Can the same document be both?

Not really. Some tools mark a paid invoice as “Paid”, which acts like a receipt, but they serve different purposes — request vs proof of payment.

Do I send a receipt if I already sent an invoice?

It’s good practice. The invoice requested payment; once the client pays, a receipt confirms it was received. Many businesses simply re-issue the invoice stamped “Paid”, which serves the same purpose.

Does a receipt need a number?

A receipt should have a date and ideally its own reference number so you can match it to the sale and keep your records auditable — but it doesn’t carry payment terms or a due date the way an invoice does.

Invoice vs Receipt: What’s the Difference?

An invoice and a receipt are often confused, but they do opposite jobs: an invoice requests payment before the customer pays; a receipt confirms payment after they pay.

Make an invoice or a receipt free →

What is an invoice?

An invoice is a request for payment a seller sends a buyer. It lists what was sold, the amount owed, and the payment terms — and is issued before the customer pays.

What is a receipt?

A receipt is proof of payment, issued after the customer pays. It confirms what was paid for, the amount, and the date.

Key differences

Timing: invoice before payment; receipt after payment
Purpose: invoice requests money; receipt confirms money received
Contains: invoice has a due date and payment terms; a receipt shows the amount paid and method
Use: send an invoice to bill a client; give a receipt as proof once they’ve paid

A quick example

Say you design a logo for a client. When the work is done you send an invoice for $500, due in 14 days — it lists the service, the amount, and how to pay. Two days later the client pays. You then send a receipt for $500 confirming the payment was received and the balance is now zero. Same amount, two documents, two different jobs: one asked for the money, the other proved it arrived.

Why the difference matters for tax

For bookkeeping and tax, the two aren’t interchangeable. An invoice records income you’re owed (and, if you’re tax-registered, the tax you’ve charged); a receipt evidences money that actually changed hands. Keeping both — the invoice you issued and the receipt confirming payment — gives you a clean trail if a client or a tax authority ever queries a transaction.

FAQ

Can the same document be both?: Not really. Some tools mark a paid invoice as “Paid”, which acts like a receipt, but they serve different purposes — request vs proof of payment.
Do I send a receipt if I already sent an invoice?: It’s good practice. The invoice requested payment; once the client pays, a receipt confirms it was received. Many businesses simply re-issue the invoice stamped “Paid”, which serves the same purpose.
Does a receipt need a number?: A receipt should have a date and ideally its own reference number so you can match it to the sale and keep your records auditable — but it doesn’t carry payment terms or a due date the way an invoice does.