50+ Sample Receipt Form Templates

Receipt Forms: What Are They?

If you are a lavish spender, then you would be greatly familiar with that tiny piece of paper you receive after every purchase. And no, we are not referring to your change but actually the receipt. Receipts are written statements acknowledging the completion of specific transactions. And receipt forms hold numerous essential details from the product description, amount received, type of payment, tax details, and so much more.

It is encouraged by the IRS to save receipts for at least three years.

Meanwhile, eMarketer reported that in the US, 68% preferred getting printed copies of receipts in stores, 19% wanted electronic copies, while only 8% favored not getting any receipt at all.

On another note, the Government of New South Wales obliges businesses to give proof of transactions to customers for products and services that cost around $75 dollars and more.

Why Is a Receipt Form Important?

Receipt forms are essential for many reasons. One example is how you refer to these documents for proof, whether you need to review when your amount due is for rent, track your daily expenses, deposit for a donation—you name it. Whatever kind of businesses you are dealing with, receipts should be part of the documentation process. For example, a customer might wish to return or replace an item purchased for a valid reason. Thus, showing a receipt proves the validity to process for a replacement or return. More so, not only customers need receipts because even vendors, small business providers, and fellow business people would require receipt forms as well.

The Anatomy of a Basic Receipt Form

Receipt forms are used in many applications, from cash payments, rentals, donations, and many more. Despite having some key differences in the receipt’s content, there are similar factors to notice in each example too. And this leads us to be reminded about what a standard receipt contains. Without further ado, take a look at the anatomy of a general receipt form.

Transaction Date: If a receipt records a complete transaction, it is standard to include when that transaction was completed. State the exact transaction date from the month, day, and year. Including the time or hours and minutes are optional. That way, everything is clear regarding when the receipt was made and became valid. And as much as possible, arrange every receipt you collected according to its date to keep your records organized.Tracking Number: To make tracking easier, incorporating tracking numbers into every receipt is vital. Such numbers are like the ID number of a receipt. For example, you no longer have to read the full details of each receipt when you need to find a specific receipt. Just look into the tracking number to know the exact one you are looking for. And if you have electronic records of these receipt forms, tracing a receipt using tracking numbers can finish in a few seconds.Name of Customer: It is beneficial to identify whoever is transacting in the first place. Suppose there is a client who pays for a haircare service and he or she pays in cash, the cash receipt here would include that client’s name. That way, it will be easy to identify who paid for the service. Besides the name, some may require contact numbers, addresses, and other details for identification, especially those in the shipping or delivery industry.Amount Received: When there is a transaction involved, how much the payment is must be written. Besides stating the amount received, some receipts include the calculations, like how much tax or service fee was transacted. And besides writing the amount in numbers, some also include the amount in words to be more specific. Ensure that no detail is wrong here or the whole receipt is faulty already.Payment Type: The type of payment is a category where you specify the payment method. For example, was the payment done in cash, bank transfer, cheque, or another mode of payment? Note it down. Nonetheless, some people want to know the payment type to be sure of how a customer or a person did the actual transaction.Item Description: What goods, rentals, or specific services are being paid for? Answer that in the item description category. Maybe you focused too much on knowing how much was spent while forgetting what was being spent right from the start. And that is a no-no because you probably bought the wrong items without your knowledge. Therefore, a clear description is recommended.Vendor’s Signature: The vendor’s signature, or anyone’s signature, clarifies whoever accepted the payment in a transaction. It is common for invoices and receipts to have signatures to signify that all information inside the document is correct. And the standard for that is to write the printed name with the signature affixed on top.

How to Create a Valid Receipt Form

Clearly, you know by now that receipt forms are more than just sheets of paper. They are both beneficial and important. Now, let us head on to creating the receipt itself. Are you ready to make receipt forms? The procedure is not that complex since we will guide you in just six easy steps. And you only have to observe the following:

Step 1: Recognize the Receipt’s Purpose

What is your receipt for? You already know that a receipt works for many functions. But you have to specify if that is used for a car rental, hotel room, bank deposit, and more. And once you are sure of the receipt’s purpose, tailor your receipt’s content according to that purpose. So if you are planning to make a receipt for your delivery business, then the receipt should have the details of your delivery enterprise, business logo, etc.

Step 2: Download a Sample Template

The quickest way of creating a receipt form within seconds is to use a sample template. Have you seen our sample receipt form templates above already? Those are your options. And the best part is you can always customize each template. You can make a more personal type of receipt that has your signature designs. Hence, you could change some factors instead of adjusting to a uniform example only.

Step 3: Complete the Elements of a Receipt

Can you still remember the anatomy of a receipt form, as discussed before? Insert those elements in your receipt form. Maybe your receipt hardly contains the significant transaction details and that would make the content incomplete. And you would appreciate receipts that are more detailed to be an effective reference document. Nevertheless, these elements complete the content of your receipt form.

Step 4: Keep a Professional and Well-Designed Format

Mind the format and design of receipt forms. If you are tired of the general professional receipts, you can always go for a more personalized example. Change the font sizes, add more details, use different formats—the rest is up to you. Also, do you prefer sample templates in MS Word format or PDF? Thus, come up with the best embellishments to improve the overall look of your receipt forms.

Step 5: Finalize the Output

Conduct a final evaluation of your template if everything is already looking good. Review thoroughly because there might be misspellings, incomplete content, and many other mistakes that need to be changed. Also, what will be the form’s size? And do you want the final output of the receipt to be in printed form or just a soft copy? Bear in mind that according to a US survey, 68% of people considered getting printed copies of receipts in stores, 19% wanted soft copies, while only 8% preferred not getting any receipt at all.

Step 6: Keep Extra Copies

Most importantly, keep additional copies of every receipt to produce. You never know when such copies might be needed. An example is when a customer loses his or her copy of the receipt. Hence, you could back them up with extra copies on hand. You can always get rid of those copies at least after three years though. Or perhaps, you recommend a physical scanner or a mobile app scanner to read and trace receipt forms.

FAQs

What is the difference between a receipt and an invoice?

A receipt and an invoice are often interchanged by some people as they are quite similar. But they are also different in terms of when they are issued. Hence, the big difference is that invoice is issued in demanding a certain payment, whereas a receipt is issued when payment is already made.

It is bad to not give receipts?

According to NSW Government, businesses are obliged in giving proof of transactions to customers for products and services that cost around $75 dollars or more. Also, businesses can provide receipts of transactions under $75 around seven days when a customer asks for it.

When and how do I send a receipt?

Receipts must be given in all transactions of goods and services purchased from your enterprise. You could print that receipt and give it right after a customer’s purchase. Or perhaps, email that receipt as a soft copy to your clients.

When is a receipt considered valid?

Valid receipts contain the following information: (1) the purchase date, (2) the name and details of the supplier, and (3) the product or service descriptions with the prices and quantities.

Who knew a small business document such as a receipt form can answer your accounting-related queries, check transaction details, or even prove specific claims? Hence, customers should always ask for a receipt while sellers should provide such forms as well in every transaction. Besides, you need not begin from scratch when it comes to receipts. We have plenty of sample receipt form templates for you to use. Download now!