Step by step
Set up a recurring bill
Set up rent, power, internet or any bill that repeats once. Kila raises it as an expense before each due date, reminds whoever pays it, and you pay it from Recurring bills.
A bill that comes every month, quarter or year only needs setting up once. Kila raises it as an expense a few days before each due date, approved as expenses are, and reminds the person who pays it. Paying it is paying that expense.
Open Recurring bills and tap Set up a bill
Go to Money › Recurring bills, or tap Recurring bills on the Expenses page. Tap Set up a bill.
Name the bill and choose its category and branch
Kila asks for what it needs to “raise it as an expense before each due date”. Give it a Name you will recognise, such as Fibre internet, Nairobi depot, choose the Category and the Branch it is for.
Steps 2 to 7 on one form. Say who is paid
Type the name in Paid to, or choose the Supplier.
Enter the amount and its VAT
Type the Amount, including VAT, and tap the VAT on the bill. For power, water and other bills that change, tick The amount changes each time: “Kila estimates from recent bills, and you enter the actual amount when the bill arrives.”
Choose how often
In How often: Weekly, Monthly, Every quarter, Every six months, Yearly or Every few months.
Set the due day and who pays it
Type the Due on day of the month: “A day past the end of a short month falls on its last day”. Check Starts, leave Ends empty for a bill with no end, and choose how it is Usually paid by. In Who pays it, choose the person the reminders go to: “Reminders go to them; otherwise to everyone who approves expenses”.
Tap Set up bill
Kila says Fibre internet, Nairobi depot set up and when it is next due.
Pay it when it is due
Kila raises each bill as an expense ahead of its due date: 7 days ahead, unless your business changed it under Settings. One due sooner is raised at once. It shows under Due and overdue as To pay. Tap Pay.
Choose how it was paid and add the reference
Choose Paid from and type the Reference: the M-Pesa confirmation code, or the bank or cheque reference.
Tap Mark paid
Kila says Fibre internet, Nairobi depot paid: “The payment and the journal are posted.”
The bill stops, or stops for a while
Link to this section: The bill stops, or stops for a whileOpen the bill from the Bills list. It shows its schedule, what is Coming up, and the Bills raised so far. Tap Pause to stop raising it for a while, or End to stop for good. Kila asks first: “No more expenses are raised for it. Those already raised stay as they are.” Tap End bill. Change edits it.
The bill waits for approval
Link to this section: The bill waits for approvalA bill is raised as an expense and approved as expenses are. With the usual setting, Within the limit of whoever set it up, a bill within that person’s expense limit is ready to pay, and one above it waits for an approver. The owner can choose Every bill is approved instead. See Approve and pay an expense.
Needs a manager
Setting up and paying bills needs the right to approve expenses, which the owner, the general manager and the accountant have. The owner’s Settings on this page, Recurring bill settings, say “When bills are raised, who approves them and when reminders go out.”, such as Raise a bill this many days before it is due.
- Record an expense: a one-off expense.
- Approve and pay an expense: for a bill above the limit.
- Expenses: the feature, with recurring bills.
Next: see the month’s bills in the books: Read your profit and loss.