Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for musical instrument stores.
A checklist built from how musical instrument stores work, to print or save as a PDF and bring to any supplier meeting.
What the software should cover
Tick each one that matters to your business.
- Serial-numbered instrument stock
- Trade-in grading and resale
- Rentals and rent-to-own
- Workshop repair jobs
- Accessory variants and reorder levels
- School and band orders
- Brand terms and warranty
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- For sales staff
- At the buying desk
- In the workshop
- At the rental desk
- For owners
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Instruments in stock by serial number and age
- Margin on used instruments after repair
- Rentals out, overdue and due back
- Rent credited towards purchase by account
- Bench jobs open and past their promised date
- Strings and reeds below reorder level
- Band orders open by school
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- WhatsApp or other messaging
- SMS
- Card payments
- Accounting export
- Barcode scanner and label printer
- Ecommerce shop export
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Is it built for music stores or general retail?
- How are used instruments priced and tracked?
- Can it run a school rental programme?
- Does it handle strings and reeds by variant?
- What if the shop also teaches?
- Can it link to our online listing?
- Can a warranty claim be matched to a sale?
- Who owns the stock and rental records?
- What does it cost?
- Do we need this for a small shop?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- Serial numbers sit in a notebook
- Trade-ins have no grade or cost
- School rentals drift out of sight
- Workshop jobs mix with sales
- Accessories are sold by feel
Prefer to talk it through? See the musical instrument stores page.