Rules your business follows
Selling by weight
What Kila does for a business that sells by weight. The price comes from the price per kg, the container comes off, weights are kept to the gram, and the scales' yearly verification is on the calendar.
A customer pays for the weight they take. With the Weighed goods rules, Kila prices a weighed product from its price per kg, takes the container off and keeps weights to the gram, at every till and on its server. Kila calls these rules Weighed goods.
Butcheries and fresh produce shops start with them. Another business adds them on its business profile: the owner ticks Weighed goods under Administration › Business profile, in Rules that apply.
The law says, Kila does
Link to this section: The law says, Kila does| The law says | Kila does |
|---|---|
| A customer gets the weight they pay for: giving short weight is an offence. Weights and Measures Act (Cap. 513). | The amount is the weight times the price per kg. The container’s weight comes off before the price is worked out. At the till the price per kg cannot be typed over without the right to override prices, and Kila’s server checks it again. The line and the receipt show the weight and the price per kg. |
| Scales used for trade are verified and stamped by an inspector of weights and measures, and verified again every year. Weights and Measures Act (Cap. 513). | The Compliance calendar keeps each branch’s scale verification with its date and who is responsible, and reminds you before it is due. |
The law says
Kila cannot check a scale. It prices whatever weight the scale sends or the cashier types. Keep every scale used for trade verified and stamped, and record each verification in Compliance. The Weights and Measures Department, in the State Department for Trade, verifies scales: confirm the details with them.
Set it up
Link to this section: Set it upProducts sold by weight
Link to this section: Products sold by weightOn each product sold by weight, the owner or whoever manages products opens Edit and, under Rules for this business, switches on Sold by weight (the price is per kg) (1): “Sold by the kg: the price is per kg, the till weighs it or reads the scale label, and stock is kept in kg.” Two more fields appear:
- Scale PLU code (2): the number the labelling scale uses for it, such as 00101 for beef on the bone.
- Tare: container weight in kg (3): the tray or bag it is sold in, such as 0.01. The till takes it off the weight.
The product’s price is then its price per kg, and its stock is kept in kg.
Rounding and selling by amount
Link to this section: Rounding and selling by amountUnder Administration › Till and returns rules, the owner chooses:
- Rounding: “Cash and M-Pesa have no cents: lines are rounded down to the shilling (or 5 or 10), the cents coming off as a discount.” Round (1) No rounding, Goods sold by weight or Every line, Down to (2) The shilling, 5 shillings or 10 shillings. Nyama Bora Butchery rounds goods sold by weight down to the shilling.
- Selling by amount: “Meat for KES 200”: the cashier types the amount, the till shows the weight to cut, and the line is exactly the amount. Offer By amount when weighing (3).
The scales
Link to this section: The scalesUnder Administration › Printers and scales, each till can have its scale (1), connected by a serial or USB cable. On the till’s own computer, press Connect (2) and choose the scale’s port. Test weigh (3) opens a test: “Put something on the scale. The weight should follow it and say steady once it settles.” Under Settings, Scales, Take the scale’s own steady signal says why: “Scales approved for trade decide when a weight is steady.”
A labelling scale needs no set-up in Kila: its labels are scanned like any barcode. See Sell from a scale label.
The scales’ verification
Link to this section: The scales’ verificationCompliance keeps the scales’ verification for each branch, with its date, who verifies them and who is responsible. Nyama Bora Butchery has Scales verified and stamped (three counter scales) by Weights and Measures, Kiambu (1).
At the till
Link to this section: At the tillA product sold by weight opens Weigh when it is tapped or scanned: see Sell meat by weight and Sell meat by amount. The cashier cannot change its price per kg. Opening the line, Kila says: “Priced by weight. Only someone allowed to override prices can change it.”
What an inspector may ask for
Link to this section: What an inspector may ask for- The scales’ verification: under Compliance, with the certificate kept as its document.
- What was weighed and charged: every receipt shows the weight and the price per kg of each weighed line, and Kila keeps the sale with them under Sales.
Common questions
Link to this section: Common questionsCan a cashier change the price per kg for a regular customer? No. Someone allowed to override prices can, such as the shop manager. A customer on a price list gets its price per kg: at Nyama Bora Butchery, hotels and schools pay KES 700.00 a kg for beef on the bone.
Does the till work without a connected scale? Yes. Weigh asks the cashier to type the weight the scale shows.
Why is the line KES 918.00 and not KES 918.75? The business rounds goods sold by weight down to the shilling. The cents come off as a discount, so the customer never pays more than the scale price.
- Butchery: how Kila works for a butchery.
- Sell meat by weight: the cashier’s steps.
- Food safety: the other rules a butchery follows.
- Change quantities and sell by weight: weighing at any till.
- Set up a receipt printer, drawer or scale: set up a till’s scale and connect it.