Receipt · General
Free receipt template
Free receipt template for contractors: amount received, payment method, what it was for and balance left. Download a printable PDF or Word file, no email.
- Formats
- PDF · Word
- Paper
- Letter
- Currency
- USD
Quick answer
A receipt confirms money you have already received. It shows a receipt number and date, your business name and contact, the customer's name, the amount received, how they paid (cash, check, card or transfer), what the payment was for, such as a deposit or an invoice number, and any balance still owed. Sign it or write "Received by" with your business name, then hand it over or send it as a PDF.
What to include
- Receipt number and date
- Your business name and contact details
- Customer name
- Amount received
- Payment method: cash, check, card or bank transfer
- What it was for: deposit, estimate or invoice number
- Balance still owed, if any
- Received by: your name or business name and signature
Example, line by line
| Item | Qty | Unit price | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service call (each) | 1 | $89.00 | $89.00 |
| Garbage disposal, 1/2 HP (each) | 1 | $210.00 | $210.00 |
| Labor (hr) | 1.5 | $110.00 | $165.00 |
| Haul away old disposal (each) | 1 | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| Total | $489.00 | ||
How to use it
- 1Download it, or fill it in online.
- 2Add your own prices and your customer's details.
- 3Send it, get it signed and collect the deposit.
Receipts, part by part
A receipt is short, but it settles the question every customer eventually asks: "Did I already pay for that?" It is also a record you keep. The IRS lists receipts and invoices among the supporting documents a business keeps for its books, so the habit of writing a receipt for every payment pays off at tax time.
Start with a receipt number and the date. Use your own running sequence, separate from your invoice numbers, so the two never get mixed up. Add your business name and contact details and the customer's name.
The core of the receipt is three lines: the amount received, the payment method and what it was for. "Deposit for estimate 1042, paid by check" tells both of you everything in one line. If the customer pays an invoice, write the invoice number instead.
If the job is not fully paid, show the balance still owed. That stops a deposit receipt from being mistaken for a paid-in-full receipt. Finish with "Received by" and your name or business name, plus a signature if you hand over a printed copy.
Set it up once, then reuse it
- Download the printable PDF or the Word file and keep a blank copy.
- Put your business name and contact details on it once and save that version.
- When the money arrives, add the receipt number, date and customer name.
- Write the amount, the payment method and what the payment was for, with the estimate or invoice number.
- Add the balance still owed (or "Paid in full"), sign or add "Received by", and send it the same day.
Common jobs this template fits
Contractors write receipts for deposits taken before materials are ordered, for stage payments on longer jobs, for cash or check payments collected on the spot, and for final payments once an invoice is settled. It works for any trade, from a small repair visit to a remodel paid in parts.
Keep the receipt in line with the paperwork around it. The estimate template sets the price and the deposit, the invoice template asks for the balance, and the receipt confirms each payment as it comes in. When all three use the same job number, anyone can follow the money from start to finish.
Download it free
The receipt template comes as a printable PDF and an editable Word file. Download either one without giving an email address, print a stack for the truck, or fill it in on your phone and send it as a PDF.
If the payment is a deposit on a new job, send the estimate first. An estimate maker for your trade, such as the handyman estimate maker, lets you fill one in online, see what your customer gets and send it for them to sign before you take any money.
Send it, get it signed, collect the deposit
Questions
What should a receipt include?
A receipt number, the date, your business details, the customer's name, the amount you received, how they paid and what it was for. If the job is not fully paid, add the balance still owed. Finish with "Received by" and your name or business name.
Is an invoice the same as a receipt?
No. An invoice asks for payment and shows what is owed. A receipt confirms payment you have already received. On many jobs you send both: the invoice when the work is done, the receipt once the money arrives, with the invoice number written on it.
Do I need to give a receipt for a deposit?
It is good practice. A receipt for the deposit, marked with the estimate number and the amount still to pay, gives your customer proof of payment and gives you a clean record that matches the final invoice later.
Can I send a receipt by text or email?
Yes. Fill in the Word or PDF file, save it as a PDF and attach it to a text or email. A PDF is harder to lose than a paper slip. Name the file with the receipt number.
Is this receipt template free?
Yes. The printable PDF and the Word file are free to download and you don't need to give an email address. Use them as often as you need.