MunshiA supplier khata is a record of what you owe each supplier: the goods you took on credit and the payments you have made, with a balance that always shows what is left. Most shopkeepers watch what customers owe them closely, but what they owe suppliers lives in memory or on loose bills. That is how a payment gets missed, a supplier loses patience, or cash runs short. Here is how to track both sides in one app.
Why track what you owe suppliers?
- You protect your supply. Suppliers favour shopkeepers who pay on time and on the promised date.
- You see your real cash position. Money coming in from customers and money owed to suppliers belong in the same picture.
- You avoid disputes. A dated record of bills and payments ends “I never received that payment”.
The idea in one line
With a customer, You gave raises what they owe you and You got lowers it. A supplier is the mirror image. When you take goods on credit you got something, so the balance moves towards “You owe them”. When you pay, you gave money, so the balance moves back towards zero.
| What happened | Tap | Effect on the supplier’s balance |
|---|---|---|
| Took goods on credit | You got | You owe them more |
| Paid the supplier | You gave | You owe them less, or settled |
How to set up a supplier khata in Munshi
- Add the supplier. Add a new account and choose Supplier, then enter the name and phone number. Customers and suppliers live in the same ledger.
- Record goods bought on credit. Open the supplier, tap You got, and enter the amount. Add a note such as the bill number or the items (“Bill 482, cooking oil”).
- Record each payment. Tap You gave and enter what you paid. Note how: cash, bank or mobile wallet.
- Read the balance. The supplier’s page reads “You owe them” with the amount. When it is zero, it reads settled.
If you pay a supplier from your bank account, also record it in the Bank Book so your bank balance stays right. See cash book vs khata vs bank book for how the three fit together.
A weekly routine for paying suppliers
- Open Home and look at the total You will give.
- List suppliers by who is owed most and who is owed longest.
- Check the cash and bank you will have this week.
- Decide payments in order: the ones with a deadline first, then the oldest, then the rest.
- Record each payment the moment you make it.
Paying in a planned order keeps your cash steady. It also lets you ask for a few more days from a supplier before the date, which is better received than silence after it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Recording only payments. If you do not record the goods you took, the balance cannot show what you owe.
- No note on the bill. A bill number in the note settles most questions.
- Mixing a supplier and a customer. If someone is both, keep two accounts, or net them only when you both agree.
- Forgetting returns. If you send goods back, record it as a payment You gave with a note, so the balance reflects the credit.
For the customer side of the same system, read how to manage udhaar digitally, and for the daily habits that keep every balance right, seven small habits of a khata that always balances.