The verdict in three sentences
A pharmacy managing its batches on Excel or a notebook loses on average 3 to 7% of stock to expired products, for lack of use-by-date alerts and FEFO logic (first-expired, first-out). Dedicated software — SaaS at 15,000–45,000 FCFA/month or custom app at 1,200,000–3,500,000 FCFA — eliminates invisible waste and cuts monthly stocktaking from 6 hours to 45 minutes. Avoiding 2% waste on a 25,000,000 FCFA inventory repays a yearly subscription in under three weeks.
What old-school management really costs
The loss doesn't show up in the till: it shows up in the boxes dumped at quarter-end. With no alert, a batch of syrup or antibiotics reaches expiry unnoticed and goes to the bin. Add stockouts (the requested product is off the shelf) and the time spent counting by hand.
| Item | Excel/notebook | Pharmacy SaaS | Custom app |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 0 FCFA | 15,000–45,000 FCFA/mo | 1,200,000–3,500,000 FCFA |
| Expiry waste/year | 3–7% of stock | 1–2% of stock | < 1% of stock |
| Stocktaking/month | 6 h | 1 h | 45 min |
| FEFO/expiry alerts | None | Automatic | Automatic + SMS |
| Stockout alerts | Manual | Threshold-based | Predictive |
| Margin per product | Not tracked | Dashboard | Dashboard + reports |
The key gap isn't price: it's waste avoided. On a 25,000,000 FCFA inventory, moving from 5% to 1.5% expiry means 875,000 FCFA recovered per year.
Batch and expiry tracking: the core of the system
Good software thinks in batches, not just products. Each stock entry records quantity, batch number and use-by date; the system releases the batch closest to expiry first and fires alerts at D-90, D-30 and D-7.
| Feature | Measured impact | 2026 order of magnitude |
|---|---|---|
| D-90 expiry alert | Supplier return or promo | Recovers 40–60% of at-risk batches |
| Automatic FEFO logic | Waste cut | From 5% to ~1.5% of stock |
| Reorder threshold | Fewer stockouts | -30 to -50% stockouts |
| Margin per SKU | Prioritizes best-sellers | +2 to +4 margin points |
| Scan-based stocktaking | Time saved | From 6 h to 45 min/month |
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Mini case study
Aisha, who runs a pharmacy in Accra, holds 25,000,000 FCFA of stock. Her annual waste hovers around 5%, i.e. 1,250,000 FCFA binned. She subscribes to a SaaS at 30,000 FCFA/month, or 360,000 FCFA/year. In year one, FEFO alerts bring waste down to 1.5% (375,000 FCFA). Gross saving: 875,000 FCFA. After the subscription, she nets 515,000 FCFA in the first year — before counting the 1 hour/month of stocktaking saved.
FAQ
Is a 30,000 FCFA/month subscription worth it for a small pharmacy? Yes, once your stock exceeds ~8,000,000 FCFA. Avoiding just 2% waste on that amount is 160,000 FCFA/year, nearly six months of subscription recovered from expiry alone.
SaaS or custom app: which to choose? SaaS (15,000–45,000 FCFA/month) suits 80% of pharmacies. Custom (1,200,000–3,500,000 FCFA) is justified if you run several outlets, an integrated wholesaler, or specific interconnection needs.
Does the software handle prescriptions and counter sales? The best solutions combine stock, till and per-SKU sales tracking. You see your margin per product and best-sellers in real time, which sharpens ordering.
Do I need a strong internet connection? Good software works in offline degraded mode and syncs when the network returns. SMS expiry alerts don't depend on a permanent connection at the counter.
Can I become a Kolonell referral partner? Yes. Our referral program pays every successful introduction: 15% + 5% recurring on a showcase site, 12% on an e-commerce project, 10% on a marketplace and 8% on institutional. Introduce us to a pharmacy or clinic and earn a commission on signature.
Let's talk about your project. We'll scope your pharmacy software and your waste-avoided ROI within 48 hours. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
