> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tillbiz.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Key concepts

> Stores, staff, shifts, and the core ideas behind how TillBiz works.

A few core ideas show up everywhere in TillBiz. Understanding them makes
everything else easier.

## Business

Your **business** is your account. Everything — stores, staff, products,
customers, and reports — lives inside it. You sign up once and manage the whole
operation from there.

## Stores (branches)

A **store** (also called a *branch*) is a physical location where you sell.
Every business has at least one store. Each store has its own:

* **Stock levels** — the same product can have different quantities per store.
* **Staff** — team members are assigned to a store.
* **Payment settings** — enable cash, card, or M-Pesa per store, with its own M-Pesa till.
* **Shifts and cash drawer** — money is tracked per store.

<Note>
  Running more than one store requires the **Multi-branch** feature on your plan.
  See [Subscription & licensing](/guides/billing-addons/subscription-and-licensing).
</Note>

Learn more in [Managing stores](/guides/settings/branches).

## Staff, roles & permissions

Everyone who uses TillBiz has a **user account**. What they can see and do is
controlled by their **role**:

* **Admin / Owner** — full access to settings, billing, and all stores.
* **Manager** — runs day-to-day operations: catalog, inventory, reports, approvals.
* **Cashier** — works the till: opens shifts, takes orders, accepts payments.

Roles are made up of granular **permissions** you can fine-tune, and many
permissions come in two scopes: *your own* records versus *everything in the
store*. See [Roles & permissions](/guides/settings/roles-and-permissions).

## Products & inventory

A **product** is something you sell. **Inventory** is how many of each product
you have *in a given store*. TillBiz keeps stock accurate automatically:

* Selling a product **reduces** its stock.
* Receiving a [purchase](/guides/catalog-inventory/purchases) **increases** it.

## Shifts

A **shift** is a cashier's working session at the till. A cashier opens a shift
with a starting cash amount, sells during the shift, and closes it by counting
the drawer. TillBiz compares the expected cash against the counted cash so you
can spot discrepancies. See [Opening a shift](/guides/point-of-sale/opening-a-shift).

## Orders & payments

An **order** is a sale — the items a customer is buying. A **payment** settles
an order. TillBiz supports cash, card, M-Pesa (via STK push), and **split**
payments across more than one method. An order is marked complete once it's
fully paid.

## Real-time updates

TillBiz keeps every device in a store in sync in real time. When a sale is rung
up on one till, stock counts, the dashboard, and reports update instantly for
everyone.