Overview
This Privacy Policy explains how Ado Systems (“Hisab”, “we”, “us”) collects, uses, shares and protects information when you use Hisab - our point-of-sale, inventory, invoicing, accounting and storefront platform - and our websites and apps (the “Service”).
We built Hisab for small and growing Ethiopian businesses, and we designed it so that the data you keep in your shop stays under your control. This policy works alongside our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, write to us at hisab@adosystems.com.
Who this applies to
This policy covers two kinds of people:
- Account users - owners and staff who sign in to Hisab to run a Business. For your account information, we are the data controller.
- Your customers and contacts - the people whose details you enter into your Business (for example, a customer on an invoice). For that information, you are the controller and we act as your processor, handling it on your behalf under your instructions (see Your customers’ data).
Information we collect
Information you give us
- Account details - your name, email address, phone number, password (stored only in hashed form), business name and type, and your role.
- Business Data - everything you and your staff enter into a Business: products, prices, stock, sales and receipts, customers and suppliers, invoices, expenses, cash books, ledgers, imports, settings and any files you upload.
- Payment and billing details - the plan you choose and records of charges. Card or mobile-money details are handled by our payment partners, not stored by us (see Payment information).
- Support and communications - messages you send us and the contents of those exchanges.
Information we collect automatically
- Usage data - actions within the Service such as logins and feature use, used to operate, secure and improve Hisab.
- Device and technical data - IP address, browser or app version, device type and similar diagnostics, and basic logs needed for security and troubleshooting.
- Cookies and similar technologies - small identifiers that keep you signed in and remember preferences (see Cookies & analytics).
How we use information
We use the information above to:
- provide, maintain and operate the Service and your Business;
- authenticate you, keep your account secure, and prevent fraud and abuse;
- process subscriptions and payments, and send you receipts and service notices;
- provide support and respond to your requests;
- monitor performance, fix problems, and improve and develop features;
- send important administrative messages, and - only where permitted - occasional product updates you can opt out of;
- comply with the law and enforce our Terms.
We do not sell your personal information or your Business Data, and we do not use the contents of your Business to build advertising profiles.
Your business data is confidential
The records inside your Business belong to you. We hold them in confidence and use them only to deliver the Service to you, as described in this policy.
Our platform operators run Hisab from a console that is limited to system health, accounts and billing. It does not open or read the contents of your shop - your products, sales, customers or books - and operators have no standing access to any Business they are not a member of.
The only times we access the inside of your Business are: when you or an Owner explicitly grant access (for example, to help with a support issue); when it is strictly necessary to fix a serious security or technical problem; or when the law requires it. In each case we use the least access, for the shortest time, needed.
Our legal bases
Where data-protection law requires a legal basis, we rely on one or more of the following:
- Performance of a contract - to provide the Service you signed up for.
- Legitimate interests - to secure, maintain and improve the Service, and to prevent abuse, in ways that don’t override your rights.
- Consent - where we ask for it, such as for optional marketing messages; you can withdraw consent at any time.
- Legal obligation - to comply with laws that apply to us, such as tax and record-keeping rules.
Payment information
When you pay for a Plan, your payment is processed by a third-party payment provider. We receive confirmation and limited details (such as the plan, amount and status) to maintain your subscription, but we do not collect or store your full card number or mobile-money credentials. The provider’s handling of your payment data is governed by its own privacy terms.
How we protect your data
We take security seriously and use technical and organisational measures designed to protect your information, including:
- Encryption in transit for data moving between your device and our servers;
- Strict tenant isolation, so each Business’s data is kept separate from every other Business;
- Access controls and the principle of least privilege, so people - including our own operators - only reach what they genuinely need;
- Hashed passwords, authentication safeguards and regular backups for resilience.
No system can be guaranteed perfectly secure, but we work continuously to protect your data and to respond quickly if a problem arises. If a breach affects your personal information, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by law.
How long we keep data
We keep your information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the Service. When you close a Business or account, we delete or anonymise the associated Business Data from our active systems within a reasonable period, except where we must keep certain records longer to comply with the law, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements. Residual copies may remain briefly in routine backups before they are overwritten.
Your rights & choices
Subject to applicable law, you have rights over your personal information, including to:
- Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
- Correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete;
- Export your Business Data using Hisab’s built-in export tools at any time;
- Delete your data, by closing your Business or asking us, subject to legal retention;
- Object to or restrict certain processing, and withdraw consent where we relied on it;
- Opt out of non-essential marketing messages.
To exercise any of these, email hisab@adosystems.com. We may need to verify your identity first, and we’ll respond within the time the law allows. If your request concerns data you entered about your own customers, we’ll help you act on it as the controller of that data.
Children’s privacy
Hisab is a business tool intended for adults. It is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
Hosting & transfers
Your data is hosted on servers operated for us by our infrastructure providers. Depending on where those servers are located, your information may be processed in a country other than your own. Where data is transferred across borders, we take steps to ensure it remains protected to a standard consistent with this policy and applicable law.
Your customers’ data
When you enter information about your own customers, suppliers or contacts into your Business, you are the controller of that information and we process it on your behalf. You are responsible for having a lawful basis to collect and store it, for telling those people how their information is used where required, and for honouring their rights.
We will process such data only to provide the Service to you and in line with this policy, and we will assist you, where reasonable, in responding to requests from the individuals concerned.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy as the Service evolves or the law changes. When we make a material change, we’ll update the “Last updated” date above and, where appropriate, notify you within the Service or by email. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Contact & complaints
If you have questions, requests or concerns about your privacy, contact us at hisab@adosystems.com or write to Ado Systems, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. We take privacy concerns seriously and will work with you to resolve them. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the data-protection authority that applies to you.