Savings Group (Bachat Samuha) Software · Guide
Best Software for a Savings Group (Bachat Samuha) in Nepal
The best software for a savings group is the one your treasurer is still using three years from now. That sounds obvious, but many tools are designed for banks and offer far more than a tole group will ever need. The right choice is simple, readable by members and strong on the few tasks that matter: deposits, loans, interest and the year-end share-out.
Start from what your group does
Write down in one page how your group works. How much does each member save each month? Is it the same for everyone? Can members take a loan, how large, for how long and at what interest? Are there fines for absence or late payment? How is the interest income shared at the end of the year? Different groups answer these differently, and good software lets you set your own rules instead of imposing its own.
Simplicity beats features
A treasurer who volunteers in her free time will not read a manual. She needs to open the group, choose the meeting date, tick who attended, enter each deposit, record any loans or repayments and print the sheet. If that takes more than a handful of screens, the tool will end up unused. During a demo, ask the treasurer herself to try it. Her reaction is more important than anyone's opinion on the feature list.
Nepali language and BS dates
Members must be able to read what is printed. Check that the sheets can be produced in Nepali, that Bikram Sambat dates are used and that names print correctly. Many members will be more comfortable with Devanagari numerals; ask whether this is supported. A tool that works only in English or only with AD dates will be resisted by the very people it is meant to help.
Loans and interest that match your rules
Most groups lend from the pool at a monthly interest rate agreed by members. Some charge flat interest for the loan period, others charge on the reducing balance. Test one loan in the demo. Does the software produce the repayment sheet you expect? Does it show the interest paid so far? Can it handle a member who repays early or in two parts? Interest handling is where trust is won or lost.
The year-end share-out
This is the moment all the records are used. The software should calculate each member's savings, the interest she has paid and her share of the total interest and fines, using the rule your group chose. Ask the vendor to show a share-out with example numbers and explain the calculation. Every member should be able to see how her number was reached.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Deposit history | Proves savings of each member |
| Loan and interest history | Shows who borrowed and paid what |
| Fines | Counted in the total shared |
| Expenses | Reduces the pool, must be visible |
| Rule used | Written on the statement |
Offline use and hardware
Many groups meet in a community hall or a member's home with no reliable power or internet. Choose a tool that works offline, runs on a basic laptop and prints on a simple printer. Be wary of tools that need a constant internet connection or a smartphone app that only works with data.
Questions to ask the vendor
- Can we change the deposit amount or interest rate ourselves, without calling you?
- Can the treasurer correct a mistake without deleting the history?
- What does a member statement look like, and can I see one in Nepali?
- If our laptop breaks, how do we recover the data?
- Who do we call when the treasurer is stuck on the evening before a meeting?
The answers tell you whether the vendor understands small groups or only sells to institutions. A vendor who has never sat through a tole meeting may overbuild the product and under-support the volunteer who uses it.
Backup and handover
A treasurer's term ends; the record must not. Ask how backups are taken and where they are stored. Ask how the file is passed to the next treasurer and how the group can check the opening balances. A printed summary signed by the group at each year-end is a good backup of last resort.
Privacy and who sees what
Savings and loans are personal. Decide who can see individual balances. Normally the group sees everything, but a supporting organisation may need only totals. Ask whether the software separates these views. Ask where the data is stored and who can access it.
A simple test
Bring last month's meeting notebook to the demo and ask the vendor to enter it in front of you. The result should match your notebook to the rupee. If the vendor can do that and the treasurer can repeat it herself, you have found a tool worth considering.
Your next step
Our savings group software is built for exactly this level of use. Message WebsNP on WhatsApp at +977 9846280400 with your group size and rules, and we will arrange a short demo. If your group is growing into a registered co-operative, read about sahakari software too.
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