Distribution management · FMCG, food & retail

From godown to retailer.Fully digital.

RetailSutra runs an Indian distributor's whole day in one system: orders from WhatsApp, the Retailer App, salesmen and the counter, billed with schemes and GST, delivered with OTP and collected into the khata.

GST ready WhatsApp + App Works offline Tally export
RETAIL SUTRAShree Sai DistributorsSearchCtrl K
Tuesday, 29 Sep 2026 · Good morning, Vijay
Today's sales
₹4.86 L
▲ 8.2% vs yest.
Month to date
₹1.66 Cr
111% of target
Orders today
64
WA 11 · App 7 · Sales 27
Sales vs target · 12 months
10:02▮▮▮
SS
Shree Sai DistributorsBusiness account
ORDER10:02 ✓✓
Hi Ramesh Bhai! Pick a category:
☰ Categories
10:02
Beverages10:02 ✓✓
1. Pepsi 250ml (24) · ₹480 ★ 2. Coke 2L (6) · ₹420 ★ Buy 5 Pepsi cases, get 1 free10:02
1 3, 2 210:03 ✓✓
+1 FREE appliedBuy 5 Pepsi cases, get 1
Delivered on OTP 4821Stop 1 of 5 · Suresh
9Core modules, from masters to compliance
3Connected layers: desktop, mobile, WhatsApp
6User roles with purpose-built screens
₹2–200 CrDistributor turnover range it's built for
500M+WhatsApp users in India your retailers already are
One order, start to finish

One cart. Every channel.

A retailer can start an order on WhatsApp, finish it in the Retailer App, and have it approved, invoiced and delivered without anyone re-typing a line. Here is order ORD-4821 from the demo company, minute by minute.

  1. Cart started on WhatsApp

    Ramesh Bhai of Sai Kirana Stores types ORDER and picks Pepsi 250ml × 3, Coke 2L × 2.

  2. Edited in the Retailer App

    The same cart opens in the app. Pepsi goes to 5 cases and "Buy 5 get 1 free" applies.

  3. Order placed

    ₹4,147 incl. GST. Credit is checked: ₹16,547 of ₹50,000 used after this order.

  4. Approved in Order Inbox

    The office sees how the order was built. FEFO picks batch PB-2609, expiry Mar 27.

  5. Invoiced

    INV/26-27/04821 posts. The PDF goes to the retailer on WhatsApp and in the app.

  6. Out for delivery

    Suresh's van, stop 1 of 5. Delivery code 4821 reaches the retailer.

  7. Delivered and collected

    OTP confirmed, ₹2,000 taken on UPI, and the khata updates on both sides.

WhatsApp Retailer App Office desktop Field App
0lines re-typed between WhatsApp, the app and the office
26 minfrom the first WhatsApp message to delivery in the demo run
1shared cart, ledger and invoice for every channel
Platform architecture

Three layers. One connected system.

Each layer serves a different person. All three sync through a central cloud backend in real time, and the mobile apps keep working without signal.

Desktop

Owner · Accountant · Sales manager · Godown
  • Products, retailers, vendors and salesman masters
  • Keyboard-first counter billing and purchase entry
  • Stock, batches, expiry and godown control
  • Ledgers, credit limits, aging and PDC tracking
  • GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, E-Invoice, E-Way Bill, Tally XML
  • Owner KPI dashboard and reports

Mobile

Field App for salesmen and delivery · Retailer App
  • Route-wise order taking with GPS check-in
  • Full offline mode, auto-sync on reconnect
  • Outstanding and schemes shown at every visit
  • OTP delivery, UPI QR collection, photo proof
  • Digital signature on orders
  • Retailer App: catalogue, cart, tracking, khata, pay

WhatsApp

Retailers, on the number they already have saved
  • Order booking by keyword with list menus
  • Ledger and statement PDFs on request
  • Invoice PDF delivered on posting
  • Payment reminders before and after due date
  • Scheme broadcasts to opted-in retailers
  • Delivery OTP and monthly statements

Central cloud backend

Real-time sync across layers Offline queue on mobile Server calculates every total AWS India region
Built for Indian distribution

Made for distributors still running on paper and phone calls.

Regional and local distributors with crore-level turnover, whose orders still arrive through calls, notebooks and WhatsApp groups.

FMCG distributors

Multi-brand portfolios with hundreds of SKUs and high daily transaction volume.

Schemes · beats · speed

Food & beverage

Perishable stock where batch numbers, expiry dates and recalls carry real money.

Batches · expiry · trace

Retail wholesalers

Walk-in counters, phone orders and credit spread across hundreds of shops.

Counter speed · credit

Multi-brand stockists

Several company principals, each with separate schemes, targets and statements.

Per-principal reporting
Inside the desktop

Tally-fast screens for the office.

Office staff come from Tally and Busy, so billing and purchase are keyboard-first, tables are dense, and every common action has a key. These are the actual layouts from the RetailSutra UI guide.

app/dashboard
RETAIL SUTRAShree Sai DistributorsSearch orders, retailers, productsCtrl KVP
Work Dashboard Orders7 Billing Delivery trips Stock Stock Expiry Money Receipts Ledger Reports GST
Tuesday, 29 Sep 2026 · Good morning, Vijay

Dashboard

TodayMTDFY
Export
Today's sales 1
₹4.86 L
▲ 8.2% vs yest.
Month to date
₹1.66 Cr
111% of ₹1.50 Cr target
Collection MTD
₹1.41 Cr
Gap ₹25.2 L vs billed
Outstanding
₹35.1 L
Overdue ₹4.8 L
Orders today
64
WA 11 · App 7 · Sales 27 · Ctr 19
Stock value
₹2.84 Cr
₹3.62 Cr at MRP
Salesman performance · September
2
SalesmanVisitsProductiveOrders ₹Target
Rohit Kumar · Hadapsar118/12481%38.6 L112%
Imran · Kothrud121/12679%35.4 L104%
Sagar · Kharadi109/12076%31.9 L98%
Nitin · Wakad88/11858%22.3 L62%
Needs attention
3
3Orders on credit holdHold
15Batches expire in < 30 daysExpiry
8SKUs below reorder levelStock
2PDCs due this weekPDC
1Cheque bounced · Balaji StoresBounced
In the field and in the shop

Thumb-first apps for the road.

Large tap targets, a bottom tab bar, and one main action pinned to the bottom of each screen. The Field App keeps working with no signal; the Retailer App uses plain words like Khata, Pay and Offers.

9:474G ▮▮▮
Sai Kirana StoresRamesh Bhai · Hadapsar
OutstandingCredit OK
₹12,400
Overdue ₹0Limit ₹50,000
Checked in 9:46 · 38 m from shop
New order Open their cart Repeat last Collect
Last orders
15 Sep · 6 items₹6,190
02 Sep · 9 items₹6,210
Check out
TodayShopsOrdersCollect

Field App · retailer visit

Money first, GPS-verified check-in, and four big actions for the salesman.

9:49Offline
New orderSai Kirana Stores
Offline · prices as of 9:40 · order will sync
BeveragesBiscuitsDairy
PEP
Pepsi 250ml ★
Case 24 · ₹480 · Buy 5 get 1
−5+
CK
Coke 2L
Case 6 · ₹420 · MRP ₹95
−2+
FT
Fanta 600ml
Case 24 · ₹840
Add
+1 FREEPepsi applied · 2 more Coke = 1 free
8 cases · est. incl. GST₹4,147
Sign & submit
TodayShopsOrdersCollect

Field App · order with no signal

Steppers instead of typing, live scheme hints, and the order queues until the network returns.

10:09▮▮▮
Your cartShree Sai Distributors
You started this cart on WhatsApp at 10:02
PEP
Pepsi 250ml
₹480 × 5 = ₹2,400
−5+
FREE
Pepsi 250ml · FREE
Buy 5 get 1 applied
1 CS
CK
Coke 2L
₹420 × 2 = ₹840
−2+
Items₹3,240.00
GST₹907.20
Credit after order₹16,547 of ₹50,000
Place order · ₹4,147
HomeOrderKhataPay

Retailer App · shared cart

The retailer sees where the cart started, the free line, and credit left after the order.

10:284G ▮▮▮
Trip · Stop 1 of 5Sai Kirana Stores · INV/04821
Pepsi 250ml5 CS
Pepsi 250ml FREE1 CS
Coke 2L2 CS
Short or damaged? Mark partial
Enter OTP from retailer Sent to Ramesh Bhai on App + WhatsApp · 10:27
482
Resend in 0:41 · Take signature instead
Collect ₹2,000 by UPI
QR carries invoice reference
Confirm delivery
TripMapCashClose

Field App · delivery with OTP

Line check, partial delivery, OTP in large boxes, with photo and signature as fallbacks.

Module reference

Nine modules. Everything a distributor needs.

From the product master to GPS-confirmed delivery and GST filing. Each module shares the same masters, the same ledger and the same stock.

01

Master management

Products with HSN, MRP, PTR and PTS, Box → Strip → Piece conversion and barcodes. Retailers with GPS pin, route, credit limit and tier. Salesmen with targets and device binding.

Desktop
02

Inventory & stock

Live stock ledger per SKU and godown, batch tracking, expiry alerts at 30/60/90 days, dead-stock flags, reorder suggestions, van loading and damaged-stock register.

DesktopMobile
03

Purchase

Vendor invoices with batch, free quantity and scheme entry. Net effective rate, debit notes, vendor aging and product-wise rate history.

Desktop
04

Counter sales & billing

Barcode billing over USB or Bluetooth, mixed Cash/UPI/Cheque/Credit payment, automatic scheme and GST split, credit block or warn, audited rate overrides.

Desktop
05

Field Sales App

Route-wise retailer list, order history, outstanding at a glance, scheme banners, quick steppers, signature on order, GPS check-in and check-out.

MobileOffline
06

Delivery App

Invoices assigned from the office, GPS-ordered route, OTP confirmation, dynamic UPI QR per invoice, partial delivery with shortage note, photo proof.

Mobile
07

WhatsApp automation

Retailer commands for orders, ledgers, schemes and statements, plus system messages for invoices, delivery, payments, reminders and monthly statements.

WhatsApp
08

Accounting & ledgers

Cash and bank books, retailer and vendor ledgers, PDC tracker, four-bucket credit aging and collection vs sales reconciliation. No separate accounting software needed.

Desktop
09

Compliance & analytics

GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, E-Invoice and E-Way Bill, the owner KPI dashboard, top products and retailers, margin after schemes, and a full audit trail.

Desktop
Owner insights

Know the business before the first call.

The owner dashboard turns every order, receipt and visit into a handful of numbers. Below is the demo company, Shree Sai Distributors of Pune, on 29 September.

Sales vs target · last 12 months

₹ lakh per month against a ₹150 L monthly target

Where orders come from · 30 days

1,912 orders across four channels

1,912orders
  • WhatsApp28715%
  • Retailer App1729%
  • Salesman84144%
  • Counter61232%

Retailer App active: 19 of 80 retailers, up 6 this month.

Outstanding aging

₹35.1 L owed by retailers

0–30 days
₹21.4 L
30–60 days
₹8.9 L
60–90 days
₹3.2 L
90+ days Risk
₹1.6 L

Salesman achievement

September orders vs target · line marks 100%

Rohit · Hadapsar
112%
Imran · Kothrud
104%
Sagar · Kharadi
98%
Nitin · Wakad
62%

Needs attention today

  • 3Orders on credit holdHold
  • 15Batches expire in under 30 daysExpiry
  • 8SKUs below reorder levelStock
  • 2Post-dated cheques due this weekPDC

Figures are sample data from the RetailSutra demo company. Product names are used as sample data only.

Inventory intelligence

Expiry never catches you off guard.

Know what sits in the godown by SKU, batch and expiry date. Alerts reach the godown manager and the sales team while there is still time to sell.

  • Batch number and expiry captured at every purchase inward
  • Stock issued oldest-first, with FEFO picking built in
  • Near-expiry SKUs flagged into beat plans for clearance
  • Units shown as box, strip and piece together, e.g. 3 CS + 6 PCS
  • Godown-to-godown transfers and van loading with audit trail
  • Damaged-stock register with photo, write-off and vendor claim
Expired3₹8,420 at cost
< 30 days15₹1.12 L at cost
30–60 days20₹2.40 L at cost
60–90 days21₹3.05 L at cost

Batch trace · AT-0927 Amul Taaza 1L

Expires in 14 d
Received · 14 Sep30 CSPUR-0381
Sold21 CSto 11 retailers
In stock9 CSMain godown
70% sold30% left to clear

One click notifies all 11 retailers who received this batch. A recall that used to take days of physical counting takes seconds.

WhatsApp automation

Orders by text. No app needed.

Retailers already use WhatsApp all day. They save the distributor's business number and everything works from there, with no download and no training.

Finance & compliance

Credit under control. Books always GST-ready.

Double-entry accounting built for Indian distributors, from daily cash entries to GSTR-1 filing. Rupees always appear in Indian grouping, right-aligned, exactly as the server calculated them.

Every bill checks credit first

Limit and credit days are set per retailer. Billing reacts in real time.

Credit OK

Within limit and nothing overdue. Billing goes ahead.

Near limit

The counter sees a warning and the available credit.

Credit hold

Outstanding ₹58,200 + this bill ₹8,640 exceeds the ₹50,000 limit. The bill is blocked.

Override

Only an Owner or Sales Manager can approve, with a password and a reason, recorded in the audit log.

Receipts settle the oldest invoices first

₹14,547 received by UPI from Sai Kirana Stores, allocated automatically

InvoiceDateDue ₹Allocated ₹
INV/0470202 Sep4,210.004,210.00
INV/0475515 Sep6,190.006,190.00
INV/0482129 Sep4,147.004,147.00
Unallocated0.00
  • Receipt reaches the retailer on the app and WhatsApp
  • Post-dated cheques tracked with due-date alerts
  • Aging in 0–30, 30–60, 60–90 and 90+ day buckets

GSTR-1

B2B, B2C, CDNR and HSN summary in government format, with pre-filing checks for bad GSTINs and missing HSN codes.

GSTR-3B

Monthly tax payable with input tax credit calculated across all purchases.

E-Invoice (IRN)

IRN and QR via the NIC API for businesses above ₹5 Cr turnover.

E-Way Bill

Generated for goods movement above ₹50,000, with cancel and extend.

Tally XML export

Ledgers and vouchers to Tally Prime with account mapping, so final books can stay in Tally.

Audit trail

Every entry, edit and deletion logged with user, time and before/after values.

Encryption

AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit, and device-bound mobile apps with remote wipe.

DPDP Act 2023

Consent management and data kept in the AWS India region, with daily backups.

Role-based access

Every role gets the right view.

Six roles, each with its own menu and screens, from the owner's P&L to the delivery boy's OTP screen.

Owner / Partner

Full access: KPI dashboard, financial reports, credit approvals, P&L and multi-branch view.

Desktop

Accountant

GST entries, ledgers, cash and bank books, PDC tracking and Tally export. No sales or field access.

Desktop

Sales Manager

Salesman targets, beat planning, route optimisation and team performance reports.

Desktop

Salesman

Route-wise order taking, retailer visits, scheme display, GPS check-in and collections.

Field App

Godown Manager

Stock, purchase entry, batch and expiry tracking, and dispatch authorisation.

Desktop

Delivery Staff

Assigned invoices, OTP delivery confirmation, payment collection and returns.

Field App
Design principles

Built for the Indian godown, not a Silicon Valley warehouse.

Mixed SKUs, van loading, beat routes, cash collections and retailers who live on WhatsApp. The interface is designed around those habits.

Fast as Tally on the desktop

Every common action has a key, so the counter never reaches for the mouse.

F2 SaveF3 RetailerF4 ProductCtrl+K SearchEsc Close

Money is never ambiguous

Indian digit grouping, tabular figures and pack-aware quantities on every screen and print.

₹1,23,456.003 CS + 6 PCS

Works where the signal doesn't

Field apps queue orders and receipts offline and sync on reconnect. The sync state is always visible.

Offline · 3 orders will sync when you're back online

Thumb-first on the phone

44 px tap targets, a pinned 48 px main action, steppers instead of typing, and numeric keyboards for amounts and OTPs.

−6+CASEPCS

Status reads without colour

Credit, order and stock states always pair a word with the colour, for greyscale prints and colour-blind users.

Credit OKNear limitOverdueOut for delivery

Free goods stand apart

Scheme freebies always carry a dashed FREE pill on screens, invoices and the retailer's cart.

★ Scheme+1 FREEBuy 5 get 1 free
Industry solutions

Which one describes your business?

RetailSutra was built for distribution from the start, not adapted from a generic billing tool. Pick a segment to see what changes.

Tame the complexity of FMCG distribution

Hundreds of SKUs, dozens of schemes, field salesmen you can't see, and retailers calling at midnight for orders.

Without RetailSutra

  • Orders taken on paper or WhatsApp get lost
  • Schemes applied inconsistently or not at all
  • No idea of godown stock until a physical count
  • Retailers call and visit just to check their balance
  • GST reports compiled by hand at month-end
  • No view of which routes or salesmen perform

With RetailSutra

  • Every order captured in the app, GPS-tagged
  • Schemes auto-applied from one scheme master
  • Live stock ledger on every sale, purchase and return
  • Retailers send OUTSTANDING on WhatsApp
  • GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B generated automatically
  • Route and salesman performance every morning
40%more orders per salesman route with the offline app and beat planning
< 30 sto trace a batch to every retailer who received it
100%GST-ready invoices, with the tax split decided by buyer state
Getting started

From decision to live in the first week.

Masters import, team onboarding and the first invoice, all inside week one.

1Day 1–2

Import your masters

Bulk import of products, retailers and opening balances from your existing files.

2Within hours

Set up the team

Users and roles created, salesman and delivery apps configured on their phones.

3Within days

Connect WhatsApp

WhatsApp Business API provisioned through a verified provider. Tally, E-Invoice and E-Way Bill links are pre-built.

4Week one

First live invoice

Orders flow from every channel and the owner dashboard starts filling up.

AES-256Encryption at rest
TLS 1.3Encryption in transit
AWS IndiaData stays in the country
DPDP 2023Privacy law compliant
90 daysDaily backup retention

Ready to digitise your distribution?

See RetailSutra running on your own products, routes and retailers. Talk to the team that built it.

VisitSemantic Software, 1120 Shukrawar Peth, Pune
Call+91 78691 41256
Get in touch