When you need a receipt, and what it should say
A receipt is the customer's proof that they paid. People need them for warranty claims, expense reimbursement, tax deductions, insurance claims and simple record-keeping. Businesses that take payment in person often hand over a till receipt; sole traders and tradies paid by bank transfer usually need to make one themselves. This generator does that in under a minute and keeps a copy in your history.
Under the Australian Consumer Law, a business must give a proof of transaction for goods or services costing $75 or more (excluding GST), and must give one on request for smaller amounts. A receipt, a tax invoice, a lay-by agreement or a similar document all count. The ACCC publishes guidance on what a proof of transaction should contain; at a minimum it should identify you, the date, what was supplied and the price.
Check the official source: Australian Consumer Law proof-of-transaction threshold of $75 (excluding GST), quoted on the receipt generator page. The ACCC receipts page had moved and could not be re-checked on 2026-10-28. Keep business records for five years, quoted on the receipt generator page. The ATO website was in an outage when this was checked on 2026-10-28.
What this generator puts on the receipt
- Your business name, trading name and ABN.
- The receipt number and date, and the date the payment was received (they can differ if you are catching up on paperwork).
- Who paid, under "Received from".
- Each item or service, with quantity and price.
- The amount received and, if you are registered for GST, the GST included in it.
- How the payment was made: bank transfer, PayID, BPAY, card, cash, cheque or other.
- A reference, such as "Payment for INV-1042", so the receipt can be matched to the invoice.
Receipts and GST
If you are registered for GST and the receipt contains every detail a tax invoice needs (your identity and ABN, the date, the items and prices, the GST, and the extent to which each sale is taxable, plus the buyer's identity from $1,000), your GST-registered customer can use it to claim GST credits. That is why this generator keeps GST and ABN on receipts, not just on invoices. If you are not registered for GST, untick the setting: the receipt shows a single amount and states that no GST was charged.
Turning a paid invoice into a receipt
Most receipts follow an invoice. When the money arrives:
- Open the invoice (from the history list on the tax invoice page, or here) and click Mark paid. The payment date is recorded.
- Click Receipt (or "Make a receipt" on the invoice). A new receipt is created with the next receipt number, the same client and lines, the payment date from the invoice and the reference "Payment for INV-…".
- Check the payment method, download the PDF and send it.
The invoice and receipt stay linked in your history, and the invoice's status shows as Paid, which makes chasing overdue invoices easier: anything still marked Unpaid after its due date needs a reminder.
Cash payments
Cash needs a receipt more than any other method, because there is no bank record. Choose "Cash" as the payment method, record the date, and give the receipt immediately. Keep your own copy (the history does this) and bank the cash promptly so the amounts reconcile. For your own records, the ATO expects you to keep records of sales for five years.
Part payments and deposits
For a deposit or instalment, make the receipt for the amount actually received, not the full invoice. A single line such as "Deposit received towards quote Q-1007" with the amount works. Put the balance outstanding in the notes ("Balance of $2,400 due on completion") so both sides have the same picture.
Refunds
If you refund a customer, record it. A simple approach is a receipt with a negative line ("Refund for returned item") or, if you are registered for GST and the refund changes the GST on a sale, an adjustment note. Adjustment notes have their own ATO requirements; this generator does not produce them, so speak to your bookkeeper if you issue many refunds.
Numbering receipts
Receipts get their own sequence (R-1001, R-1002…) so they never collide with invoice numbers. That matters when a customer phones about "number 1004": you know at once whether they mean a bill or a payment. The prefix and next number are in Settings. If you are moving from another system, set the next number to follow on from your last receipt so the series stays unbroken, which makes reconciliation and any later review of your records straightforward.
Privacy and backups
Receipts are created in your browser and saved in its IndexedDB storage, not on a server. Clearing site data deletes them, so export a JSON backup from time to time. Invoice Pro removes the footer line, adds your logo and colour to every PDF and exports your whole history as CSV for your accountant.