Record each eSewa, Khalti or Fonepay QR receipt as a sale paid into a separate account for that wallet or QR channel — just like a bank account. When the money is settled to your bank, move it from that account to the bank, and record any charge the provider deducts as an expense.
In KhataIN Business you can add eSewa, Khalti and similar wallets as financial accounts, and point each POS payment method at the account it pays into.
Why not just record QR payments as cash or bank?
A customer scanning your QR code feels like cash, but in your books it is not. The money may:
- sit in a merchant wallet until you withdraw it or it is settled to your bank,
- reach your bank the next working day or later, often as one lump sum for many sales,
- arrive minus a charge, if your provider deducts one.
If you post these payments straight to cash, your cash box will never count right. If you post them straight to the bank, your bank account will never reconcile with the statement. The fix is simple: give each wallet and QR channel its own account.
Set up one account per channel
| Account | Group | What goes in it |
|---|---|---|
| eSewa merchant wallet | Asset | Payments received into your eSewa merchant account |
| Khalti merchant wallet | Asset | Payments received into your Khalti merchant account |
| Fonepay QR settlement | Asset | QR payments not yet shown on the bank statement |
| Wallet and QR charges | Expense | Any fee or commission the provider deducts |
How the money moves depends on your own merchant agreement — some QR payments land directly in your bank account, others are held in a wallet until settlement. Check your provider's terms and statements. If the money goes straight into your bank the same day, you can post to the bank directly; a settlement account is useful whenever there is a delay or a lump-sum payout.
See the chart of accounts for a small business for where these accounts fit.
Worked example: a day of Khalti sales
A café (not VAT-registered, to keep the numbers simple) receives Rs 25,000 through Khalti on Monday. On Tuesday the provider settles the balance to the café's bank, deducting a charge. The Rs 250 charge below is only an example — use the figure on your own statement.
Monday — the sales:
| Account | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Khalti merchant wallet | Rs 25,000 | |
| Sales | Rs 25,000 |
Tuesday — the settlement:
| Account | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Bank | Rs 24,750 | |
| Wallet and QR charges | Rs 250 | |
| Khalti merchant wallet | Rs 25,000 |
After settlement the Khalti account is back to zero, the bank shows exactly what arrived, and the charge appears as an expense.
If the café were VAT-registered, the sale entry would split the Rs 25,000 into sales and VAT payable as usual — the payment method does not change the VAT. Use the VAT calculator to split a VAT-inclusive amount.
Fonepay QR: matching a lump sum
Suppose a shop takes 40 Fonepay QR payments in a day totalling Rs 62,400, and the bank shows one credit of Rs 62,400 the next morning.
The settlement entry is debit Bank Rs 62,400, credit Fonepay QR settlement Rs 62,400. If the bank shows a smaller amount, the difference is either a charge (record it), a payment that has not settled yet (wait), or a missing or duplicate sale (investigate).
Reconcile wallets like bank accounts
At least once a month, download the statement from each wallet or merchant portal and match it with the wallet account in your books — exactly as you would a bank. The bank reconciliation guide walks through the method. Anything left in a settlement account for more than a few days deserves a look.
Good habits:
- Note the transaction ID from the wallet or QR receipt against each sale.
- Never move wallet money to your personal wallet; if the owner takes money, record it as drawings.
- Record refunds through the same channel: debit Sales (or Sales returns), credit the wallet account.
Paying suppliers digitally rather than in cash also keeps a clean trail — see the cash payment limit of Rs 25,000.
Frequently asked questions
Is a wallet balance cash?
No. Money in your eSewa or Khalti merchant wallet belongs to the business, but it is held by the provider, not in your till. Keep it in its own asset account so your cash count and wallet statement can each be checked separately.
Where do wallet charges go?
Record any fee or commission the provider deducts as an expense, such as "Wallet and QR charges" or "Bank and wallet charges". Do not reduce your sales figure by the charge — the customer paid the full price.
What if settlement arrives in the next month?
The sale belongs to the month the customer paid. At month end the unsettled amount simply stays in the wallet or settlement account as an asset, and it clears when the bank credit arrives.
Do I need separate accounts for eSewa and Khalti?
Yes, if you use both. Each provider sends its own statement and settles separately, so one account per provider is the only way to match them cleanly.