Medan MSMEs Strengthen Business Foundations Through 'UMKM Pintar' Digital Solution

In Medan, Indonesia, hundreds of micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners gathered for the UMKM Digital Finance Tour – Medan Edition. The event, held at Hotel Aryaduta Medan, aimed to empower these entrepreneurs by strengthening their business governance and financial management through digital solutions.

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So far, our business system has moved from bazaar to bazaar with a non-permanent team. The biggest challenge is in financial management; we only thought about spending, selling, getting money, and then reinvesting it without taking the time to calculate the actual net profit percentage.

The centerpiece of the tour was the introduction of 'UMKM Pintar,' a digital platform resulting from a collaboration between PT Bank SeaBank Indonesia (SeaBank), Women's World Banking, and the Social Enterprise Platform (PLUS). This platform offers practical features designed to assist MSMEs in managing their finances, including a Cost of Goods Sold (HPP) calculator and a loan calculator.

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This HPP calculator feature is very useful and helps entrepreneurs, especially women who are busy with activities and do not have a special team. Its use is very easy, just input data and the menus are easy to understand.

Participants shared positive feedback on the platform's utility. Miftah Fatimah Salena Nasution, a chili sauce entrepreneur, noted that financial management had been a significant challenge. "We only thought about spending, selling, getting money, and then reinvesting it without taking the time to calculate the actual net profit percentage," she explained. The HPP calculator on UMKM Pintar, she found, made calculating production costs and business profits much easier.

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It's very easy to use, just type and the results come out immediately. The most useful features for me are the HPP Calculator and the Loan Calculator. We know if our profit margin makes sense or not.

Eni, who runs a frozen food business, echoed these sentiments. She found the platform's recording and calculation features invaluable, especially for those still relying on manual bookkeeping. "It's very easy to use, just type and the results come out immediately," Eni said, emphasizing the usefulness of the HPP and loan calculators for assessing profit margins and considering additional capital. SeaBank Indonesia's CEO, Sasmaya Tuhuleley, stated that the platform is accessible for free to both SeaBank customers and non-customers, underscoring a commitment to digitalizing MSMEs beyond just financial transactions and enhancing their management capabilities.

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We are not only providing financial services but are also committed to driving digitalization through financial management education, which is still largely done manually. We want to help business owners manage their finances and understand their business performance more directionally, so they can make the right strategic decisions.