Expenses and customer receivables
Log every expense so your drawer and profit are honest, and record credit sales as receivables (account 411) so you know exactly who owes what.
Sales are only half the story. Money leaves the business as expenses — stock, rent, transport, airtime — and money is sometimes owed to you when a trusted customer buys on credit. Recording both is what turns a till into real bookkeeping and keeps your Z report reconciling.
How it works
An expense reduces cash (or mobile money) and records a charge in the SYSCOHADA accounts, feeding the income statement. A credit sale is completed like any sale but marked as on account: instead of hitting cash, it posts to account 411 (customers) as a receivable. When the customer later pays, you settle the receivable and cash comes in.
- Expenses lower your expected cash and your period profit — record them or the drawer will look short.
- Deductible VAT on documented purchases feeds account 4452 for your VAT return.
- Credit sales create a receivable on account 411 rather than cash.
- Each customer’s outstanding balance is tracked so you can chase what is due.
Recording an expense, step by step
- Open Money then Expenses and choose New expense.
- Enter the amount in XAF and pick the expense category.
- Select how it was paid: cash, MTN MoMo or Orange Money.
- If it is a VAT-bearing purchase, capture the VAT so 4452 is fed.
- Save; the expense posts to the journal and lowers expected cash.
Tracking a customer credit, step by step
- Ring up the sale as normal, then choose the on-account / credit payment option.
- Attach the sale to the customer so their balance updates.
- Confirm; the amount posts to receivables (411), not to cash.
- When the customer pays, open their balance and record the payment.
- The receivable clears and the cash or mobile-money account is credited.
Never fake a cash sale to cover a credit sale. Recording it on account keeps your drawer honest and gives you a real list of who owes you.
Common errors and how to fix them
| Message / symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Drawer short at close | An expense was paid from the till but not recorded | Add the expense; the Z report’s expected cash then matches the count |
| Customer balance never goes down | Their payment was rung as a new sale instead of settling the credit | Record the payment against the outstanding receivable, not as a fresh sale |
| Profit looks too high | Expenses for the period are missing | Enter all expenses before reading the income statement |
| Deductible VAT missing | Expense saved without its VAT detail | Edit the purchase to capture VAT so it posts to 4452 |
| Credit sale shows as paid | Wrong payment method chosen at checkout | Correct the sale to on-account so it posts to 411 |
Common questions
Where do credit sales appear in the books?
On account 411 (customers) as a receivable, until the customer pays. Then it moves to cash or mobile money.
Do expenses affect my VAT return?
VAT-bearing purchases feed deductible VAT (4452), which offsets collected VAT (4431) in your declaration.
Can I see who owes me money?
Yes. Each customer carries an outstanding balance, so you have a running list of receivables to follow up.
Try it in your own shop
Start a free 30-day trial and follow along — no card required.
Start the free trial