The seven things every receipt says
- The word “Receipt” at the top, so it cannot be mistaken for an invoice.
- A receipt number — REC-001, REC-002 — in a series you use only for receipts.
- The date the money was received.
- Who received it — your business name and contact details.
- Who paid — the customer’s name, and a company or address if they will need the receipt for expenses.
- How much and how — the amount, the currency, and the payment method (cash, card, transfer, mobile money).
- What it was for — the items, or the invoice number being settled.
Add tax as a separate line if you are registered, and a balance due line if the payment was a deposit or part payment. Sign it if it is handwritten.
Example 1: a cash payment
| Receipt no. | CR-0117 |
| Date paid | 14 March 2026 |
| Issued by | Okafor Auto Repairs, 12 Market Road, Enugu · 0803 000 0000 |
| Received from | Mrs A. Eze |
| For | Brake pad replacement, front — 1 × 28,000.00 |
| Amount received | NGN 28,000.00 (twenty-eight thousand naira) — cash |
| Balance due | NGN 0.00 — PAID |
For cash, write the amount in words as well as figures. There is no bank record, so the receipt is the only evidence either side has.
Example 2: a bank transfer against an invoice
When the receipt settles an invoice you sent earlier, one line is enough: “Payment of invoice INV-0231 dated 2 March 2026”, the amount, and the method with the bank reference. Quote the invoice number in the reference field so both sets of accounts close the entry.
Example 3: a deposit with a balance due
List the full order — say a kitchen fit-out at 6,400.00 — then Amount received: 2,000.00 by card and Balance due: 4,400.00, payable on completion. The customer sees what they have paid and what remains; you have a record that the deposit was taken.
Need the receipt now? The free receipt maker does the arithmetic and downloads a PDF. No signup.
Handwritten or generated?
A handwritten receipt book is fine for occasional cash sales, as long as it is numbered and you keep the carbon copy. For anything else, generate the receipt: the receipt maker calculates the total, the amount received and the balance, adds the PAID stamp when the balance is zero and downloads a PDF you can email. If you prefer a file to edit, there are six receipt templates in Word.
Mistakes to avoid
- Reusing the invoice number. Keep a separate receipt series.
- Leaving off the payment method. It is the field that settles disputes.
- Dating it the day of the sale when payment came later. The receipt date is the payment date.
- No balance line on a part payment. Without it, the remaining amount becomes an argument.
- Not keeping a copy. Save the PDF, or keep the carbon.
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Questions
Does a receipt need to be signed?
A handwritten receipt should be signed by whoever received the money. A generated PDF receipt does not need a signature; the business details, number and date identify it.
Can I write a receipt on plain paper?
Yes, as long as it carries the seven items above. A numbered receipt book or a generated PDF is easier to keep track of.
Should a receipt show tax?
If you are registered for VAT, GST or sales tax, yes — show the tax amount and rate separately so the customer can reclaim it.
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