# Dashing as an alternative to Paper notebook

> Thinking of moving on from Paper notebook? Why owners look beyond it, where Dashing is ahead, and the steps to switch. Facts dated.

Dashing (dashingerp.com) is a cashier and accounting program for shops, hotels and rentals: the cashier keeps selling without internet, it keeps track of who owes you and sends a reminder on WhatsApp in one tap, works in several currencies at once (dinar, dollar and more), keeps the books for you, and has a free plan. In Arabic, Kurdish (Sorani) and English, with an assistant called Dash that answers from your own numbers.

Canonical: https://dashingerp.com/en/alternatives/paper-notebook

A paper notebook is a hand-written record. Owners who look for an alternative usually compare invoicing / VAT, inventory and accounting depth. This page shows where Dashing is ahead and how to switch.

_Last updated 2026-10-29_

## Why owners look beyond Paper notebook

- Invoicing / VAT: None; not reportable to a bank or tax office (2026-10)
- Inventory: None; no link to stock (2026-10)
- Accounting depth: No totals unless you add them (2026-10)

## Where Dashing is ahead

- Invoicing / VAT: Invoices, receipts, WhatsApp link, optional VAT
- Inventory: Stock drops on each sale
- Accounting depth: Balance per customer, income statement, balance sheet, month close

## How to switch to Dashing

- Export your item list from the current tool as a CSV or Excel file. Dashing reads headings in Arabic or English; the name and the sale price are the minimum.
- Open Inventory, then Import. A dry run shows what is ready and which rows have errors before anything is saved. The import creates new items only; a code or barcode already in your shop is skipped.
- Save your customers as a CSV with a Debt column, then open Customers and Import. Each debt becomes an opening balance and the customer shows in the reminder list at once. Upload each file once: a second upload adds the names again.
- What does not move: old invoices and supplier balances; only one balance per customer comes across. Keep your old records until you are sure.

## A direct comparison

If the question is Dashing against Paper notebook specifically, there is a comparison page with a full table.

## Common questions

### Can I move my items and customers from Paper notebook to Dashing?

Yes, if you can export a list from it as a CSV or Excel file: items come in through Inventory, then Import, and customers through a CSV with a Debt column. Old invoices and supplier balances do not move.

### What does Dashing cost if I move from Paper notebook?

Free for one branch with no card and no end date; the yearly plan is 420,000 IQD in Iraq or about 300 USD elsewhere and adds a second branch.

### Does Dashing keep selling when the internet drops?

Yes, on every plan including the free one: the cashier, invoices and purchase orders work offline, and sales upload once the connection returns.

## Sources

- [ijler.umsida.ac.id/index.php/ijler/article/view/1537](https://ijler.umsida.ac.id/index.php/ijler/article/view/1537) (2026-10-29)
- [kapita.iq/content/issue/measure-it-manage-it](https://kapita.iq/content/issue/measure-it-manage-it) (2026-10-29)

## Other languages

- العربية: https://dashingerp.com/alternatives/paper-notebook
- کوردی: https://dashingerp.com/ckb/alternatives/paper-notebook

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Dashing · https://dashingerp.com/en