What is shared and what is separate between product lines

Overview

When your company operates multiple product lines under a holding structure, some data is shared across all product lines (meaning any product line can see and use it), while other data is scoped to a single product line (meaning each line has its own copy). Understanding this distinction helps you work efficiently and avoid confusion.

What is shared across all product lines

These elements belong to the company as a whole and are visible and editable from any product line:

Contacts (Customers, Vendors, Patients, Doctors)

Your contact database is company-wide. A customer record created in the pharmacy is visible in the clinic. When you make a sale to a customer in one product line, you can also create an invoice for the same customer from another product line. Changes to a contact (phone number, address, notes) apply everywhere.

Chart of Accounts

All product lines post to the same general ledger. A single chart of accounts (the list of debit and credit accounts) serves the entire company. When you post an invoice to account 400 (Sales Revenue) in the pharmacy, and another invoice to account 400 in the clinic, both appear on the same ledger line for consolidated reporting.

Currencies and Exchange Rates

If your company trades in multiple currencies (e.g., Afghan Afghani and US Dollars), the exchange rates apply system-wide. You define rates once, and all product lines use the same conversion when posting multi-currency transactions.

Users and Permissions

A user's login credentials and role (e.g., "Manager," "Cashier") are set once by the administrator. If a user has the "Manager" role, they are a manager everywhere they have access. Permissions to view or edit specific features (like reports, budgets, or admin settings) are also company-wide, though they may be product-specific if the administrator grants permission to only certain product lines.

What is separate for each product line

These elements are kept isolated to each product line. One product line's data does not automatically appear in another:

Inventory and Stock

Products and inventory levels are product-line-specific. If the pharmacy carries a medicine and the clinic does not, the inventory record exists only under the pharmacy. You cannot transfer stock between product lines through the normal inventory move—such transfers are tracked as sales to one line and purchases to another.

Documents (Invoices, Bills, Sales Orders, Purchase Orders, Receipts)

Every transaction is tied to a specific product line at creation. An invoice created in the pharmacy cannot be changed to apply to the clinic. When you switch product lines, the list of invoices, bills, and orders updates to show only the current product line's documents. Historical reports, however, can be consolidated (see Consolidated reporting below).

Prices and Discounts

A product's sale price may differ between product lines. The pharmacy may sell paracetamol at one price, and the clinic's retail shop may sell it at another. Discount rules (blanket discounts, volume discounts, seasonal promotions) are also per-product-line.

Warehouse and Stock Locations

Each product line has its own warehouse(s). The pharmacy's inventory is stored in one warehouse, and the clinic's supplies in another. Movement of goods between warehouses in different product lines must be processed as a sale from one line and a purchase to another.

Reports and Analytics (unless consolidated)

When you run a report from the pharmacy, it shows only pharmacy data. Reports run from the clinic show only clinic data. If you need a company-wide view, you must generate a consolidated report (see below).

What happens when you switch product lines

When you switch product lines:

• You see the new product line's documents (invoices, bills, orders).
• You see the new product line's inventory and stock levels.
• You access the new product line's reports and business analytics.
• You can view and edit shared data like contacts, chart of accounts, and user permissions.

You do not lose access to the old product line's data—it remains stored in the system. You can switch back at any time to see it again.

Consolidated reporting across product lines

To see a unified view of all product lines, Usystems provides consolidated reports. These reports pull data from all product lines and aggregate it. Examples include:

• Consolidated profit-and-loss statement: shows total revenue and expenses across all product lines.
• Consolidated balance sheet: shows total assets, liabilities, and equity for the entire company.
• Consolidated sales summary: totals sales from all product lines.
• Consolidated aged payables and receivables: shows what customers owe and what you owe vendors across the company.

Consolidated reports are usually run from a dedicated Consolidated Reports page or through the Reports menu. Ask your administrator if you need guidance on accessing them.

Example: pharmacy and clinic operating together

Imagine two product lines: Pharmacy and Clinic.

When the owner requests a consolidated profit-and-loss report, it totals revenue from both product lines, costs from both, and shows the company's overall profit.