What is the difference between a receipt and an invoice?
An invoice asks for money and creates the debt; a receipt confirms money arrived and closes it. The receipt is the one that needs the date paid and the payment method.
What has to be on a receipt?
Your business name and contact details, a receipt number, the date payment was received, who paid, what it was for, the amount received, the method, and any balance still outstanding.
Do I have to give a receipt?
Rules vary by country and by trade, and a customer paying cash can generally ask for one. Issuing them by default is simpler than deciding case by case, and it settles arguments about whether payment was made.
How do I write a receipt for a deposit?
Show the amount received, mark the document as a part payment, and state the balance still due with the same reference as the invoice. Enter the amount received above and this page does all three.
Can I use a receipt as proof of payment?
It is the seller's confirmation, which is usually what a customer needs. For a payer's own evidence, a bank or card statement carries more weight because it is issued by a third party.
Does a receipt need to show tax?
If you charge tax, show it as its own line with the rate, because your customer may need to reclaim it. Enter a rate above and it appears separately from the subtotal.
How long should I keep copies of receipts?
Three years is the general US expectation and longer in some circumstances; five to six years is typical in the UK. Keeping them longer costs almost nothing and reconstructing them costs a great deal.
Is a handwritten receipt valid?
Generally yes, if it contains the required information. A printed one is easier to read, harder to dispute and quicker to reproduce if it is lost.
Can I number receipts however I like?
Yes, as long as the sequence is consistent and you can find any given one later. Matching the receipt number to the invoice it settles is the easiest scheme to work with.
Is the receipt maker free and private?
Yes. No signup, nothing uploaded, and the receipt is built in your browser and gone when you close the tab, so print or save it before you leave.
Can I make a receipt without a company?
Yes. A receipt records that money changed hands, not that a company exists. Put your own name where the business name goes, add an address people can reach you at, and it does the same job for a private sale, a tutor or a sole trader.
What is a rent receipt and does it need anything extra?
It needs the period the rent covers, the property address and the method of payment, on top of the usual amount, date and names. Landlords in many places have to supply one on request, and for cash rent it is often the only proof the tenant has.
How do I write a receipt for a cash payment?
Exactly as for any other payment, with the method recorded as cash. Cash leaves no bank trail, so the receipt is the only record either side has. Number it, keep your own copy, and both of you sign if the sum is large.
Should a receipt show the payment method?
Yes, and it takes one word. It tells you which card, transfer or cash sale the entry matches when you reconcile later, and it settles arguments about whether a cheque ever cleared.
What is the difference between a receipt and a proof of payment?
The seller issues a receipt confirming they received the money. Proof of payment can come from the payer's side too, such as a bank statement line or a transfer confirmation. For a refund or a warranty claim, the seller's receipt is what is usually asked for.
Can I send a receipt by WhatsApp or text?
Yes. Nothing requires paper. Sending it while you are still standing there is the surest way to get it to the customer, and a copy in their messages is easier to find later than one in a carrier bag.
Do I need to give a receipt for a deposit?
Yes, and it matters more than most. A deposit receipt should say what the deposit is for, what the full price is and what is still owed, so nobody is guessing later about how much of the job is already covered.
What receipt number should I start at?
Anything, as long as it only ever goes up. Starting at 0001 tells everyone this is your first sale, so many people start higher. What matters is that numbers are sequential and never reused.