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How To Make a Receipt for Free

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Customers and sales tax offices want receipts for every purchase, but how do you make one?

There are some automated receipt makers, which can be too costly for small businesses.

It’s almost free to make a receipt on your own. There are numerous tools and receipt templates that you can use quickly at no cost.

In this guide, I will show you how to make a receipt using Google Docs for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Write Your Own Receipts?

You can write your own receipts as long as you include all necessary details regarding the sales of products or services.

Generally, a cash receipt should have the amount received for a particular transaction.

Your receipt can be handwritten or typed and issued on paper or electronically.

What Makes a Valid Receipt?

A valid receipt must have the name and address of the issuing business, the date of purchase, the total amount due for itemized items, and an indication that the expected amount was paid.

If there were any tax levied on the transaction, it should also be included in the receipt.

What You’ll Need To Make a Receipt

Many small business consulting firms offer guidance and training on how to make a receipt, whether it’s a sales receipt, delivery receipt, or rental receipt.

You don’t need to go to such lengths to make a receipt for your customer. Simply go through the steps of my guide with the following things at hand:

  • Transaction Details: A receipt should include the name and contact information of your business, purchase details, date of transaction, receipt number, etc.
  • Software Access: You can create a receipt using Google Docs, Sheets, or a free receipt maker like InvoiceHome. These tools just need a valid username and password for your access.
  • Device and Internet: Google Docs is a web-based software that requires a compatible computer or smartphone with internet access.
  • Receipt Template: A receipt template can streamline your receipt creation process. There is a receipt template for each type of receipt, and you can find many free designs online.

How To Make a Receipt: Step-by-Step Instructions

You can type a receipt in most document processing tools, including Google Docs, Sheets, Microsoft Word, etc.

Although Google Docs doesn’t have a receipt template by default, you can find a free template online and customize it.

You can do the same with a Google Sheet template, although the steps would vary slightly.

Step 1: Search for a Free Receipt Template

There are hundreds of free receipt templates online.

You can find a specific receipt template for a particular purpose.

Simply type in something like “free receipt template for Google Docs” in Google or another search engine from your browser.

After that, explore the resulting websites for a template that suits your needs.

I recommend using one of the free receipt templates created by Wise.

They have several templates for cash receipts, rental receipts, and other business transactions.

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Step 2: Copy the Receipt Template to Google Docs

Once you like a particular template, click on the “Download” button.

It will take you to the Google Sign-in page if you are not logged in already.

Enter your Gmail ID and password on the following pages and hit next.

Next, click the “Make a copy” button to approve copying the document to your Google Drive.

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Note: The actual text for downloading the template may vary based on the source website.

Step 3: Add Your Business Logo to the Receipt

The receipt template should have a specific section to add your company logo.

To add your brand’s logo, right-click over the “Logo” section and hit the “Replace image” option.

You can upload your logo from your computer or insert it from Google Drive or Photos.

You can also take a picture using your device’s camera (if applicable).

Once uploaded, resize the image box and your logo to fit the receipt design.

It’s okay if you don’t have a business logo. If that’s the case, simply remove the “Logo” section.

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Step 4: Add Your Business Info With Specific Details

In the business name/ biller section, replace each generic line with specific details of your business, including detailed contact information and website.

Don’t forget to add a receipt number and the date of issuance.

Including the date is mandatory by the sales tax offices, while the receipt number will help you easily track payments.

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Step 5: Specify the Details of the Client or Customer

Including the name and contact information is a critical requirement for tax filing.

Your receipt template would have a designated section where you can add the name and contact information of the person or company that made the payment.

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You can also include some terms and conditions (i.e., rental receipt) to safeguard yourself and provide further clarity for your customer.

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Step 6: Include Billable Works, Price, and Amount Received

You must add billable works or items to your receipt, along with the cost of each.

Add as much description as possible for your customer, adding or removing the template rows in the itemized bill section. You can also refer to any invoice created for the same items.

Next, indicate the total payable amount and the amounts received, including taxes.

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You can include bank or other payment details in the receipt if you have dues.

Wrapping Up

Making a receipt is critical for client confidence, tax fillings, and business growth. Your receipt book may also prove handy in obtaining credit cards for startups.

It doesn’t take long to create a custom receipt using a Google Docs template, which you can do following my guide.

Once you make a receipt, you can print it or send it as an email receipt.

Please comment with your question and queries. Also, share my guide with others if possible.

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