Reports are only useful if they change a decision. Here are the four a parts-shop owner should read regularly — and what to do about each.
Daily sales: spot the trend, not just the total
One day's figure means little. Watch the pattern across the week: which days are slow, which cashier rings up the most, whether M-Pesa is overtaking cash. Staff your counter and your float to match reality.
Best-sellers: protect your winners
A handful of parts usually drive most of your turnover. Know them by name, never let them run out, and negotiate harder with suppliers on exactly those lines.
Dead stock: free up trapped cash
Anything that hasn't sold in 90 days is money frozen on a shelf. Review it monthly and discount, bundle, or return it. Even a small recovery puts cash back into fast-movers.
Profit margin: the number that actually matters
High sales with thin margins can still sink a shop. Track margin by product and category, and price or drop the lines that aren't paying their way. Volume is vanity; margin is survival.