MunshiFrom about 500 businesses that used Munshi in its first two months, four things stood out: shopkeepers write their khata in the evening, they write notes on almost half their entries, they fix mistakes often, and most reminders are never sent because the customer’s phone number is missing. This post shares those counted findings and what they mean for anyone keeping a khata, on paper or on a phone.
How we looked
We counted, we did not read. Every figure below is a total or a percentage across all businesses: how many entries were made at each hour, how many had a note, how many accounts had a phone number. We did not look at any customer’s name, number or balance, and nothing here can identify a shop. The period is September and October 2026, when Munshi was new, so treat the numbers as an early picture, not a national survey.
1. The khata is an evening job
Most entries were made between 3 pm and 8 pm, with the peak at 7 pm, and a second smaller wave between midnight and 1 am, when shops close and the owner adds up the day. That matches what shopkeepers tell us: during the rush they serve customers, and in the evening they write.
What it means for you: writing at the counter as it happens is still safer than writing from memory at night. If that is not possible, keep a fixed evening time, and use a daily closing to check cash against the khata. Munshi’s optional evening reminder fires at 7:30 pm for this reason.
2. Notes matter
44% of entries had a note: “doodh”, “cement 10 bags”, “October rent”, “advance”. Shopkeepers know that an amount alone starts arguments; an amount with a note ends them.
What it means for you: write what was taken, even two words. When a customer disputes a balance months later, the note is your proof. See settling a customer dispute with your khata.
3. Mistakes are normal, so make fixing easy
About 9% of entries were deleted, usually to be entered again correctly. A common mistake was pressing the wrong direction: recording a payment as credit, or the other way round.
What it means for you: fixing a mistake is part of keeping a khata, not a failure. Correct it the same day. In Munshi, press and hold an entry to switch You gave and You got, and deleted entries stay in the Recycle bin for 14 days. Read how to fix a wrong entry.
4. No phone number, no reminder
Only about 26% of customer accounts had a phone number saved. WhatsApp reminders grew quickly once shops found them, but a reminder needs a number, so most balances could never be reminded with one tap.
What it means for you: when you add a customer, take their number. It is the single biggest thing that helps you get paid. Munshi now asks for a number the first time you remind someone without one, and can pick it from your contacts.
5. A few busy traders do most of the writing
The most active 50 businesses made about 72% of all entries. They were mostly wholesale and dealer-type businesses, with a median of 13.5 accounts each, and they were the main users of photos on entries, bank accounts and reminders. Most other shops had one or two accounts, often because they were still trying the app.
What it means for you: a khata pays off when all your credit customers are in it. Bring everyone in at once, by import if you have a list, rather than one at a time.
6. The first hour decides
90% of first entries were made within an hour of creating the business. People who did not add a customer on the first day rarely came back to do it later.
What it means for you: when you start any khata app, add your top five customers with their current balance on day one. That is enough to see the value.
7. Urdu users stay
Most businesses used Munshi in English, but those who chose Urdu were more likely to still be writing a month later. Keep your khata in the language you think in.
What we changed because of this
- An evening reminder that shows the day’s totals.
- A prompt for the customer’s number before the first reminder, with contacts.
- One-press switching of You gave and You got.
- A first screen that takes three customers with their old balance.
What this does not tell us
These are early numbers from a new app, mostly from Pakistan, and from shops that chose to try a digital khata. They do not tell us how much credit Pakistani shops give in total, how much goes unpaid, or how different cities compare. We will not guess at those. As Munshi grows we will repeat these counts and say clearly when a number changes.
Five habits the busiest shops share
- They put every credit customer in the khata, not just a few.
- They write a short note on most entries.
- They save phone numbers and send reminders regularly.
- They attach a photo of the bill or slip for large amounts.
- They keep suppliers and bank accounts in the same app, so they see the whole picture.
None of these habits needs a particular app. They are what makes any khata, paper or digital, reliable enough that customers accept it without argument.
These arrived in Munshi 1.0.17. Munshi is free and made by DIGIT in Pakistan.