---
title: M-Pesa and Card Payments for Hotels | Tivuzo
description: How Tivuzo records hotel payments: M-Pesa and other mobile money with the transaction code, card, cash and bank, on folios and tills, matched to statements.
url: https://www.tivuzo.com/features/mobile-money-payments/
updated: 2026-11-03
---

Feature · M-Pesa and payments

# Paid by M-Pesa. Matched in the books.

Guests pay by M-Pesa at reception, by card at the bar, by bank transfer for a conference and in cash for a walk-in. Tivuzo records each payment with its reference, so the front desk, the tills and the statements tell the same story.

**How does Tivuzo handle M-Pesa and other payments?**
Tivuzo records hotel payments by method: M-Pesa and other mobile money with the transaction code, card with the slip or terminal reference, cash and bank transfer. Payments can be taken on a guest folio, against a company invoice or at the restaurant and bar tills, and each one posts to its own journal. Bank and M-Pesa statements are imported and matched line by line. Tivuzo records payments; it does not collect money itself.

## Payment methods

| Method | Where it is used | Reference kept |
|---|---|---|
| M-Pesa (Kenya, Tanzania) and other mobile money | Folios, deposits, tills, supplier payments | Transaction code, such as QJK7XXXX |
| MTN MoMo, Airtel Money | Folios and tills in Uganda, Rwanda and beyond | Transaction ID |
| Card | Folios and tills | Terminal slip or approval number |
| Bank transfer | Company invoices, groups, agents, suppliers | Bank reference |
| Cash | Folios, tills, petty cash | Receipt number |
| Charge to room | Restaurant and bar tills | Folio and bill number |

Each method has its own journal: one for your Paybill or Till number, one for each bank account, one for cash. That is what makes reconciliation quick.

## Matching statements

Export your M-Pesa or bank statement as CSV or Excel and import it into the matching journal. Tivuzo suggests a match for each line by amount and reference; confirm it, or split a payout that covers several bills. Differences, such as M-Pesa transaction charges or bank fees, are posted to their own accounts. Read the [month-end checklist](https://www.tivuzo.com/guides/hotel-month-end-close/).

## Deposits and part payments

- Deposits against a booking before arrival
- Part payments during a long stay
- Company payments against several invoices at once
- Refunds recorded against the original payment
- Overpayments kept as credit on the guest or company

## What Tivuzo does not do

Tivuzo doesn't send M-Pesa payment prompts to guests' phones or connect to card terminals. You keep your Paybill or Till number and your card machine; the front desk and cashiers record each payment with its reference. Because every payment is recorded by method, the end-of-day count by method shows any gap the same day.

### Guest folios

Deposits and payments against the stay.

### Restaurant and bar

Split payments and charge to room.

### Accounting

Journals, reconciliation and reports.

## Payment questions

### Can guests pay by M-Pesa in Tivuzo?

Yes. Create an M-Pesa payment method linked to your Paybill or Till journal. The front desk or cashier records the payment with its transaction code.

### Does Tivuzo connect to the M-Pesa API?

Not today. Payments are recorded with their code, and the statement is imported and matched. This keeps your existing Paybill or Till number unchanged.

### Can one bill be paid with two methods?

Yes. Split a folio or a restaurant bill across M-Pesa, card, cash or charge to room.

### How do I record M-Pesa charges?

When you match the statement, post the transaction charge to a bank charges account. The guest's payment stays whole.

### Which countries' mobile money works?

Any: mobile money is a payment method with its own journal. See the [Kenya](https://www.tivuzo.com/hotel-software/kenya/), [Tanzania](https://www.tivuzo.com/hotel-software/tanzania/), [Uganda](https://www.tivuzo.com/hotel-software/uganda/) and [Rwanda](https://www.tivuzo.com/hotel-software/rwanda/) pages.