Counter sales at the pharmacy

Overview

Many pharmacies sell common medicines and supplies over the counter to customers who do not have a prescription. These are typically over-the-counter (OTC) items like pain relievers, cough syrups, vitamins, or first-aid supplies. Counter sales are processed quickly without needing a patient record or doctor's prescription in the system.

Before you start

• You have access to the POS (point-of-sale) or Counter Sales module
• The customer walks in or calls to order medicines
• The items being sold are approved for over-the-counter sale (not prescription-only in your region)
• You know which inventory location (warehouse/branch) the items should be taken from

Steps

1. Open the POS or Counter Sales screen

   Navigate to the point-of-sale interface for pharmacy counter sales. Open POS

2. Create a new sale

   Click New Sale or New Transaction to start a fresh sales receipt. You do not need to select a patient or prescription.

3. Enter or search for medicines

   • By product code: If you have a barcode scanner, scan the medicine's barcode.
   • By name: Type the medicine name (e.g., "Paracetamol 500mg") and select from the list.
   • By browsing: Scroll through the product list to find the medicine.

4. Set quantity

   Enter the number of units (tablets, bottles, strips) the customer wants. If selling loose items (e.g., single tablets), adjust the quantity accordingly.

5. Repeat for each item

   If the customer wants multiple medicines, repeat steps 3–4 for each item.

6. Review subtotal

   The system shows the running total. Check it for accuracy and confirm with the customer before proceeding to payment.

7. Apply discount if applicable

   If you offer bulk discounts, staff discounts, or promotional codes, apply them now. Enter the discount code or manually enter the percentage/amount.

8. Calculate taxes

   The system automatically calculates any applicable sales tax or VAT based on your regional and business settings.

9. Collect payment

   Ask the customer for payment. Options may include:

   • Cash
   • Credit or debit card
   • Mobile payment (if available)
   • Store credit or loyalty account (if the customer has one)

10. Finalize and print receipt

    Click Complete or Process Payment to finalize the sale. Print a receipt for the customer showing the items, price, and total paid.

11. Provide the medicines and receipt

    Hand the bagged medicines and receipt to the customer. Offer any relevant advice (e.g., "Take with food" or "Store in a cool place").

Accounting impact

When you make a counter sale:

• Inventory decreases for each medicine sold.
• Sales revenue is recorded in the Pharmacy Sales or OTC Sales account.
• Cost of goods sold (COGS) is recorded based on the medicines' purchase cost.
• Cash (or card revenue) increases as the customer pays.
• Tax payable increases if applicable taxes are collected.

Tips & common mistakes

• Know your OTC restrictions. Some medicines (e.g., antibiotics, corticosteroids) may require a prescription even if a customer asks for them. Always verify your local regulations.
• Ask screening questions if needed. For some OTC items (e.g., certain cough medicines), you may be required to ask the customer's age or whether they are pregnant, depending on local rules.
• Don't confuse customers with jargon. Use simple language like "pain reliever" or "cough syrup" rather than technical names.
• Check expiry dates. Never sell expired medicines, even over the counter.
• Keep the counter organized. Popular OTC items (pain relievers, antacids, vitamins) should be easy to find and reach to speed up sales.
• Consider upselling related items. If a customer buys a cough syrup, you might mention a related product like throat lozenges or honey, but never pressure them.

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