ERP Development in Egypt: Custom ERP with ETA E-Invoice and E-Receipt Integration (Prices in EGP)

Ask an Egyptian business owner why they want an ERP and the answer is rarely a buzzword. It's that the accounting program sits on one PC, stock lives in a notebook or a spreadsheet, branches report sales over WhatsApp at closing time, and payroll is rebuilt by hand every month. Then the tax authority's e-invoice or e-receipt requirement reaches them, and the old program either can't connect or connects badly.

This page covers what an ERP has to handle in Egypt, when packaged software is the better buy, what ETA integration involves, how payroll and collections fit in, and what a custom system costs in pounds, plus when we're not the right choice.

What Egyptian companies need from an ERP

An ERP brings sales, purchasing, stock, staff and accounts into one database. In Egypt the same needs keep coming up:

• Tax authority integration. E-invoices for sales to other businesses, e-receipts for sales to consumers, and VAT at 14%.
• Branches and warehouses across governorates. Cairo, Alexandria, the Delta and Upper Egypt, with stock transfers and branch-level permissions.
• Mixed collections. Cash, cards, Meeza, mobile wallets, InstaPay, Fawry and credit terms for trade customers, all reconciled in one place.
• Payroll and social insurance calculated on the correct insurable wage, whose limits change every year.
• Arabic first. Warehouse and counter staff work in Arabic; management or a foreign partner may need English.

If only one item on that list is hurting you, you may need one module, not a full ERP.

Packaged software, custom, or both?

Our honest advice: a small company with one location should start with accounting software already integrated with the e-invoice system; Odoo, Zoho Books and many Egyptian products offer this. Note where it gets in your way, and that list becomes the brief for a custom system later.

The hybrid route is the most common with mid-sized companies. The accountant keeps the software they know, and we build the missing part around it with automatic data exchange. Our ERP development overview explains the general approach.

Modules, and what's specific to Egypt

All modules share one database, with role- and branch-based permissions, an audit trail and Excel exports.

Tax, payroll and data: what your developer must understand

This explains what each rule means for your software. It isn't tax or legal advice. ETA decisions and phases are updated often, so confirm with the Egyptian Tax Authority and your accountant.

The e-invoice system (B2B)

The ETA's e-invoice system was rolled out in phases starting in 2020 and now covers registered companies broadly. Each invoice to a business customer is submitted to the system in a defined format, signed with an electronic signature (usually a certificate on a USB token or a signing device from an approved provider), and the system validates it and returns a unique ID.

For your ERP, that means item codes mapped to the system's classification, correct tax data for customers, never deleting an invoice once submitted, and handling rejections and resubmission. In the written scope we agree whether we connect directly to the ETA's API or go through accounting software or an integration provider you already use.

The e-receipt system (B2C)

The e-receipt is a separate system for sales to final consumers in shops, restaurants, pharmacies and similar businesses. It's being rolled out in phases through ETA decisions that name the taxpayers required in each phase, including phases that started in January, September and November 2025. So don't rely on your turnover to know whether you're in scope; check the ETA's lists using your registration number.

A POS that issues e-receipts must send them to the system, keep selling when the internet drops, and print a valid receipt. Ask any developer: what happens to receipts when a branch goes offline?

Payroll and social insurance

Under Social Insurance Law No. 148 of 2019, contributions are a percentage of the insurable wage: 18.75% paid by the employer and 11% by the employee. The minimum and maximum insurable wage rise every January; for 2026 they are EGP 2,700 and EGP 16,700. We build rates and limits as settings your accountant updates each year, not numbers hard-coded by a developer. The payroll module also handles salary income tax according to the brackets your accountant configures.

Personal data

An ERP holds national IDs, salaries and phone numbers. The executive regulations of Egypt's Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 151 of 2020) were issued in November 2025 with a one-year grace period. In practice: tight permissions, collecting only what's needed, and documenting where data is stored. Whether you need a licence from the Personal Data Protection Center is for your lawyer to assess.

Collections and the cashbox

Cash still matters in Egypt, alongside cards, Meeza, wallets, InstaPay and Fawry. The POS records each payment method, and the cashbox reconciles cash against electronic collections daily. For online collections we integrate an Egyptian payment gateway opened in your company's name. Our guide to payment gateways in the Gulf and Egypt compares the options.

An Egyptian studio that works remotely

Q Studio is based in Giza, and we know how Egyptian companies run: e-invoices, credit sales, cash collection, warehouses in several governorates. We work remotely over WhatsApp and video calls rather than placing staff in your office; if you're nearby and prefer to meet, ask on WhatsApp.

Foreign companies with operations in Egypt get the same setup, with management working in English and local teams in Arabic. See our page on software development in Egypt.

How we run an ERP project:

1. Map how you really work, from order to collection, exceptions included.
2. Start with the module that hurts most, not everything at once.
3. A working preview within 72 hours of approving the scope, tested by your own staff.
4. Import a sample of real data early, so duplicate items and mismatched balances show up in week one.
5. Add modules in phases on the same database, each with a written scope and fixed price.

Code, database and hosting are in your company's name from day one. Payments start with a 30% down payment, then 40% and 30% at milestones, each paid after you've seen that stage working.

Prices and timelines

We price in US dollars; pound amounts are approximate, at about EGP 50 to the dollar.

Third-party costs (hosting, the signature certificate, any integration provider, messaging) are paid by you directly. See ERP development cost for a fuller breakdown.

What we can and can't show you

Our proof is in Egypt and you can open it. Dawawin HR, our own HR and payroll system, is built around Egyptian social insurance forms, contracts and labour rules. PharmaRiwaq, our own platform for pharma companies, runs field visits, trade and tenders with an offline field app. For an Egyptian courier company we built On Time Express: an Arabic mobile app for traders, storekeepers and couriers, an admin dashboard, daily cash settlements and an audited money ledger. We also launched the rider and captain apps for DriveX on Google Play and the App Store.

So we suggest starting with a prototype or a single module, to see how we work on your data before committing.

When we're not the right fit

• Your procurement requires a vendor with specific registrations, certifications or a full tender file. A larger firm set up for that is a better choice.
• You need a team based in your office or consultants training staff in person on an ongoing basis.
• You want every system replaced in one big-bang launch. We build in phases because it's much less risky.
• Packaged accounting software already does the job. We'll tell you, and you'll save money.
• The business isn't Sharia-compliant, such as interest-based lending or betting.

FAQ

Do you build the ETA e-invoice integration yourselves?

Yes. We can integrate directly with the e-invoice system's API, or connect your ERP to accounting software or an integration provider you already use; the written scope says which. The signing certificate and your registration on the system are in your company's name.

We already have accounting software connected to the ETA. Do we have to replace it?

Usually not. It's often better to keep it with your accountant and build the missing part around it, such as multi-warehouse stock or a sales-rep app, then connect the two. That requires your current software to offer an API.

Does the POS keep working if the internet goes down?

We design it to keep selling and store e-receipts locally, then submit them automatically when the connection returns, alerting management if submission is delayed. We check the ETA's current requirements for this scenario with you before launch.

Will payroll handle the new insurance limits every January?

Yes. Contribution rates and the minimum and maximum insurable wage are settings your accountant changes each year without calling us, applied to payroll from the date they take effect.

Can we use the system across branches in several governorates?

Yes. Stock per warehouse, transfers and branch permissions are part of the design, so the Alexandria manager sees only that branch while head office sees everything. It runs in the browser, so branches need no servers of their own.

How do we start?

Send us on WhatsApp the software you use today, how many branches and users you have, and where things break. Within 24 hours you'll get a written scope, timeline and fixed price, free and without obligation. You can also use the project planner.