Requirements checklist
What to ask for when choosing software for nail studios.
A checklist built from how nail studios 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.
- Service menu with minutes and add-ons
- Technician diary and chair allocation
- Client card with shade, shape and allergy notes
- Refill packs and membership balance
- Consumables and retail stock
- Technician pay and commission
Roles that need their own access
Who logs in, and what each person may see or change.
- Owners
- Front desk staff
- Nail technicians
- Studio managers
Reports to ask for
Ask to see each one with your own sample data.
- Chair hours booked against hours open, by day and technician
- Services done by type, with average minutes against the menu length
- Refill packs sold, used, expired and still open
- Gel, polish and tip use against services billed
- Retail product sales and stock left on the shelf
- Technician pay by service, add-on and retail line
- Clients overdue for a refill, by weeks since the last visit
Systems it may need to connect to
Note which ones you already run.
- WhatsApp or other messaging
- SMS
- Card and payment gateway
- Barcode label printer
- Accounting export
Questions for any vendor
Put these to every supplier you are comparing.
- Does the diary know that a full set takes longer than a polish change?
- Can a client book without ringing the studio?
- How are refill packs counted?
- Can we record that a client reacted to a product?
- Does it track gel and polish bottles?
- How is commission worked out when technicians are paid differently?
- Can we move our client list from a booking app?
- What does it cost and how do we see it first?
- What if we want our records out later?
Where the work usually breaks today
Circle the ones you recognise. They set the order of the project.
- The diary ignores service length
- Shade and allergy notes live in memory
- Gel and polish run out without warning
- Refill and set packages are tracked on paper
- Commission is worked out after the month ends
Prefer to talk it through? See the nail studios page.