One ledger
Every stock motion posts to the GL in the same transaction. Sortly is not an accounting system — you would still need separate books with manual journals for valuation, COGS and tax. HelloBooks rolls that in.
HelloBooks Inventory vs Sortly — Compare Inventory Software | HelloBooks HelloBooks Inventory vs Sortly: full inventory + accounting + GST in one product vs visual tracker for field-service teams. Migration steps and side-by-side.
Sortly is a visual, image-heavy inventory tool that has carved out a strong niche with field-service teams, makers, equipment-rental shops and small operations that care more about what an item looks like and where it is than about double-entry accounting. The mobile-first photo + barcode workflow is genuinely well-designed for that audience, and pricing is straightforward. What Sortly does not try to be is an accounting system — there is no general ledger, no trial balance, no GSTR-1 generation. It tracks stock; you do the books elsewhere.
HelloBooks Inventory is built for teams that need both — the stock ledger and the books in one product, with multi-warehouse, multi-GSTIN, BOMs, vendor scorecards, AI demand forecasting and the Cleanup Dashboard. Every adjustment, transfer and stocktake variance posts to the GL in the same transaction. Multi-currency, FIFO/weighted-average valuation, batch and serial tracking, e-way bills and Tally voucher sync are all native rather than out-of-scope.
If your inventory operation is small enough that the only thing you need is photos + barcodes + a quick on-hand count, Sortly is a clean fit. This page is for teams who have outgrown that — who file GST returns, run multiple warehouses, work with BOMs and vendors, or simply want stock and books in the same place rather than two.
Comparison · Inventory · Accounting · GSTHelloBooks Inventory vs Sortly
HelloBooks Inventory vs Sortly
Inventory + Books vs Visual Tracker
Sortly is a photo-rich visual inventory tool for field-service teams and makers. HelloBooks Inventory is the full stack — items, BOMs, multi-warehouse, multi-GSTIN, valuation, forecasting and the books in one product.
Feature Comparison
Side-by-side: HelloBooks Inventory vs Sortly.
| Feature | HelloBooks Inventory | Sortly |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in general ledger & accounting | Not an accounting product | |
| Inventory + GL in one transaction | ||
| Photo-rich item catalogue | Long-standing strength | |
| Multi-warehouse | Folder-based locations | |
| Batch / serial tracking with expiry | ||
| BOM with cost roll-up + substitutes | Multi-level | |
| FIFO / weighted-average valuation | ||
| Multi-GSTIN per entity (India) | ||
| GSTR-1 / GSTR-2B generation | ||
| E-way bill on transfer + dispatch | ||
| Vendor scorecards (OTIF, fill rate, defects) | ||
| AI demand forecasting from sales history | ||
| Mobile barcode app on standard Android | ||
| Free Plan available | Item-count limited |
Why HelloBooks Wins
Three structural differences when inventory needs to talk to the books.
GST + sales-tax aware
Multi-GSTIN per entity, IGST on inter-state transfers, e-way bills, GSTR-1 + GSTR-2B generation — and US multi-state nexus. Sortly does not file taxes; HelloBooks does.
Mobile-first
Android-first barcode and stock workflow on standard phones — Sortly's mobile UX is a strength we match without taking away the operations + finance fields the rest of the business needs.
Migration: Sortly → HelloBooks
Sortly's CSV exports cover the structured data cleanly. Photo bulk-upload is a scripted follow-on rather than a single click.
Step 1
Export from Sortly
Use Sortly's CSV export for items, custom fields, folder/location structure and on-hand counts. Export the item-photo bundle separately.
Step 2
Import into HelloBooks
Map items into the HelloBooks item master, translate Sortly folders to warehouses + bins, load opening balances, and bulk-upload item photos against the imported items.
Step 3
Reconcile and go live
Run one count cycle in parallel for confidence. Set up your chart of accounts in HelloBooks so the new inventory motions post to the right ledger. Cut Sortly to read-only and cancel.
HelloBooks Inventory vs Sortly — FAQs
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