Popote launches app, woos firms on paper payments

Popote Pay, a Nairobi based company, has developed an app that enables businesses to transform their accounting systems from traditional bulky paperwork to a one-stop online platform.

By signing and logging in the Popote online platform, businesses and individuals can store their records digitally in secured areas, access current financial information and transact using mobile phones, tablets and laptops.

Popote founder Sam Wanjohi said the app he developed last year handles payments from petty cash to supplies, salaries, utilities and taxes.

“There are a lot of businesses, especially outside major towns, still using old ways of book-keeping with a lot of paperwork. When your accounting books are only on paper, it can take hours to put together a report or retrieve specific information about transactions or financial history,” said Mr Wanjohi.

“If you are hiring staff to take care of bookkeeping duties or financial reporting, they may be spending much more time than necessary to manage basic accounting tasks.

“The Popote format can boost your productivity because the financial manager or accountant can input and extract data within a few minutes.” He said that the payment solution takes less time to process transactions, enabling the accounting department to produce reports and do other duties promptly.

This reduces the cost of employing a financial manager and improves productivity.

“Everything is going online and accounting is no exception. While many bookkeeping practices have been computerised for some time, online accounting and bookkeeping is still relatively new,” he said.

With Popote, he said, businesses can access records at any place.

“Accessing financial records online also allows business leaders to do what they do best—drive sales and grow the business.

“Businesses are also freed from managing every little detail of financial transactions because these things are done by Popote payment solution,” he said.