Overview
Products are the foundation of your business in NinoPOS. This guide covers everything from basic product setup to advanced inventory tracking. By the end, you'll be able to add products efficiently and manage them effectively.
Product Information Hierarchy
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ PRODUCT RECORD │ ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 📋 BASIC INFO │ │ ├── Product Name │ │ ├── SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) │ │ ├── Barcode │ │ └── Category │ │ │ │ 💰 PRICING │ │ ├── Selling Price (what customer pays) │ │ ├── Cost Price (what you paid) │ │ └── Wholesale Price (for bulk buyers) │ │ │ │ 📊 INVENTORY │ │ ├── Current Stock │ │ ├── Reorder Level (alert threshold) │ │ └── Unit of Measure (pieces, kg, liters) │ │ │ │ 📝 ADDITIONAL │ │ ├── Description │ │ ├── Product Image │ │ └── Supplier Info │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Navigation
How to Access Product Management
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ MAIN DASHBOARD │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ 📊 DASHBOARD │ │
│ │ 📦 INVENTORY ←── Click here │ │
│ │ ├── Products │ │
│ │ ├── Categories │ │
│ │ └── Stock Levels │ │
│ │ 🛒 SALES │ │
│ │ 👥 CLIENTS │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PRODUCTS PAGE │
│ │
│ [+ Add New Product] [Import] [Export] │
│ │
│ Search: [________________] │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ Product Name SKU Stock │ │
│ │ ────────────────────────────────── │ │
│ │ Wireless Mouse WM-001 45 ✅ │ │
│ │ Keyboard KB-002 12 ✅ │ │
│ │ USB Cable UC-003 3 ⚠️ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Step-by-Step: Adding a New Product
1
Click "Add New Product"
Navigate to Inventory → Products and click the "+ Add New Product" button in the top right corner.
💡 Shortcut
If you're in a hurry, use the Quick Add feature from the dashboard - just enter name, price, and stock!
2
Fill in Basic Information
📋 Basic Information
Wireless Optical Mouse
Use descriptive names customers understand
WM-2024-001
Internal code: Category-Year-Number
1234567890123
Scan or type the barcode. Leave blank if none.
▼ Electronics / Computer Accessories
Helps organize and filter products
💰 Pricing Information
$25.00
What customers pay (excluding tax)
$15.00
What you paid (for profit calculations)
$20.00
For bulk buyers (optional)
📊 Inventory Details
50
Current quantity in your store/warehouse
10
Alert when stock drops below this number
▼ Pieces
Pieces, kg, liters, meters, etc.
Understanding Each Field
| Field | Required? | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Name | ✅ Yes | The display name customers see | "Wireless Optical Mouse" |
| SKU | ✅ Yes | Your internal tracking code | "WM-2024-001" |
| Barcode | ❌ No | Universal product code (UPC/EAN) | "1234567890123" |
| Category | ✅ Yes | Product classification | "Computer Accessories" |
| Selling Price | ✅ Yes | Price before tax | $25.00 |
| Cost Price | ❌ No | Your purchase cost (for margins) | $15.00 |
| Initial Stock | ✅ Yes | Current quantity available | 50 units |
| Reorder Level | ❌ No | Low stock alert threshold | 10 units |
3
Add Product Image
Upload a clear product photo. This helps:
- Staff identify products quickly
- Online/catalog display
- Customer recognition
💡 Photo Tips
- Use white or neutral background
- Good lighting (natural light works best)
- Clear, focused image
- Square format (1:1 ratio) works best
- Minimum 500x500 pixels
4
Set Tax Settings
Configure how tax applies to this product:
Tax Configuration Options
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ TAX SETTINGS │ │ │ │ Tax Type: │ │ ○ Inclusive (price includes tax) │ │ ● Exclusive (tax added to price) ← Most common │ │ ○ Zero-rated (0% tax) │ │ ○ Exempt (no tax) │ │ │ │ Tax Rate: [▼ 16% VAT] (Kenya Standard) │ │ │ │ Example Calculation: │ │ Selling Price: $100.00 │ │ Tax (16%): $16.00 │ │ Total: $116.00 ← Customer pays this │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
⚠️ Tax Compliance
Consult your accountant for correct tax settings. Different products may have different tax rates in your country.
5
Save and Verify
Click "Save Product" and verify it appears in your product list:
Product List Verification
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ PRODUCTS LIST │ │ │ │ ✅ Product added successfully! │ │ │ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ 🖱️ Wireless Optical Mouse │ │ │ │ SKU: WM-2024-001 │ │ │ │ Price: $25.00 | Stock: 50 units ✅ │ │ │ │ Category: Electronics > Computer Accessories │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ [✏️ Edit] [📊 Stock] [🗑️ Delete] │ │ │ │ │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Bulk Import: Adding Multiple Products
For adding many products at once, use the import feature:
CSV Import Process
STEP 1: Download Template ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ [📥 Download CSV Template] │ │ │ │ Required columns: │ │ - product_name │ │ - sku │ │ - selling_price │ │ - initial_stock │ │ - category │ └─────────────────────────────────────────┘ STEP 2: Fill Data (Excel/Google Sheets) ┌──────────────┬────────────┬─────────┬────────┬───────────┐ │product_name │sku │price │stock │category │ ├──────────────┼────────────┼─────────┼────────┼───────────┤ │Mouse │M001 │25.00 │50 │Electronics│ │Keyboard │K001 │45.00 │30 │Electronics│ │Webcam │W001 │80.00 │20 │Electronics│ └──────────────┴────────────┴─────────┴────────┴───────────┘ STEP 3: Upload ┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ [📤 Upload CSV File] │ │ │ │ Validation: ✓ 100 products ready │ │ │ │ [Confirm Import] │ └─────────────────────────────────────────┘
Product Variants (Sizes, Colors)
For products with options (e.g., T-shirts in S, M, L):
Product Variants Structure
PARENT PRODUCT: T-Shirt (Basic Cotton)
│
├── VARIANT: Small Red
│ ├── SKU: TS-S-RD
│ ├── Stock: 25
│ └── Price: $20
│
├── VARIANT: Medium Red
│ ├── SKU: TS-M-RD
│ ├── Stock: 30
│ └── Price: $20
│
├── VARIANT: Large Red
│ ├── SKU: TS-L-RD
│ ├── Stock: 20
│ └── Price: $20
│
└── VARIANT: Large Blue
├── SKU: TS-L-BL
├── Stock: 15
└── Price: $22 (Premium color)
💡 When to Use Variants
Use variants when:
- Different sizes of the same item
- Different colors
- Different materials
- Prices vary by variant
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why It's Bad | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Duplicate SKUs | Tracking confusion | Use unique SKU format |
| Wrong Cost Price | Inaccurate profit reports | Record actual purchase cost |
| Not Setting Reorder Level | Stockouts | Always set reorder alerts |
| Vague Product Names | Staff confusion | Be specific and descriptive |
| No Barcodes | Slow checkout | Add barcodes when possible |