merch. is a mobile-friendly web app designed specifically for Broadway theatre merchandise operations. It replaces paper count sheets and manual spreadsheets with a fast, guided digital workflow — letting you open, count, reconcile cash, and export your booth report all from one screen.
Every show follows the same simple loop:
The app tracks sold units, calculates revenue, spots cash variances, and packages everything your manager needs into a single exportable file.
You access the merch. countsheet through the Backstage employee portal. You will log into Backstage first, then open the countsheet for your show from there.
Go to backstage.merchdot.com in any browser on your device.
Enter your email and password, then tap Sign In. Your manager sets up your account before your first show — if you don't have login details, ask them.
You'll land on the Call Board, the portal home page.
From the top navigation, tap Retail.
Scroll down to the Events section. You'll see the current show listed with an Open Countsheet → button.
Tap Open Countsheet → to open the countsheet in your browser. It opens pre-loaded with all the show's information.
The countsheet opens to a PIN entry screen. Tap your 4-digit PIN on the keypad. The app automatically proceeds when all 4 digits are entered — you do not need to press a confirm button. Ask your manager for the PIN if you don't have it.
After your PIN is accepted, two mode buttons appear: Seller Mode and Manager Mode. Tap Seller Mode. Manager Mode is for your manager only and requires a different level of access.
A list of all merchandise booth locations appears. Each shows a color-coded dot to help you identify your booth at a glance. Tap the location that matches where you are working tonight.
After choosing your location, a list of shows appears. Tap the current show to open its count sheet. Each show entry displays:
Shows are listed in chronological order with the most recent at the top. Your manager creates shows in advance, so you should always see today's show (or shows, if there are two performances) at the top of the list.
The Count Sheet is the main working screen of merch. You will spend most of your time here. It lists every product at your location, organized by category. Your job is to enter an Open count before the show and a Close count after the last sale.
Each product (or each product variant, such as a size) appears as a card. The card contains:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Open | The number of units at the start of the show. Count your physical stock and enter this number before doors open. |
| Close | The number of units remaining at the end of the show. Count your physical stock after the last sale and enter it here. This field must be filled before you can proceed to Cash Reconciliation. Missing close counts are highlighted in amber. |
Each card has a "Details ▾" toggle that reveals additional adjustment fields. These account for stock movements during the show that are not regular sales. Tap it only if one of these situations applies to your booth today.
| Field | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Adds | Additional stock received mid-show from the stock room or manager. Enter the quantity added. |
| Adds 2 | A second add of stock during the show if two separate stock additions occurred. |
| Damage | Units that were damaged and removed from sale during the show. |
| Comp | Complimentary units given away (no revenue). For example, a gift to a cast member. |
| Promo | Promotional giveaways authorized by production. |
| Prod | Units taken by production for internal use (props, wardrobe, etc.). |
| Pickup | Units physically removed from your booth by a manager during or after the show. |
| House | Units sold as house seats — tracked separately for reporting purposes. |
| Xchg | Exchange out — units swapped to or from another location. These have no revenue impact; they simply account for the inventory movement. |
At the bottom of every card, the app automatically shows:
When a product comes in multiple variants (e.g. a T-shirt in S / M / L / XL), all variant cards are grouped under a shared product name header. The header displays the combined dollar total in green next to the product name so you can see the full revenue for that product at a glance.
Products are organized into categories (e.g. Apparel, Accessories, Print, Drinkware). A subtle separator bar labels each category group, making it easy to scroll to the right section of your booth's product list.
At the bottom of the count sheet is a "Cash Reconciliation →" button. The app will not allow you to proceed if any close count fields are empty. Fields that need to be filled will be highlighted in amber. Fill in all close counts before tapping the button.
Once all close counts are entered, tap "Cash Reconciliation →". This screen is where you reconcile your physical cash drawer against the revenue calculated from your counts and your Shopify / card terminal data.
The top of the Cash Rec screen shows a read-only summary of the revenue calculated from your count sheet:
| Line | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Retail Revenue | Total revenue from regular unit sales at retail price. |
| House Revenue | Revenue from units marked as House sales (tracked separately). |
| Shopify Discounts | Displayed in red — discounts applied through Shopify that reduce total revenue. |
| Shopify Returns | Displayed in red — returns processed through Shopify that reduce total revenue. |
| Total Revenue | Net total after all deductions. Shown in green when positive. |
Enter the following from your terminal reports and drawer count:
| Field | Where to find this number |
|---|---|
| Shopify / Credit Card Total | The total charged to cards for this show. Find this in your Shopify admin under Orders, or on your card terminal's end-of-day report. |
| Shopify Discounts | Total discount value applied to orders in Shopify during this show. |
| Shopify Returns | Total value of any returns or refunds processed in Shopify. |
| Shopify Tax Collected | Sales tax collected through Shopify (for reporting — does not affect variance). |
| Opening Float | The amount of cash in the drawer at the start of the show (your starting float). |
| Closing Drawer | The total cash counted in the drawer at the end of the show. |
Once you have entered all fields, the app calculates and displays:
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | Balanced — cash matches expected amount exactly. |
| Amber | Within $1.00 — minor discrepancy, likely a rounding difference. Note it and proceed. |
| Red | More than $1.00 off — recount your drawer and double-check your Shopify figures before proceeding. |
A free-text Notes area is available at the bottom of the Cash Rec screen. Use it to explain any variance, flag a customer issue, note a damaged item, or leave any message for your manager.
The Summary screen gives you a high-level view of performance across all shows. You can reach it by tapping "📊 View Summary" on the Cash Rec page, or via the main navigation.
Four headline stat cards appear at the top:
If your manager has set a weekly revenue goal, a progress bar appears below the stat cards showing how close your location is to the target. The bar fills in merch. gold as you approach the goal.
Below the stats, a list of all shows appears. Tap any show row to expand the detail view for that show.
Each show's detail view includes:
The Booth Report export is the most critical step at the end of every show. Without it, your manager cannot see your numbers or import your data into the weekly summary.
Complete all close counts on the Count Sheet.
Tap "Cash Reconciliation →" at the bottom of the Count Sheet.
Fill in all Cash Reconciliation fields (Shopify total, float, drawer).
Tap "⬇ Export Booth Report". Your device will download a file named something like booth-report-show147-mezzanine.json.
Locate the downloaded file on your device (usually in the Downloads folder or your browser's download bar).
Send the JSON file to your manager via the agreed channel (email, Slack, WhatsApp, Google Drive — whatever your production uses).
The exported JSON file is a complete snapshot of your show including:
Keep these in mind every show: