Save Your Favourite Split Payment Mix as Default
How to streamline M-Pesa + cash split payments at the AskBiz till so your most common two-method combination is always the fastest option for cashiers.
Key Takeaways
- AskBiz POS supports split payment across cash, M-Pesa, and card in any combination.
- Train cashiers to enter the M-Pesa amount first — the till auto-calculates the remaining cash due.
- Keep the Integrations page configured with active M-Pesa to ensure split payment is always available.
- Split payment transactions are recorded separately in Reports so you see exact cash vs digital revenue.
Why split payment is common — and how to make it fast
In Kenyan retail, customers frequently pay part by M-Pesa and part by cash — especially for purchases between KSh 500 and KSh 2,000. The M-Pesa balance might only cover two-thirds of the bill, with the remainder in cash. AskBiz POS handles this in a single sale, but cashiers can lose 30–60 seconds if they're not trained on the fastest entry sequence. This article shows the exact 4-step split payment flow that eliminates fumbling.
The 4-step fast split payment flow
1. Complete the sale basket (all items scanned or keyed). 2. At the payment screen, tap 'Split'. 3. Enter the M-Pesa amount and tap 'Confirm M-Pesa' — the customer sends payment while you're still at the till. 4. AskBiz automatically shows the remaining cash amount. The cashier collects cash and taps 'Confirm Cash'. The sale closes in one transaction with both payment types recorded. The key: enter M-Pesa first while the customer has their phone out.
Training cashiers on the correct sequence
The most common mistake cashiers make with split payment is entering the cash amount first, then realising the M-Pesa amount, and having to restart. Drill the rule: M-Pesa first, always. The customer will always know their M-Pesa amount — it's limited by their phone balance. The cash is whatever is left. Once cashiers internalise this sequence, split payments become as fast as single-method payments within a week.
Free — no card needed
See this in action for your business
AskBiz tracks these metrics automatically — just connect your data and start asking questions.
Start for free →Keeping M-Pesa always ready
Go to Operations > Integrations to verify M-Pesa is connected and shows an 'Active' status. If the M-Pesa connection drops (network issue or credential expiry), the split option disappears at the till and cashiers fall back to manual logging — which means lost data. Check Integrations weekly and reconnect immediately if the status changes from Active. Set a recurring calendar reminder for the first day of each month.
Reconciling split payments in Reports
Go to Operations > Reports > Sales. Filter by 'Payment method' to see a breakdown of how much revenue came via cash vs M-Pesa for any date range. If your business is transitioning customers from cash to M-Pesa, track this monthly — you'll see the cash percentage drop over time as customers adopt mobile payment. This data also helps you size your daily cash float correctly.
Handling the split payment that doesn't complete
Occasionally M-Pesa confirmation is slow (network delay). The till waits in a pending state — do not close the sale. Instruct customers to wait for the M-Pesa SMS confirmation before completing the transaction. If after 2 minutes no confirmation arrives, void the M-Pesa portion and restart with a different method. AskBiz does not record revenue until both payment parts are confirmed, so no double-charges or partial records occur.