• This Month: Current month
• Custom Range: Select specific start and end dates

Cashflow Dashboard

At the top of the Cashflow screen:

• Total Income: Sum of all income for selected period
• Total Expenses: Sum of all expenses for selected period
• Net Cashflow: Income - Expenses (color-coded: green for positive, red for negative)

Managing Entries

Edit Entry

1. Click on any income or expense entry
2. Select "Edit" from the menu
3. Modify details as needed
4. Save changes

Delete Entry

1. Click on the entry
2. Select "Delete"
3. Confirm deletion
4. Entry is removed and cashflow recalculated

Export Cashflow Data

Export income and expenses to CSV for:

• Accounting software integration
• Tax preparation
• Financial analysis
• Backup and records

Reports

Generate comprehensive business reports with visual analytics and detailed breakdowns.

Reports Dashboard

The main Reports screen provides quick overview cards:

• Today's Sales: Total sales amount and transaction count for current day
• Monthly Sales: Sales performance for current month
• Low Stock Items: Number of products below minimum stock level
• Outstanding Balance: Total unpaid amount from all customers
• 7-Day Sales Trend: Line chart showing daily sales for last week

Sales Report

Accessing Sales Report

Click "Sales Report" tile from Reports dashboard.

Features

• Total sales amount and transaction count
• Average transaction value
• Payment method breakdown (Cash, Card, UPI, Credit, Partial, Free)
• Top selling products with quantities and revenue
• Sales by customer
• Date range filtering
• Visual charts for payment distribution

Date Range Options

• Today
• This Week
• This Month
• Last Month
• Custom Date Range

Inventory Report

Accessing Inventory Report

Click "Inventory Report" tile from Reports dashboard.

Metrics Included

• Total Products: Count of all products in inventory
• Active Products: Currently active products
• Low Stock Items: Products below minimum level with details
• Out of Stock: Products with zero quantity
• Total Inventory Value: Sum of (stock × purchase price) for all products
• Potential Revenue: Sum of (stock × selling price) for all products

Low Stock Analysis

View detailed list of low stock products with:

• Product name and SKU
• Current stock quantity
• Minimum stock level
• Quantity needed to reach minimum level
• Reorder priority

Profit & Loss Report

Accessing P&L Report

Click "Profit & Loss" tile from Reports dashboard.

Financial Overview

• Total Revenue: Sales revenue for selected period
• Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): Purchase cost of products sold
• Gross Profit: Revenue - COGS
• Operating Expenses: All expense categories
• Net Profit: Gross Profit - Operating Expenses
• Profit Margin: (Net Profit / Revenue) × 100

Expense Breakdown

Visual chart showing expenses by category:

• Rent
• Utilities
• Salaries
• Marketing
• Purchases
• Other

Date Range Analysis

Compare profit/loss across different periods:

• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Quarterly
• Yearly
• Custom

Refreshing Reports

All reports refresh automatically when you navigate to them. Use the refresh button to manually update data at any time.

User Management

Admin Only Create and manage user accounts with role-based access control.

Adding a User

1. Navigate to Users
   Click Users in the sidebar (Admin access required).
2. Click "Add User"
   Opens the user creation form.
3. Enter User Details
   
   • Full Name
   • Username (unique, used for login)
   • Email address
   • Phone number
   • Password (minimum 6 characters recommended)
4. Assign Role
   Choose from:
   • Admin Full system access
   • Manager Operations access
   • Cashier POS only
5. Set Status
   Toggle Active/Inactive status.
6. Save User
   User account is created and can log in immediately.

Role Permissions

Managing Users

View All Users

The Users screen displays:

• User's full name
• Username
• Role badge
• Active/Inactive status
• Last login date and time
• Contact information

Filter Users

Use filter chips to show:

• All: All users
• Active: Only active users
• Inactive: Disabled user accounts
• Admin: Admin role only
• Manager: Manager role only
• Cashier: Cashier role only

Edit User

1. Click the three-dot menu on any user card
2. Select "Edit"
3. Modify user details or role
4. Save changes

Deactivate User

1. Edit the user
2. Toggle status to "Inactive"
3. Save - user cannot login but data is preserved

Delete User

1. Click three-dot menu on user card
2. Select "Delete"
3. Confirm deletion
4. User account is permanently removed

User Activity Tracking

The system tracks:

• Last login date and time
• All actions logged through activity log system
• User who performed each action (sales, edits, deletions)

Export Users

Click export icon to download CSV with all user information (passwords excluded for security).

Settings

Admin Manager Configure system settings and company information.

Company Settings

Business Information

1. Navigate to Settings from sidebar
2. Click "Company Settings" tab
3. Configure:
   • Business Name
   • Address (line 1, line 2, city, state, PIN code)
   • GST Number
   • Phone Number
   • Email Address
   • Website
4. Click "Save Settings"

Logo Upload

1. Click "Upload Logo" button
2. Select PNG or JPG file (recommended: square, minimum 200×200px)
3. Logo appears on invoices, login screen, and header

Invoice Settings

Invoice Prefix

Customize invoice numbering:

• Default: INV-
• Examples: INV-00001, SALE-00001, BILL-00001

Tax Configuration

• Enable/disable tax calculations
• Set default tax rate
• Configure tax label (GST, VAT, TAX)

Invoice Footer

Add custom footer text to all invoices (e.g., terms and conditions, thank you message).

Database Management

Backup Database

1. Go to Settings → Database
2. Click "Create Backup"
3. Choose save location
4. SQLite database file is copied with timestamp

Restore Database

1. Go to Settings → Database
2. Click "Restore from Backup"
3. Select backup file
4. Confirm restoration (current data will be replaced)
5. Application restarts with restored data

System Settings

Window Preferences

• Remember window size and position
• Start maximized
• Minimum window size configuration

Application Updates

• View current version
• Check for updates
• View latest version available
• Download update installer

Activity Log Settings

Configure activity logging:

• Enable/disable activity logging
• Set log retention period (days)
• View activity logs
• Export logs to CSV
• Clear old logs

Password Management

Change Your Password

1. Go to Settings → Account
2. Click "Change Password"
3. Enter current password
4. Enter new password (minimum 6 characters)
5. Confirm new password
6. Save changes

FAQ

General Questions

What operating systems are supported?

Retail Pilot is designed for Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit). It is a native Windows desktop application built with Flutter.

Does Retail Pilot require internet connection?

No. Retail Pilot works completely offline using local SQLite database. Internet is only needed for checking updates.

How many users can use Retail Pilot simultaneously?

Retail Pilot is a single-instance desktop application. One user can log in at a time on each computer. For multi-user access, install on multiple computers (separate licenses may be required).

Where is my data stored?

All data is stored locally in an SQLite database file on your computer. The database location is in the application directory. Always create regular backups.

Sales & POS

Can I edit a sale after it's completed?

Yes. Admins and Managers can edit sales from the Sales Management screen. Inventory quantities are automatically adjusted when you edit sales.

What happens if I delete a sale?

Deleting a sale restores the inventory quantities and removes the related income entry from cashflow. A confirmation is required before deletion.

Can I process returns or refunds?

Returns can be handled by editing the sale to remove or reduce quantities, or by deleting the sale entirely. The system will adjust inventory and cashflow accordingly.

How do partial payments work?

When you select "Partial" payment, enter the amount paid. The remaining amount is added to the customer's outstanding balance. An income entry is created for the paid amount only.

Inventory

How are low stock alerts triggered?

Products are flagged as low stock when current quantity falls below the minimum stock level you set for each product. These appear with red badges and in the Low Stock filter.

Can I import products from Excel?

Yes. Save your Excel file as CSV format and use the "Import from CSV" feature. Ensure your CSV matches the required column format.

What happens to inventory when I make a sale?

Inventory is automatically reduced by the sold quantities. This happens within a database transaction to ensure data consistency even if errors occur.

Orders vs Sales

What's the difference between Orders and Sales?

Orders are quotes/estimates that do NOT affect inventory or cashflow. Sales are actual transactions that deduct inventory and create income entries. Use Orders for customer quotes, then create a Sale when the customer pays.

Can I convert an Order to a Sale?

Orders and Sales are separate. When an order is confirmed by customer, create a new sale in POS with the same products. The order can then be marked as "Completed".

Reports & Data

Can I export reports to Excel?

All modules support CSV export which can be opened in Excel. Use the export buttons in each module to download data.

How accurate are the profit/loss reports?

P&L reports calculate: Revenue from sales, COGS from product purchase prices, and Operating Expenses from your expense entries. Accuracy depends on correct data entry.

Can I see reports for previous months?

Yes. All reports support custom date range selection. You can view any historical period as long as data exists.

Troubleshooting

Application Issues

Application won't start

• Check if database file is corrupted - restore from backup
• Ensure you have administrator privileges
• Try running as administrator (right-click → Run as Administrator)
• Reinstall the application

Application crashes or freezes

• Check available disk space (minimum 500MB recommended)
• Close other heavy applications
• Update to latest version
• Create backup and restore database to fix corruption

Slow performance

• Archive old data (export and delete old transactions)
• Optimize database (Settings → Database → Optimize)
• Close unused applications
• Check system resources (RAM, CPU usage)

Login & Access Issues

Forgot password

If you're the only admin and forgot password:

1. Contact support for password reset tool
2. Restore from backup if you have access from another admin account
3. Last resort: Reinstall (all data will be lost without backup)

Can't access certain modules

Check your user role. Cashiers have limited access. Ask an Admin to change your role if needed.

Data Issues

Missing transactions

• Check date filters - expand to "All Time"
• Verify user who created the transaction
• Check if transaction was deleted (view activity logs)
• Restore from recent backup if data loss occurred

Incorrect inventory counts

• Review product details → Inventory Logs for adjustment history
• Check for edited or deleted sales affecting stock
• Perform physical stock count and adjust manually
• Review activity logs for unauthorized changes

Cashflow doesn't match

• Verify all income and expense entries
• Check if sales are recorded correctly
• Ensure payment methods are accurate
• Cross-check with bank statements

PDF & Printing Issues

Can't generate PDF invoices

• Check write permissions for save location
• Ensure sufficient disk space
• Try different save location
• Update PDF libraries (reinstall application)

Invoice logo not showing

• Upload logo again in Settings
• Use PNG or JPG format only
• Keep file size under 2MB
• Ensure logo is square or landscape orientation

CSV Import/Export Issues

CSV import failing

• Verify CSV format matches template exactly
• Check for special characters in data
• Ensure UTF-8 encoding
• Remove empty rows at bottom
• Check for duplicate SKUs or usernames

Export creates empty file

• Verify data exists for export (check filters)
• Try different save location with write permissions
• Close the file if it's open in Excel

Getting Help