To calculate the budget for launching a store accounting system, collect the software, required options, equipment, data migration, training and support in one table. Take the amounts and payment frequency from supplier proposals. Calculate separate totals for one-time costs and recurring payments for the first 12 months of operation.
First, describe the operations your store needs. Then ask suppliers to specify the components of the solution, scope of work and commercial terms. For each item, define the required outcome and who will check it.
Prepare a single request for proposals
The owner should prepare the request with the store manager and the employees who will use the software. Before contacting suppliers, write down:
- The number of stores, warehouses and workstations, including workstations needed for simultaneous use.
- The operations needed at launch, such as receiving goods, sales, returns and transfers between warehouses.
- The need for remote work and connections to other services.
- Existing equipment and devices you plan to purchase.
- The sources and contents of the data to be migrated.
- Employee roles for training, the support needed and the desired launch timeframe.
Ask the manager to specify the licence type, number of seats, option names, equipment models and included services. For specific devices, request confirmation of compatibility with the chosen solution. If you receive several proposals, give suppliers the same list of tasks.
Ask suppliers to include in each proposal how long the prices are valid, accepted payment methods, required advance payments and payment dates. Separately indicate which work is included, which is charged extra and which still needs an estimate.
Create a table of costs and outcomes
Equipment and installation are usually one-time costs. Software subscriptions and ongoing support agreements are recurring costs. For your budget, determine the payment frequency from the terms of the specific proposal.
Use this template to collect the details. Agree on the service providers and outcomes with the relevant suppliers.
| Item | What to collect | Who to involve | Agreed outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software and options | Licence type, option names, number of seats, term of use | Owner and supplier manager | List of items for the required operations |
| Equipment | Models, quantity, compatibility, configuration | Equipment supplier and configuration provider | Specification of devices and work |
| Data migration | Sources, records, fields, preparation, trial migrations | Person responsible for the data and migration provider | Scope of work and reconciliation procedure |
| Training | Roles, operations, participants, hours, skills assessment | Manager, employees and training provider | Plan for training sessions and outcome assessment |
| Support | Included work, limits, contact channels, additional rates | Owner and support provider | Description of services and payment terms |
For each row, add the quantity, unit of measure, unit price, total, payment frequency and payment date. Record the provider and the document containing the terms. Mark any service covered by the cost of another item as included, and do not add its amount again.
Calculate separate totals for one-time, monthly and annual costs. For the first year, add all recurring payments due in the first 12 months to the one-time costs. Keep the agreed payment dates in a calendar: an average monthly amount does not show when the funds are actually needed.
How to account for Torgsoft licences and options
Match the store’s tasks to the selected licence. Torgsoft-Start is not suitable if you need transfers between warehouses. Include this operation in your request and ask the supplier to specify a suitable version in the proposal.
The terminal version of Torgsoft enables work over the internet using a single database on a server; computers connect through Remote Desktop. If you need this way of working, state it in your requirements. Separately request details of the server resources and configuration required, along with their cost: a description of how the system works does not establish the full budget for these items.
A one-year licence is available for integrating Torgsoft with a bank payment terminal. The licence for this option is paid annually and purchased for each computer or device regardless of software licence type. The option is available from version 9.3.6 (database 472). Record the quantity and annual payment. Take the amount and payment date from the proposal and show them separately from monthly costs.
Define the scope of data migration
Assign a person responsible for the source data. Together with the provider, record the file sources, list of data, number of records, field mapping and required preparation. Agree on the timeframe, cost and number of trial migrations. Plan repeat checks before switching to the new system.
Importing products from Excel into Torgsoft
Torgsoft supports importing products from Excel. During setup, select the name of the corresponding file column from the list. Prepare the file and agree with the provider on how its columns map to product data.
After a trial import, check the records and fields in the goods receipt document created and confirm that the goods have been posted to inventory. Reconcile quantities and stock balances; if the goods are not reflected in inventory, agree on the required steps with the provider. Record discrepancies in a verification log. Agree separately on work involving other data from the old system: importing products from Excel does not mean migrating the entire database and does not determine the cost of that work.
Agree on training, support and launch checks
For training, collect a list of required operations and existing skills from the manager and employees. Ask the provider to propose exercises, the number of hours, the cost and a way to assess the outcome. Train users before acceptance testing—the check that the solution meets the store’s agreed needs.
In your support request, specify the included work, hour limit, service channels and hours, billing period and additional rates. Ask for response times and the terms for resolving requests to be described separately. Include only the agreed scope and price in the budget.
Propose a table of stages to the parties: stage, provider, outcome, reviewer, acceptance criterion, date and payment under the agreed terms. Suggested test scenarios include receiving a test product, making a sale, processing a return, reconciling stock balances and checking imported records.
For each agreed scenario, record the test data, expected result and actual result. For any issue found, assign a person responsible, a correction date and a repeat check. Agree on payment dates separately; any link between payment and acceptance must be explicitly agreed by the parties.
Illustrative first-year budget example
Suppose the one-time software payment is UAH 10,000, training costs UAH 3,000 and equipment costs UAH 2,000. The recurring payment is UAH 500 per month for 12 months. There are no annual or other costs in this example. These are illustrative amounts, not actual Torgsoft prices or a current commercial proposal.
- One-time costs: 10,000 + 3,000 + 2,000 = UAH 15,000.
- Recurring costs over 12 months: 500 × 12 = UAH 6,000.
- First-year budget: 15,000 + 6,000 = UAH 21,000.
In your own table, add all agreed items and check the payment calendar. Leave any missing price marked as “awaiting proposal”. The example shows how to calculate costs; this calculation is insufficient to assess payback or profitability.
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