Moving away from 1C: insights from Dmytro Ahapov’s talk on retail solutions

CEO & Founder of CHM Software, Dmytro Ahapov, participated in an online session as part of the Eastern Ukraine EDIH project, supported by the Kharkiv IT Cluster.

In his talk, he explained why Ukrainian retail is gradually moving away from 1C and how modern cloud ecosystems are transforming approaches to business automation.

Main theme of the talk

Today, businesses need more than just an accounting program—they need a flexible ecosystem that:

• Scales without servers or complex infrastructure

• Works offline

• Provides real-time stock control

• Integrates with ERP systems

• Can be deployed in hours, not months

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) don’t need a complex ERP—they need a fast, intuitive, and secure system.

What was showcased in the talk

Dmytro Ahapov demonstrated that the era of classical 1C for retail is effectively coming to an end:

POS is no longer just a “cash register.”
It’s a full-featured store management platform: accounting, real-time stock tracking, inventory without halting sales, loyalty programs, online orders, analytics, and integrations.

Server-based models hinder scaling.
Dependency on servers, expensive licenses, IT staff, and 1C developers creates risks and costs that are critical for SMBs.

New architecture: autonomous store + cloud.
Each store operates independently:

• Sales continue even without internet
• Data synchronizes automatically
• No centralized “bottleneck”

Cash register on a smartphone—the new norm.
Any Android device can become a full-featured POS—no complex equipment or long deployment required.

Integration without pain.
The platform integrates with enterprise-level ERP solutions, including SAP Business One and Odoo, allowing networks to transition gradually—without disrupting business.

Our solutions: PayKit and Chameleon POS

Dmytro Ahapov highlighted the evolution of our products—from POS for large chains to a full cloud ecosystem for SMBs.

Chameleon POS — solution for network retail

Chameleon POS is the system that started the company.
It was built for chains with hundreds of stores, solving 1C’s main problem: risk-free scaling.

Key Features:

• Local database at each store

• Automatic synchronization with central server

• Fully functional offline

• Inventory without stopping sales

• Stock management directly at the point

• Scales to hundreds or thousands of stores

Today, over 2,000 retail points of large clients operate without 1C, using Chameleon POS.

PayKit — cloud system for SMBs

PayKit POS is the logical evolution, addressing SMBs’ demand for a simple, fast, and accessible system.

PayKit is more than a POS—it’s a full cloud ecosystem:

• POS on Android

• Built-in software cash register

• Launch via Play Market without server installation

• Real-time stock and financial tracking

• Electronic invoices and transfers

• Online orders with stock reservation

• Inventory via tablet (including offline)

• Dashboards with sales and margin analytics

• ERP integration via open API

Effectively, any smartphone or Android payment terminal can become a full-featured POS with payment acceptance, product scanning, and warehouse management.

Results achieved

• Over 6,000 installations in Ukraine

• 2,500 new deployments in 2025 alone

• 60+ specialists in the team (R&D, implementation, support)

• Launch of sales through partners in the EU

Key message of the talk

Moving away from 1C is not a risk.
It’s an opportunity to adopt a modern, flexible, and cost-efficient automation model.

Ukrainian businesses no longer have to choose between “old heavy ERP” and chaotic accounting.

CHM Software demonstrates that a full-featured, technological, and scalable alternative to 1C already exists in Ukraine—a new standard for SMB retail.

Our market position

We’ve shown that Ukrainian solutions can be a real alternative to 1C:

• Lower infrastructure costs

• Faster deployment

• Autonomous operation with unstable internet

• Open integrations

• Modern interface

This is not just about “moving away from 1C”—it’s about adopting a new automation standard for SMBs.

Watch the talk

All key points from Dmytro Ahapov’s presentation are available on our YouTube channel PayKit:
Moving away from 1C: insights from Dmytro Ahapov’s talk on retail solutions

“Small businesses don’t need complex ERP—they need a fast, intuitive, and secure system,” — Dmytro Ahapov