M-PESA Till Statement Explained: What Every Business Owner Should Know
A plain-language guide to reading your M-Pesa Business Till statement — what each column means, how to spot errors, what KRA looks for, and how to turn raw data into useful business insights.
In this article
What Is an M-Pesa Business Till Statement?
An M-Pesa Business Till statement is an official document issued by Safaricom that lists every transaction that passed through your Business Till (Buy Goods Till) during a specified period. It is the financial backbone of your M-Pesa business records — equivalent to a bank statement, but for your till account.
Unlike the SMS notifications you receive on your phone (which can be deleted, missed, or truncated), the official statement is a complete, tamper-proof record. It is the document that KRA accepts as evidence of business income, that banks use when assessing loan applications, and that accountants rely on for accurate bookkeeping.
Where to get your statement:
- MySafaricom App: M-Pesa → Statements → Business Till → Request Statement (PDF sent by email)
- USSD *334#: My Account → Statement (mini statement on-screen, full PDF by email)
- Safaricom Business Portal: business.safaricom.co.ke → download CSV for bulk months
- Safaricom Shop: Visit any Safaricom service centre with your ID and till number
Every Column in Your M-Pesa Statement Explained
The Safaricom M-Pesa statement PDF contains a table with several columns. Here is what each one means:
| Column | What it means | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Receipt No. | A unique alphanumeric code (e.g. QGH7X2ABCD) assigned to every transaction | Use this to trace any disputed transaction with Safaricom |
| Completion Time | Date and time the transaction was completed (not initiated) | Useful for matching transactions to specific business days or shifts |
| Details | Description of the transaction type and counterparty name | Shows who paid you or who you paid — key for categorisation |
| Transaction Status | Completed, Failed, or Reversed | Only 'Completed' transactions affect your balance |
| Paid In | Amount received into your till (income) | This is your gross sales figure — all customer payments |
| Withdrawn | Amount sent out of your till (expense or withdrawal) | Includes supplier payments, personal withdrawals, and charges |
| Balance | Running balance after each transaction | Useful for spotting the exact moment a large payment was received or made |
Understanding the Different Transaction Types
The "Details" column in your statement uses specific phrases to describe each transaction type. Knowing what these mean helps you categorise your income and expenses correctly:
Customer Payment
Paid InA customer paid you via your till number. This is your primary income. The customer's name appears in the Details column.
Business Payment
WithdrawnYou sent money to another M-Pesa business number (e.g., paying a supplier who also has a till). This is a business expense.
Pay Bill
WithdrawnPayment to a utility, bank, or service provider via their Paybill number. Common for KPLC electricity, Nairobi Water, or bank loan repayments.
Withdrawal
WithdrawnCash withdrawn from your till to your personal M-Pesa or to an agent. This may be a personal draw or a cash expense — categorise carefully.
Transfer
EitherMoney moved between your own M-Pesa accounts. This is not income or expense — it is an internal transfer and should be excluded from profit calculations.
Reversal
EitherA previously completed transaction was reversed (cancelled). The original transaction and the reversal cancel each other out — both should be excluded from totals.
Common Errors and Red Flags to Watch For
Not every transaction in your statement is straightforward. Here are the most common issues that business owners encounter and what to do about them:
Duplicate transactions
HighThe same receipt number appears twice, or two transactions with identical amounts, times, and counterparties appear within seconds of each other. This can happen due to system errors. Contact Safaricom with the receipt number to request a reversal.
Failed transactions still showing
MediumSome statements include 'Failed' transactions in the list. These did not affect your balance and should be excluded from all calculations. PesaLedger automatically filters these out.
Unexplained large withdrawals
HighA large withdrawal you don't recognise could indicate an error, an unauthorised transaction, or a forgotten payment. Always investigate withdrawals above KES 5,000 that you cannot immediately explain.
Missing transactions
LowIf you know a customer paid you but the transaction is not in the statement, check the date range of your statement request. Transactions from the last few minutes of a day sometimes appear on the next day's records.
What KRA Looks for in Your M-Pesa Statement
If you are subject to KRA Turnover Tax (TOT) — which applies to businesses with annual gross sales between KES 1 million and KES 25 million — your M-Pesa Till statement is the primary evidence of your income. KRA assessors look for three things:
- 1
Total gross sales (Paid In column)
KRA calculates TOT at 1.5% of your total gross sales. They add up every 'Customer Payment' entry in the Paid In column for the tax period. Make sure your declaration matches this total exactly.
- 2
Consistency with other records
If your M-Pesa statement shows KES 800,000 in sales but your iTax return declares KES 400,000, KRA will flag this discrepancy. Your statement, your books, and your tax returns must all tell the same story.
- 3
Complete records for the full period
KRA expects statements covering the entire tax period (monthly for TOT). If you have gaps — months where you cannot produce a statement — this raises questions. Always keep statements for at least 5 years.
Important: PesaLedger's KRA Summary page calculates your TOT automatically from your uploaded statements and generates an iTax-compatible CSV export. This eliminates the risk of manual calculation errors in your tax filing.
From Raw Statement to Business Intelligence
A raw M-Pesa statement is just rows of data. The real value comes from turning that data into actionable business intelligence. PesaLedger transforms your statement into:
Monthly P&L Report
Gross sales, expenses by category, and net profit for each month
Customer Leaderboard
Your top 10 customers ranked by total spend
KRA TOT Summary
Turnover Tax payable with iTax CSV export
Cash Flow Forecast
Projected income and expenses for the next 3 months
Anomaly Alerts
Duplicate transactions and unusual amounts flagged automatically
Accountant PDF Report
A formatted report ready to share with your accountant or bank
Turn your statement into a business report instantly
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