Dawastock User Manual
Learn how to use the platform step by step. Find where everything is and how to perform every action.
1Introduction
Dawastock is a pharmacy management platform. You can manage orders, products, inventory, customers, receipts, and—depending on your plan—online store, marketing, and accounting from one dashboard.
This manual explains where each feature lives and how to perform common tasks. Use the Contents list on larger screens or the section headings below to jump to a topic.
2Getting started
Logging in
Go to the Sign in page, enter your username and password, and click Sign In. Only users assigned to an organization can log in. If you see an error, contact your administrator.
First time: organization and shop
Your account belongs to one organization (your company). The organization can have one or more shops (branches). When you log in, you may need to select a shop from the top bar so that orders, products, and data are scoped to that shop. Admins and managers can switch between shops; staff see only shops they are assigned to.
Where am I?
After login you land on the Dashboard. The sidebar menu on the left lists all areas: Dashboard, Orders, Cart, Customers, Products, Inventory, and so on. Your role (Admin, Manager, Staff, Accountant) and shop assignment determine which menu items you see. See Permissions & access for details.
3Dashboard
Where: Sidebar → Dashboard (first item under Overview).
The dashboard shows a summary of your business:
- Stats cards: Total products, orders, earnings, cost, and profit (for the selected shop or whole organization).
- Revenue chart: Sales, cost, and profit by month for the current year.
- Top customers: Customers with the most orders.
- Top selling products: Best-selling products with quantity and revenue.
- Recent orders: Latest orders for quick access.
Use the shop selector in the top bar to filter dashboard data by shop. If you have only one shop, data is already scoped to it.
4Sales & Orders
Orders
Where: Sidebar → Orders (under Sales & Orders).
View and filter all orders. You can filter by status (Pending, Completed, Cancelled). Open an order to see details and update status (e.g. mark as Completed or Cancelled).
Sales
Where: Sidebar → Sales.
Sales list shows completed sales with filters. Use it for reporting and reviewing past sales.
POS
Where: Sidebar → POS.
Create new orders from the dashboard by adding products to the cart. Select a shop (top bar), then add products, set quantities, choose a customer, and complete the order. The cart is used for in-store or manual order entry.
Customers
Where: Sidebar → Customers.
Add and manage customers (name, phone, email, address). You can link customers to orders and receipts. Create a customer before or when creating an order if you want to attach them to the sale.
5Products & Inventory
Products
Where: Sidebar → Products (under Products & Inventory).
Products are the items you sell. Each product has a name, category (Pharmaceutical or Non-Pharmaceutical), optional description, and can have multiple batches (each with quantity, buying price, selling price, expiry date).
- Add product: Click Add Product, fill name and category, save. Then add batches (stock) to the product.
- Import from Excel: Use the upload option to bulk import products or batches from a template.
- Tabs: Filter by All, Pharmaceutical, or Non-Pharmaceutical. You can search by name.
Always select the correct shop in the top bar when managing products; products are per shop.
Inventory
Where: Sidebar → Inventory.
Track stock levels, perform stock adjustments, and run stock-taking. You can see batches, quantities, and expiry dates. Use inventory to correct stock or do periodic counts.
6Procurement
Suppliers
Where: Sidebar → Suppliers (under Procurement).
Manage supplier records (name, contact, etc.). Suppliers are used when recording purchases.
Purchases
Where: Sidebar → Purchases.
Record supplier orders and receive stock when goods arrive. Each purchase moves through draft (planning) and received (stock posted, payment recorded).
- Save draft: Build the purchase with supplier, lines, quantities, and prices. Anyone with purchase draft access can save drafts.
- Receive: Finalizes the purchase, adds stock batches, and records supplier payment. Admin, Manager, Accountant, Shop Manager, or staff with the Receive purchases task on their custom role see the Receive button.
- New product on the form: While editing a draft, use New product to add a catalog item without leaving the purchase. If you cannot approve products, the product is marked Pending approval and you must receive the purchase only after it is approved.
- Payment details: Paid amount, due balance, and supplier payment history on purchase screens are visible only to users who can receive purchases.
Shop Managers can create, edit, and receive purchase drafts for their shops by default.
7Receipts & Documents
Where: Sidebar → Receipts (under Documents).
Receipts are the documents you issue to customers for sales (similar to invoices). You can create receipts from orders or independently. The list shows all receipts; open one to view or download as PDF. Proforma receipts can be used for quotes or draft documents before finalizing.
Receipts include customer details, line items, totals, and your organization's branding. Download PDFs for your records or to send to customers.
8Marketing
Where: Sidebar → Marketing (if your plan includes it).
Marketing module lets you run campaigns and integrate with Meta (Facebook/Instagram) for ads. Use it to promote your pharmacy and online store. Availability depends on your subscription plan.
9Finance
Accounting
Where: Sidebar → Accounting (under Finance, if your plan includes it).
Accounting dashboard and reports for financial tracking, accounts, and exports. Use it for compliance and reporting.
Assets
Where: Sidebar → Assets.
Manage organization assets. Available when accounting is enabled.
10Permissions & access
What you can see and do in Dawastock depends on your organization user type, your shop role at the branch you work in, and any custom roles your admin assigns on the Roles & Permissions page.
Tip: If you can open a page but cannot save or create records, you have view access but not edit access. Ask your administrator to adjust your organization type, shop role, or custom role.
How access is decided
- Organization user type (set when your account is created): Admin, Manager, Accountant, or Staff (permissions only).
- Shop assignment & shop role: Manager, Staff, or Dispenser at a specific branch.
- Custom roles (Sidebar → Roles & Permissions): bundles of task toggles such as “Use POS / cart”, “Create & edit purchase drafts”, or “Receive purchases”. Expand Advanced permissions only when you need individual permission checkboxes.
Task toggles & presets (custom roles)
When creating or editing a role, use task toggles grouped by area (Sales, Products, Purchases, and so on). Each toggle turns on the access needed for that job — you do not need to pick individual permissions unless you open Advanced permissions.
Quick presets (when creating a role) apply a common bundle you can fine-tune:
| Preset | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Dispenser · front desk | POS, customers, orders, returns submission |
| Dispenser · + procurement | Front desk plus products, purchase drafts, and suppliers — not receive |
| Procurement clerk | Suppliers and purchase drafts only — no POS or receive |
Platform-only access is never assignable here. Subscription plan catalog, cross-tenant billing records, and payment-provider configuration are managed by platform operators (superadmin) — not through organization roles. Tenant roles may include View subscription and Change subscription for your own organization's plan only.
Purchases split into two tasks: Create & edit purchase drafts (prepare orders) and Receive purchases (post stock and payment). Grant them separately so clerks can prepare drafts while managers or accountants receive them.
If a task appears under Unavailable on this server, the backend is missing a permission — your administrator should deploy the latest Dawastock backend and run database migrations, then refresh the Roles page.
Built-in roles at a glance
| Role | Typical duties |
|---|---|
| Admin | Full control: users, shops, roles, products, purchases, finance, approvals |
| Manager | Same as Admin for day-to-day work; approves pending products and sales returns |
| Accountant | Products, purchases (including receive), expenses, accounting, reports — cannot approve products |
| Staff | Only what custom roles grant — no built-in module access |
| Shop Manager | Full shop operations: catalog, purchase drafts, receive, and product approve/reject |
| Shop Staff | View shop modules; edit only with extra permissions |
| Dispenser | POS, customers, orders, receipts, returns (submit), cash reconciliation |
Sales & point of sale
| Task | Who can do it by default |
|---|---|
| Open Cart / POS | Admin, Manager, Accountant, all shop staff (including Dispenser) |
| Checkout and complete sales | Same as above |
| View Orders and Sales | Same as above |
| Edit invoice / receipt lines after sale | Admin, Manager, Accountant, Shop Manager, Dispenser |
| Create sales returns | Admin, Manager, Shop Manager, Dispenser |
| Approve sales returns (post to stock) | Admin and Manager only |
| Cash reconciliation | Anyone with order access (including Dispenser) |
Custom permissions (Roles page → order / cart, or matching task toggles): Can view cart, Can change cart, Can view order, Can change order.
Products & catalog
| Task | Who can do it by default |
|---|---|
| View product list | Admin, Manager, Accountant, any shop staff |
| Add / edit / delete products | Admin, Manager, Accountant, Shop Manager |
| Import products (Excel, Dawalink) | Same as edit products |
| Edit batch details on existing stock | Admin, Manager, or custom batch-edit permission |
| Add new stock (new batch) | Receive a purchase — not via a separate Add batch action |
| Approve / reject pending products | Admin, Manager, Shop Manager, or Approve products task |
Product approval: Users without approve access create products that go to Pending approvals. The same badge appears on purchase lines until the product is approved. Track submissions on the Approvals page; Admin, Manager, Shop Manager, or anyone with the Approve products task can approve or reject.
Custom permissions (Roles page → product, or matching task toggles): Can view product, Can add product, Can change product, Can delete product, Approve products, Can change batch.
Inventory & stock movements
| Task | Who can do it by default |
|---|---|
| View Inventory / stock movements | Admin, Manager, Accountant, shop staff |
| View stock transfers | Admin, Manager, Accountant, Shop Manager, Shop Staff |
| Create stock transfers (Dispenser) | Only with inventory transfer permissions |
Custom permissions (Roles page → inventory, or matching task toggles): Can view inventory activity, Can view / add / change stock transfer.
Procurement — purchases
| Task | Who can do it by default |
|---|---|
| View purchases | Admin, Manager, Accountant, shop staff |
| Create / edit purchase (draft) | Admin, Manager, Accountant, Shop Manager |
| Receive purchase (adds stock, finalizes) | Admin, Manager, Accountant, Shop Manager, or Receive purchases task |
| Cancel draft purchase | Admin, Manager, or purchase change permission |
| Delete draft purchase | Anyone who can create and edit purchase drafts |
| Delete received purchase | Admin or Manager only |
| See purchase payment / paid & due amounts | Same as receive purchase |
Purchase workflow: Save a draft while goods are on order. When stock arrives, someone with receive access clicks Receive (or Save & receive on the form) and confirms payment. Drafts with pending-approval products cannot be received until those products are approved. Delete a draft from the purchase form, list, or detail page whenever you no longer need it — drafts have not posted stock, so deleting them does not change inventory.
Draft purchases may appear on the Approvals page until received; receiving is the approval step — there is no separate approve button.
Custom permissions (Roles page → purchase, or matching task toggles): Can view purchase, Can add purchase, Can change purchase, Can receive purchase.
Procurement — suppliers
| Task | Who can do it by default |
|---|---|
| View supplier list | Admin, Manager, Accountant, shop staff |
| Add / edit suppliers | Admin, Manager, Accountant, Shop Manager |
| View supplier phone, email, bank details | Admin, Manager, or view contact permission |
Custom permissions (Roles page → supplier): Can view supplier, Can add supplier, Can change supplier, Can view supplier contact details.
Customers
| Task | Who can do it by default |
|---|---|
| View customers | Admin, Manager, Accountant, shop staff |
| Add / edit customers | Admin, Manager, Accountant, Shop Manager, Dispenser |
Finance & accounting
| Task | Who can do it by default |
|---|---|
| Open Accounting | Admin, Manager, Accountant (plan must include accounting) |
| View / record Expenses | Admin, Manager, Accountant; shop staff can record shop expenses |
| Manage Assets | When accounting is enabled and user has accounting access |
Dispensers cannot access Marketing or Accounting unless given explicit permissions.
Marketing & reports
| Area | Who can access |
|---|---|
| Marketing campaigns | Admin, Manager, Shop Manager, Shop Staff — not Dispenser |
| Meta (Facebook/Instagram) setup | Admin, Manager, or Meta account permission |
| Sales report | Admin, Manager, Accountant, or order view permission |
| Purchase report | Admin, Manager, Accountant, or purchase view permission |
| Inventory report | Admin, Manager, Accountant, or inventory view permission |
| Audit trail | Admin, Manager, or audit log view permission |
Administration
| Task | Who can do it |
|---|---|
| Users — create / edit accounts | Admin, Manager, or user view permission |
| Roles & Permissions — define custom roles | Admin, Manager |
| Shops — create / edit branches | Admin, Manager, or shop permissions |
| Shop staff — assign users to a shop | Admin, Manager, or Shop Manager for that shop |
| Organization settings | Admin, Manager |
| Subscription & billing | Admin, Manager, or subscription view permission |
Approvals hub
Where: Sidebar → Approvals.
| Item | Who sees it / who approves |
|---|---|
| Pending products | Everyone sees own submissions; Admin/Manager see all and approve |
| Draft purchases | Visible to users with purchase access; receive requires receive access |
| Sales returns | Everyone sees own submissions; Admin/Manager approve |
Common role setups
Dispenser — front desk only (default): Shop role Dispenser. Can use POS, customers, orders, receipts, and cash reconciliation. Cannot create products, purchase drafts, or suppliers. Use the Dispenser · front desk preset if you build a custom role.
Dispenser — also prepares catalog & procurement: Keep Dispenser shop role and assign a custom role with the Dispenser · + procurement preset (or enable product, purchase draft, and supplier tasks). Products still need manager approval; purchases stay as drafts until someone with Receive purchases receives them.
Procurement clerk (drafts only): Use the Procurement clerk preset for staff who order from suppliers but should not use POS or receive stock.
Shop Manager: Assign Shop Manager at the branch for catalog, suppliers, purchase drafts, receiving stock, and approving products for that shop.
Accountant: Organization type Accountant for finance, purchases (including receive), products, and reports — but not product or return approvals unless also Admin/Manager.
How admins assign permissions
- Sidebar → Users — set organization type (Admin, Manager, Accountant, Staff).
- Sidebar → Shop Staff — assign the user to a shop and pick Manager, Staff, or Dispenser.
- Sidebar → Roles & Permissions — create a role, pick a quick preset or enable task toggles, assign staff on the same screen, and save.
- Ask the user to refresh or log out and back in if menus do not update immediately.
Troubleshooting access
| Problem | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Menu item missing | No view permission or not assigned to a shop |
| Can view but not save | Missing edit permission or Dispenser role |
| No Receive button on purchase | Missing Receive purchases task (or not Shop Manager / Admin / Manager / Accountant) |
| Cannot see purchase paid / due amounts | Payment fields require receive access |
| Product stuck pending | Waiting for Admin, Manager, Shop Manager, or Approve products task |
| Purchase blocked from receive | One or more lines have products pending approval |
| Purchase stuck as draft | Waiting for someone with receive access |
| Task toggle missing on Roles page | Backend migration not run — contact administrator |
| Cannot see supplier contact details | Need view contact permission or Manager/Admin role |
11Administration
These areas are typically for Admins and Managers.
Users
Where: Sidebar → Users. Add and edit staff accounts, assign role (Admin, Manager, Staff, Accountant), and set organization. Each user must belong to your organization to log in.
Roles & Permissions
Where: Sidebar → Roles & Permissions. Admins and Managers define custom roles using task toggles (grouped by Sales, Products, Purchases, and so on), optional quick presets, and staff assignment on the same screen.
- Create role: Name the role, pick a preset or toggle tasks, assign users, save.
- Edit role: Same task toggles; presets are available when creating or editing.
- Advanced permissions: Collapsible section for individual permission checkboxes — use only when task toggles are not enough. Platform billing and plan-admin permissions are omitted.
Key purchase tasks: Create & edit purchase drafts vs Receive purchases are separate — grant receive only to staff who should post stock and record payment. For a full breakdown, see Permissions & access.
Shops
Where: Sidebar → Shops. Create and edit shops (branches). Each shop has a name and can be set as default. Products and orders are tied to a shop.
Shop Staff
Where: Sidebar → Shop Staff (when a shop is selected). Assign which users can work in the selected shop. Staff and some roles only see data for shops they are assigned to.
Online Store
Where: Sidebar → Online Store (opens in new tab). If your plan includes the storefront, this is the public URL where customers browse and order. Configure products, prices, and payments from the dashboard and payment settings.
12Subscription & Settings
Subscription
Where: Sidebar → Subscription (under Help & Settings). View your current plan, limits (shops, users, etc.), and upgrade or change plan. Billing and plan features are shown there.
Settings
Where: Your profile/settings (e.g. from the user menu in the top bar). Update password, profile, and—for admins—organization settings, payment integration (e.g. Snippe for online payments), and landing page.
Privacy & Terms
Where: Sidebar → Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. Read the platform's privacy and terms of use.
13Quick reference
Where things are:
- Dashboard → Overview and stats
- Orders → List and manage orders
- Sales → Completed sales list
- Cart → Create new order (add products, customer, checkout)
- Customers → Customer list and details
- Products → Product list, add/edit, import
- Inventory → Stock levels, adjustments, stock-taking
- Suppliers → Supplier list
- Purchases → Purchase orders and receipts
- Receipts → Issue and download receipts (PDF)
- Marketing → Campaigns (if enabled)
- Accounting → Finance and reports (if enabled)
- Users / Roles / Shops / Shop Staff → Administration
- Permissions & access → Section 10 (roles, duties, troubleshooting)
- Subscription → Plan and billing
Tips:
- Always select the correct shop in the top bar when working with products or orders.
- Use Search (top bar) to find products, customers, or orders quickly.
- Export or import products and batches via Excel when you have many items.
- If you don't see a menu item, your role may not have access; contact your admin.
- See Permissions & access for a full guide to roles and what each permission allows.
For more help, contact your organization administrator or refer to the FAQ on the welcome page when available.