Your product catalog is the foundation of everything in Xduka POS. Accurate products mean fast checkout, correct stock levels and reports you can trust. In this guide we show you how to add products properly, including SKUs, barcodes, cost prices and stock.
Where to find products
Open Products in the Catalog section of the dashboard menu. From here you can search, add and import products. Related pages in the same section include Categories, Inventory, Warehouses, Suppliers and Discounts.
Step 1: Create your categories first
Categories make the register and reports easier to use. Open Categories and create a handful that match how customers think about your shop. For example, a minimart might use: Dairy, Bakery, Beverages, Household, Personal Care and Snacks. A hardware store might use: Cement & Building, Plumbing, Electrical, Paint and Tools.
Step 2: Add a product
In Products, start a new product and fill in the fields:
Basic details
- Name: the customer-facing name seen at checkout, for example "Fresh Milk 500ml".
- Category: choose from the categories you created.
- Description and Product Image: optional, but useful for the online storefront.
- Status and Product type.
- Unit of Measure and Supplier.
Codes
- SKU: an internal stock code used by staff and reports, for example "MLK-500".
- Barcode: scan or type the barcode. On a phone or tablet, use Scan barcode to open the camera and fill in the barcode field automatically.
Pricing
- Price (KES): the selling price customers pay at the POS or storefront.
- Cost Price (KES): your purchase cost per unit, used for margin and profitability reports.
- Taxable and an optional VAT Override (%) if the product's tax rate differs from your default.
Stock
- Track Inventory: switch on for products you want stock tracked for.
- Warehouse: where stock for this product is kept (defaults to Main).
- Initial Stock: optional starting quantity. Leave it blank or zero if stock will be added later, for example through a purchase order.
- Expiry Date: optional, useful for perishables and medicines.
Availability channels
Choose where the product can be sold: POS Register, Online Storefront or both.
Save the product, and it is ready to sell.
Step 3: Get barcodes right
Barcodes make checkout fast and accurate. A few tips:
- Use the manufacturer's barcode where the product already has one.
- Scan rather than type to avoid typing errors.
- One barcode, one product. Different sizes or flavours need their own barcodes.
- Test at the register: search by barcode to confirm the right product appears.
The register search accepts name, SKU or barcode, so even products without barcodes can be found quickly by SKU.
Step 4: Import products in bulk
If you have dozens or hundreds of products, use Product Import on the Products page to upload a CSV file. Prepare your spreadsheet carefully, with consistent names, SKUs, prices and categories, then import and review a sample of products afterwards to check everything came through correctly.
Step 5: Check your plan limits
Each Xduka POS plan has a product limit. Check our pricing page to make sure your plan covers the size of your catalog.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving cost price empty. Your profit reports will be incomplete.
- Duplicate products with slightly different names.
- Vague names like "Soap" instead of "Bar Soap 200g".
- Tracking stock on items you do not count, which leads to misleading stock figures.
Screens and labels may change slightly as we update Xduka POS; if something looks different, contact our support team.
Quick checklist
- Create categories first.
- Add name, SKU, barcode, price and cost for each product.
- Set stock tracking and warehouse.
- Choose availability channels.
- Test-scan at the register.
Keep the catalog tidy
Review products monthly: archive items you no longer sell and update prices and costs that have changed.
Frequently asked questions
What if a product has no barcode?
Give it a clear SKU. The register search accepts name, SKU or barcode, so staff can still find it quickly.
Should I track inventory for everything?
Track stock for products you actually count and reorder. For services or items you do not count, switching tracking off avoids misleading stock figures.
Can a product be online only?
Yes. Use the availability channels to choose POS Register, Online Storefront or both.
A catalogue that pays off every day
Taking time to set up products properly pays off every day: faster checkout, accurate stock and meaningful reports. Start with categories, add your fast movers with barcodes and cost prices, then import the rest.
Get started at www.xduka.com, or see the products screen on the Showcase.
