Payment receipts: what to include and when to send

A payment receipt is the customer's proof that you received their money. It is a small document, but it does a lot of work: it reassures the customer, answers "did my payment go through?" before it is asked, and gives both sides a reference to quote if anything goes wrong later.

This guide covers what a receipt should contain, how it differs from an invoice, and when to send one.

Receipt vs invoice

The two are often confused, but they record different moments:

• An invoice asks for payment. It sets out what was supplied, the amount due and when it must be paid. If you are registered for VAT, a tax invoice must meet SARS requirements so that business customers can claim input tax. See VAT invoice requirements.
• A receipt confirms that payment was received. It doesn't replace a tax invoice: a VAT-registered business customer still needs the tax invoice itself.
• A statement summarises an account over a period. See statement of account.

For an immediate sale, where the customer pays at checkout, you may issue a tax invoice and receipt at the same time. For invoiced work, the receipt follows the invoice.

What to include on a receipt

A useful receipt answers every question a customer, their bookkeeper or their bank might ask:

• Your business details: trading name, registered name and contact details.
• A unique receipt number or payment reference, the same reference used by your payment gateway if possible.
• Date and time of payment.
• Amount paid and currency, and the VAT included in that amount if you are a VAT vendor.
• What the payment was for: the invoice number, order, booking or subscription period.
• Payment method: card, instant EFT, EFT, debit order, cash or mobile money.
• Payer's name and email address.
• Any balance still outstanding, if the payment was partial.
• Discounts applied, such as a coupon, so the amount makes sense.

Leave out full card numbers or bank account numbers. If you show a card at all, the brand and last four digits are enough.

When to send a receipt

Immediately, for online payments

The moment a payment is confirmed is the moment the customer is most anxious about it. Send the receipt automatically when your system receives the gateway's verified confirmation, not when the customer reaches a "thank you" page, which proves nothing on its own. See payment pending status explained.

When you record an offline payment

For EFT or cash, send a receipt once the money is confirmed in your bank account and allocated to the right invoice. This also confirms to the customer that their reference was matched. See how to reconcile EFT payments.

For every recurring charge

Subscription and debit order customers should receive a receipt for each successful collection. It reminds them what they pay for and makes unexpected charges, and the disputes that follow, much less likely. See chargebacks in South Africa.

Receipts for refunds

When you refund a customer, send a refund note with the original payment reference, the refund amount, the reason and the expected time for the money to reflect. Customers who receive clear refund confirmation are much less likely to raise a dispute with their bank. See how to process a refund.

Make receipts easy to find later

Customers lose emails. A self-service portal where customers can download past receipts and invoices removes a steady stream of "please resend" requests. See customer self-service billing portal and billing support queries.

Keep your own copies

Receipts form part of your accounting records. Keep them with the related invoices and bank statements for as long as the law requires. See invoice record keeping requirements.

How CentraPoint helps

Every completed payment in CentraPoint becomes a receipt that you can download as a branded PDF, with refunds recorded as refund notes. When receipts are switched on, CentraPoint emails the customer a receipt with the PDF attached once the payment completes, using a built-in layout or your own template, and you can send from your own SMTP server.

Because payments update the related invoice automatically, the receipt and the invoice always agree. Customers can sign in to the customer portal with a one-time email code to view invoices and download receipts, and developers can fetch receipts as JSON or PDF through the API. See the features overview and plans and pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Is a receipt the same as a tax invoice?

No. A receipt confirms payment; a tax invoice records a taxable supply and has specific legal requirements. A business customer needs the tax invoice to claim input VAT.

Do I have to send a receipt for every payment?

There is no single rule for every business, but sending one for every payment is good practice. It reduces queries and gives both sides a clear record.

What reference should a receipt use?

Use a unique reference that also appears in your payment gateway and accounting records, so that one number traces the payment everywhere.