When the printed bill lets the shop down
Thermal printer billing software sends the bill to a 58 mm or 80 mm receipt printer in a layout that fits the paper. Many shops find their bills cut off at the edge, item names chopped short, GST missing or the printer that worked yesterday not found today.
The other half of the problem is the business customer. A hotel buying vegetables, a contractor buying hardware or a clinic buying supplies wants an A4 tax invoice with their GSTIN, HSN codes and the amount in words. A thermal slip will not do for their accounts.
What Cartix Prime prints
Thermal bills, 58 mm and 80 mm
Cartix Prime prints on 58 mm and 80 mm thermal printers. A 58 mm roll suits a small shop with short bills and a compact printer; 80 mm gives room for longer item names and a GST breakup. The guide 58 mm vs 80 mm thermal printers helps you choose.
A4 GST invoices
The same bill can print as an A4 invoice with an HSN summary, the amount in words, your bank details and your terms, in up to 3 copies (for example original for the buyer, duplicate for the transporter, triplicate for you). The guide on GST invoice format lists what a tax invoice must show.
Bill design options
- Your shop logo at the top.
- Item names in Malayalam or another local script, for customers who read that more easily.
- MRP and the customer's savings.
- GST by rate, so the tax for each slab is shown separately.
- Each line's amount before tax, GST % and amount after tax.
- Rate per piece before or after tax.
- The bill number printed as a barcode, so a returned bill can be scanned instead of searched.
- A UPI QR code for any amount due, so a credit customer can pay from the slip.
Connecting the printer
| Where you bill | How it prints |
|---|---|
| Windows computer | Through the Print Bridge app, to USB and other printers on that computer |
| Android phone or tablet | To Bluetooth and Wi-Fi printers |
| Any computer, A4 | To a normal office printer |
Printing works without the internet. If the broadband goes, the counter keeps billing and printing, and the bills go up to the cloud later. That is why many shops print rather than send on WhatsApp when the net is down. See offline billing software.
Thermal or A4: which bill for which customer
| Customer | Usual bill |
|---|---|
| Walk-in buying groceries or snacks | 58 mm or 80 mm thermal slip |
| Supermarket customer with a long bill | 80 mm thermal, with MRP and savings |
| Business customer with a GSTIN | A4 invoice with HSN summary and amount in words |
| Goods sent with a transporter | A4 invoice in up to 3 copies |
Thermal paper needs no ink or ribbon, which keeps running costs low for a busy counter. A4 costs more per page but gives the business customer the invoice their accountant expects.
How it works at the counter
- On Windows, install the Print Bridge and pick your thermal printer. On Android, pair the Bluetooth printer or join the Wi-Fi printer.
- Choose 58 mm, 80 mm or A4 and switch on the design options you want.
- Print a test bill and check that names, GST and totals fit the paper.
- Bill as usual. The bill prints when you finish it.
- For a business customer, print the same bill on A4 with the copies you need.
Who it suits
- Kirana stores and bakeries with a small 58 mm printer and short bills.
- Supermarkets that want 80 mm bills with MRP, savings and GST by rate.
- Hardware, electrical and wholesale shops that print thermal slips for walk-ins and A4 invoices for contractors and businesses.
- Mobile sellers and small counters that bill from an Android phone and a Bluetooth printer. See billing app for Android.
For customers who would rather not have paper at all, the same bill can go on WhatsApp. See bills on WhatsApp.
Which plan has thermal and A4 printing
Thermal and A4 printing, and the bill design options, are on every Cartix Prime plan. Starter is ₹2,499 a year for one computer and one phone, or ₹599 phone only, before 18% GST. Every new shop gets 7 days of Silver free with no card, and a free plan stays after that with 100 items and 5 bills a day. See the pricing page for the other plans.
Questions people ask
Does Cartix Prime support 58 mm and 80 mm thermal printers?
Yes. It prints on both 58 mm and 80 mm thermal printers. From Windows it prints through the Print Bridge app; from Android it prints to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi printers.
Can I print an A4 GST invoice?
Yes. The same bill can print as an A4 invoice with an HSN summary, amount in words, bank details and terms, in up to 3 copies. This is on every plan, including Starter.
Can I print item names in Malayalam on the bill?
Yes. Item names can be kept in Malayalam and other local scripts, and the bill can print them. Bills sent on WhatsApp can carry them too.
Can I print bills from my phone with a Bluetooth printer?
Yes. The Cartix Prime Android app prints to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi thermal printers, so a phone and a portable printer are enough for a small counter or a stall.
Can the bill show a UPI QR code?
Yes. A UPI QR code can be printed for any amount due, so a customer can scan and pay from the bill. You can also print the bill number as a barcode for quick lookups on returns.