Clinic decision guide · Saudi Arabia · By the Modirify team
Choosing Dental Clinic Software in Saudi Arabia: A Buying Checklist
Before buying software for a dental clinic in Saudi Arabia, ask for three things: practical evidence of how it handles both phases of e-invoicing, written answers on what the SAR price includes and what is paid outside it, and a short 30-minute trial scenario. This page gives you the questions and what you should see, and ends with Modirify’s answers to the same questions, limits included.
E-invoicing: ask for evidence, not a promise
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) applies e-invoicing to those subject to its requirements in two phases. The generation phase has applied since 4 December 2021: invoices are issued from an electronic system that meets ZATCA’s requirements, and a simplified tax invoice must carry a QR code, generated by the business’s own system, not by ZATCA. The integration phase has applied since 1 January 2023 in waves, and ZATCA notifies targeted taxpayers of their integration date at least six months in advance. This page does not decide your clinic’s tax obligations, so ask your accountant first, then use the table below with any software.
| Requirement | Evidence to ask for | What to check in the demo |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 QR code | A test simplified tax invoice issued by the software with a QR code | Scan the code with a suitable reader and check the seller name, VAT registration number, issue date and time, total including VAT, and VAT amount |
| Phase 2 integration | A test invoice sent to the FATOORA platform and its status there | The document status (accepted or rejected) shown inside the software |
| If the software is not integrated yet | A written plan to integrate before your clinic’s wave date, or the alternative route for issuing the invoice | Who issues the compliant invoice and how its number is matched to the software invoice |
| Keeping copies | Where electronic copies of issued invoices are kept and for how long | Retrieve an old invoice from the software during the demo |
| Credit and debit notes | An example credit note and debit note linked to an earlier invoice | Each note is linked to the original invoice and shows the correct VAT |
The SAR purchase worksheet
Fill in this worksheet for each offer before comparing. In the “Record” field write a documented amount, “included” or “not confirmed”, and never put a zero in place of a missing answer. Ask for the terms in writing, not verbally.
| Item | Ask | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Displayed price | In which currency? Monthly or annual? Does it include VAT? | Amount, currency and period |
| Amount charged | In which currency is it actually charged? When is the final amount shown? On what basis is it converted if the currency differs? | Charge currency, conversion basis and date, and any disclosed fees |
| Payment method | Which methods are available to your clinic at checkout? | The method you will use |
| Renewal | Does the price or its currency change at renewal? How are you told beforehand? | Renewal price, currency and date |
| What the subscription covers | Number of users, doctors, patients and branches | The limits as stated in the written offer |
| Insurance claims | If your clinic works with insurers: does the software submit claims electronically? Request a demonstration using made-up data showing patient and insurer shares and claim tracking, and identify which steps happen outside the software. | The written route, the steps outside the software and any extra cost |
| WhatsApp messages | How many messages does the plan include? Who pays Meta’s charges on delivered messages, which depend on message category and recipient country? Does the vendor add its own fee? | Plan allowance, who pays Meta’s charges, and any vendor fee |
| Moving data in | What moves and what does not, such as images and attachments? Is there a cost? | What moves, and the cost |
| Leaving | In which format do you get your data when you cancel? What happens to it afterwards? | Format and retention period |
A short 30-minute trial scenario
Before the trial, prepare two test accounts (reception and doctor) with their permissions and a test phone number that receives messages, and use made-up data only. Decide in advance which steps matter to your clinic, and write “not needed” or “not demonstrated” for any that do not apply instead of counting them as a pass. Ask your accountant which invoice type and tax treatment apply to your clinic before testing invoicing.
| Minutes | Step | Expected result | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–5 | Register a made-up patient and book an appointment | The appointment appears in the doctor’s schedule without typing the name again | Patient details entered twice |
| 5–10 | Change the appointment time, then check the patient in | The doctor sees the new time and the check-in in their schedule | The old time remains in the doctor’s schedule |
| 10–15 | Record a session and an invoice with a final total of SAR 1,000 and a SAR 400 payment | A balance of SAR 600 shows in the patient file and on the invoice, and, if the invoice is a simplified tax invoice, it carries a QR code | The balance differs between the patient file and the invoice, or a simplified tax invoice has no QR code |
| 15–20 | If it matters to your clinic: disconnect the internet, do a reception task, then reconnect | You know in advance what works offline, and the task appears once after reconnecting | The task is lost or duplicated |
| 20–25 | If it matters to your clinic: send a WhatsApp appointment reminder to the test number | The reminder arrives and you can see how many plan messages were used | No way to tell the remaining allowance or who pays |
| 25–30 | Export patients and invoices and open the files | You find the patient, invoice and payment you entered | A missing file or unreadable data |
Modirify’s answers to the same checklist
These are Modirify’s answers as one vendor, including what it does not do. Apply the same questions to it before subscribing.
- Phase 1 QR codeNot available
- FATOORA integration (phase 2)Not available
- Insurance claims through NPHIESNot available
- Invoice in Arabic or EnglishAvailable
- Clinic tax number on the invoiceAvailable
- Tax calculationLimitedOne tax line at the rate you set; not full tax accounting.
- Charge currency when subscribingLimitedThe amount and currency are shown before you pay; it may be charged in US dollars if your currency is unavailable.
- Working without internetLimitedSix specific operations after a previous online sign-in on the device; other screens need a connection.
- Moving data from another systemLimitedFrom CSV or Excel files, without images and attachments.
- Exporting dataLimitedCSV files, without images and attachments.
- Several branches in one accountNot availableEach branch needs its own account.
Sources
- ZATCA: e-invoicing roll-out phases (Accessed )
- ZATCA: e-invoicing FAQ (Accessed )
- Meta: WhatsApp Business Platform pricing (Accessed )