🛒 meroByapar - Inventory & Billing Management System

A modern, web-based Inventory and Billing Management System designed for local marts and retail stores. Streamline your business operations with real-time inventory tracking, automated billing, and comprehensive analytics.

📋 Table of Contents

• About The Project
• Key Features
• User Roles & Permissions
• Tech Stack
• Getting Started
• Installation
• Usage
• Screenshots
• Contributing
• License
• Contact
• Acknowledgments

🎯 About The Project

meroByapar (meaning "My Business" in Nepali) is a comprehensive inventory and billing solution crafted specifically for local marts, mini-marts, and retail stores. The system eliminates manual record-keeping by providing an intuitive digital platform that automates daily business operations.

🎓 Academic Context

This project is developed as part of the Second Year Project (SYP) , demonstrating the application of full-stack development skills to solve real-world business problems. The project showcases:

• Full-stack development expertise
• Role-based access control implementation
• Real-time data management
• Business process automation
• Professional software development practices

✨ Key Features

🔎 Inventory Management

• Real-time stock tracking and updates
• Low stock alerts and notifications
• Product categorization and tagging
• Batch and expiry date tracking

🧾 Billing & Invoicing

• Fast and accurate bill generation
• Multiple payment method support
• Digital invoice creation
• Print-friendly bill formats
• GST/VAT calculation support

📊 Analytics & Reports

• Real-time profit/loss overview
• Daily, weekly, and monthly sales reports
• Top-selling products analysis
• Revenue trends and forecasting
• Custom report generation

👥 User Management

• Role-based access control (RBAC)
• Secure authentication system
• Activity logging and audit trails

👨‍💼 Supplier Management

• Supplier database management
• Purchase order tracking
• Supplier performance metrics
• Contact management

🔔 Smart Notifications

• Low stock alerts
• Expiry date reminders
• Daily sales summaries
• System updates and alerts

👥 User Roles & Permissions

👑 Admin (System Owner)

• Create and manage stores
• Manage subscription plans
• Activate/deactivate stores
• System-wide settings
• Monitor all stores
• Generate system analytics

📋 Manager (Store Owner)

• Full inventory control
  • Add, edit, delete products
  • Set and update prices
  • Manage stock levels
  • Bulk product operations
• Reports & Analytics
  • View all sales reports
  • Monitor profit/loss
  • Track store performances
• Staff Management
  • Add/remove cashiers
  • Set cashier permissions
  • View staff activity
• Operations
  • Approve refund requests
  • Manage suppliers
  • Handle customer queries
  • Configure store settings

💳 Cashier

• Billing Operations
  • Process customer bills
  • Handle multiple payment methods
  • Apply discounts (within limits)
  • Print/email invoices
• Basic Functions
  • View product catalog
  • Check stock availability
  • Request refunds
  • View daily sales (own)
• Restrictions
  • ❌ Cannot edit product prices
  • ❌ Cannot modify inventory
  • ❌ Cannot access reports
  • ❌ Cannot manage staff

🛠️ Tech Stack

Frontend

• HTML5/CSS3 - Structure and styling
• JavaScript (ES6+) - Dynamic functionality
• React.js - UI components and state management
• Bootstrap/Tailwind - Responsive design
• Chart.js - Data visualization

Backend

• Node.js - Runtime environment
• Express.js - Web framework
• RESTful APIs - Service communication

Database

• MongoDB/MySQL - Primary database
• Redis - Caching (optional)

Authentication

• JWT - Token-based authentication
• bcrypt - Password encryption

Development Tools

• Git - Version control
• Postman - API testing
• VS Code - Code editor

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v14 or higher)
• npm or yarn
• MongoDB/MySQL
• Git

📥 Installation

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/meroByapar.git
   cd meroByapar

2. Install backend dependencies

   cd backend
   npm install

3. Install frontend dependencies

   cd ../frontend
   npm install

4. Configure environment variables

   Create a .env file in the backend directory:

   PORT=5000
   MONGODB_URI=your_mongodb_connection_string
   JWT_SECRET=your_jwt_secret_key
   NODE_ENV=development

5. Set up the database

   # Run database migrations
   npm run migrate
   
   # Seed initial data
   npm run seed

6. Start the development servers

   Backend server (from backend directory):

   npm run dev

   Frontend server (from frontend directory):

   npm start

7. Access the application

   • Frontend: http://localhost:3000
   • Backend API: http://localhost:5000
   • API Documentation: http://localhost:5000/api-docs

💻 Usage

Default Login Credentials

Admin:
  Email: admin@merobyapar.com
  Password: admin123

Manager:
  Email: manager@store.com
  Password: manager123

Cashier:
  Email: cashier@store.com
  Password: cashier123

Quick Start Guide

1. Login with appropriate credentials
2. Manager: Add products, set prices, manage stock
3. Cashier: Start billing customers
4. View Reports: Access analytics dashboard
5. Manage Suppliers: Add supplier information