Cadet
Regular price$29$14.50 / month
Founding price for your first 12 months
1 seat included
- Public proposal approval & signing
- Deposit on acceptance
- Proposal-to-invoice conversion
- Billable time tracking
- Public intake forms
Getting paid
Invoice vs receipt: the difference and when you need each.
An invoice asks for payment; a receipt confirms it. Same parties, often the same line items — but they live on opposite sides of the transaction, and mixing them up confuses clients, accountants, and tax season.
Reviewed
In short
An invoice is a request for payment issued before the client pays: it lists what was delivered, what it costs, and how to pay. A receipt is proof of payment issued after: it confirms what was paid, when, and how. You send the invoice when work is delivered and the receipt when money arrives. Invoicing software issues both from the same record, keeping the numbers, line items, and client reference identical on each.
The difference in one table
Same transaction, opposite sides of it:
- Invoice — issued before payment; a formal request listing items, rates, totals, terms, and how to pay
- Receipt — issued after payment; confirmation showing amount paid, date, method, and the invoice it settles
- Invoice answers "what do I owe you?" — receipt answers "what did I pay, and when?"
- Both belong in the client record: the invoice as the ask, the receipt as the proof
What each document must include
They share most fields, with different emphasis:
- Invoice — your details, client details, invoice number, issue and due dates, line items, taxes, total, payment instructions
- Receipt — your details, client details, the invoice number it settles, payment date, amount received, payment method, and any remaining balance
- Both — the same line items and totals so the paper trail reconciles exactly
Keep them connected
The receipt should reference the invoice it settles — that is what lets a client (or their accountant) match the payment to the ask without an email thread. In Workspace369, receipts are issued from the paid invoice, so the reference, line items, and amounts always match.
FAQ
Common questions
Is an invoice a receipt?
No. An invoice requests payment before it happens; a receipt confirms payment after. They carry similar information but serve opposite purposes in the transaction.
When do I send a receipt?
After the client pays. For card payments online, send it automatically on payment confirmation. For bank transfers or checks, issue it once the money clears.
What should a payment receipt include?
Your business name and contact details, the client, a receipt number, the invoice number it settles, the payment date, the amount received, the payment method, and any balance still due. If you charge tax, show the tax included in the payment.
Can I turn an invoice into a receipt?
Yes, as long as the receipt is clearly marked as a receipt (or the invoice is marked "Paid") and shows the payment date, amount and method. Keep the original invoice unchanged; the receipt is a separate record of the payment.
Do I need both for taxes?
You need the invoice to show what you billed and the receipt or payment record to show what you collected. Together they reconcile your books; missing receipts are what make tax season a reconstruction project.
Plans for freelancers
Pick the plan your work needs today.
Client records, proposals, invoices, online payments, time tracking and intake forms are on every plan. Upgrade when your work needs calls, texts or more.Voyager
Regular price$74$37 / month
Founding price for your first 12 months
2 seats included
Everything in Cadet, plus
- SMS messaging
- Voice & voicemail
- Shared inbox
- Missed-call text back
- No-answer forwarding
Specialist
Regular price$149$74.50 / month
Founding price for your first 12 months
10 seats included
Everything in Voyager, plus
- Online booking
- Expense tracking
- Payment plans
- Inventory tracking
Founding member offer: 50% off your first 12 months, for the first 100 customers who join by Oct 31. 14-day trial with a card, USD monthly billing. Compare all plans.
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