Whenever you make a payment, you should receive a payment receipt. It may be physical or digital, but this should be provided any time you buy goods or services as an individual or business.
The seller issues a receipt to the customer as proof of payment. It can also be used as a record of money leaving your account, which is useful for business expenses. A payment receipt should also contain important information including the date, amount paid and payment method.
The good news is that learning about payment receipts isn’t as complex as it may seem. Whether you’re a consumer or a business, use this guide to understand what a payment receipt is, when you need it and how to get one.
In this article
- What is a payment receipt?
- What does a payment receipt contain?
- Why is a payment receipt important and when do you need one?
- How to get a payment receipt
- FAQs and guides
What is a payment receipt?
A payment receipt is a document a seller issues to a buyer after they receive money for goods or services. In most cases, this happens between a business and a customer. The receipt can be a digital copy sent via email, or a physical printed receipt.
Every time a sale is made a payment receipt should be issued – even if only a deposit or partial payment is made. They have a few main purposes, as they can be used to:
- Provide proof of payment for the buyer.
- Inform the customer that the seller has received payment.
- Keep a record for the customer of where they spend money.
Payment receipts are useful in both personal and professional situations to track spending, whether to help with budgets at home or workplace expenses.
What does a payment receipt contain?
There are no specific or legal requirements for what a payment receipt must include. However, most will contain similar details. It’s important to understand what these are if you want to issue your own payment receipt or keep track of your finances after spending money.
Generally, a payment receipt should contain the following information:
- Title or label – To make the purpose of the document clear.
- Business name and logo – To identify the payment receiver.
- Amount paid – To reference how much money was paid.
- Remaining balance due – To see if any more money is owed.
- Payment method – To record how the payment was made.
- Date – Of the day when payment was received.
- Receipt or invoice number – To check invoices correspond, if relevant.
- Business contact details – Address, phone number, email and website.
Why is a payment receipt important and when do you need one?
Payment receipts benefit both the buyer (customer) and seller (business). It informs the customer that their payment has been received, while providing a record of the money transfer for both parties. This can help ensure accurate recordkeeping with a physical or digital copy of the receipt.
There are a few common situations when you may need a payment receipt. These can include:
- Providing proof of payment – Avoid any discrepancies or problems arising in the future by presenting a payment receipt as proof, so you’re not charged again.
- Making a down payment or deposit – They can also be used as proof of what you have already paid, and are useful for recordkeeping to make sure future payments are accurate.
- Tracking your spending or expenses – Stick within your personal budget or keep tabs on business expenses by compiling payment receipts you can refer back to in the future.
How to get a payment receipt
In many cases, you may automatically receive a payment receipt after your payment goes through – either in the form of a physical or digital document. However, this will depend on what the receipt is for and who the provider is, as it’s not always automatic.
If you do not receive a payment receipt automatically, there are a few ways to get one:
- Download from a payment platform – When you use an online payment platform to buy something or transfer money, you should be able to download a copy of your receipt. Check the payment platform for information on how to do this, as it varies across providers.
- Request from the seller – A quick and easy way is to simply ask the seller for a payment receipt. They may already have a copy for their own recordkeeping that they can duplicate or create one you can use.
- Create your own – You don’t have to be the seller to make a payment receipt. There are adaptable templates available or you can create one from scratch using the information above about what a payment receipt should contain. Use this to track your spending.
- Contact your bank – If you paid via your bank, they should have a record of the money transfer. Check your account statement or contact your bank for a copy of it, which you can use as a receipt.
FAQs and guides
- How to make a bank transfer
- IBAN number in France
- Send money around the world