Excel is flexible, inexpensive and familiar to many pharma companies. It is not automatically wrong for POB booking.
The problem appears when every MR edits a separate copy and the commercial team spends time checking calculations and reconstructing unclear orders.
Choose the tool that makes your chemist orders more accurate and easier to process—not simply the one that looks more modern.
- Accurate company price master
- Clear quantity and free-goods display
- Readable final order copy
Where spreadsheets remain useful
For a small company with few products and an established office process, Excel may be sufficient. Teams can maintain the product master, calculate amounts and archive records without another subscription.
The important point is that the template should be controlled and its formulas protected.
Where mobile booking helps
During a chemist visit, a representative often needs a fast product lookup, correct pack selection, clear billed and free quantities and a shareable order copy. A dedicated app can guide the sequence and limit manual calculation mistakes.
Its real advantage depends on an accurate company rate list and a user interface that works comfortably on a phone.
Try the POB price and free-units calculator
Change the three sample inputs. The chart and effective rate update immediately, this is a learning tool, not a company-approved trade offer or a live order
| Billed units | 10 |
|---|---|
| Free units | 2 |
| Illustrative PTR / unit | ₹100.00 |
| Invoice before tax and adjustments | ₹1,000.00 |
| Total units supplied | 12 |
| Effective amount per supplied unit | ₹83.33 |
Formula, effective amount per supplied unit = billed amount ÷ (billed units + authorised free units). The calculation excludes taxes, credit notes, extra discounts and other schemes. Confirm all commercial details against your company's approved price list
Consider the order's next journey
A completed order may need to be shared with a party, checked by a manager or processed by a stockist. Ask what your system actually supports after the MR taps Submit.
An offline queue, PDF share button and automatic internal approval are different capabilities and should never be assumed interchangeable.
Make the comparison with your own data
Create a small sample of orders covering different packs, PTR, negotiated rates and free-goods schemes. Ask MRs to complete them in Excel and in the candidate POB app.
Compare error correction, ease of review, and the time needed to send a usable order copy.
- Accurate company price master
- Clear quantity and free-goods display
- Readable final order copy
- Pending versus confirmed status
- Appropriate approvals where needed
Choose the tool that makes your chemist orders more accurate and easier to process—not simply the one that looks more modern.
Pharmadigi — grounded in pharma field experience
Doctors Detailing is developed for pharma field workflows under the direction of Sandeep Kumar Soni, Pharma Business Consultant & Trainer. The field guides are prepared by the Pharmadigi editorial team and should be reviewed against your company policy before use.
Learn about Doctors Detailing →