Guide · Invoice or receipt
Use the document that matches the payment stage.
An invoice usually requests or details an amount due. A receipt records that payment was received. They answer different questions even when they describe the same sale.
The short distinction
| Document | Main question | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice | What is being charged and what remains due? | Before or around payment |
| Receipt | What payment was received? | After payment |
An invoice explains the request
An invoice commonly identifies the seller and customer, lists the goods or services, shows the calculation and currency, and provides an issue date, due date, balance, and payment instructions. It can also record a deposit or partial payment while still showing an amount due.
Example
A designer invoices $1,000, records a $250 deposit, and shows a $750 balance due in 14 days. The document explains the remaining request; it is not proof that the $750 was paid.
A receipt confirms a payment event
A receipt generally shows the amount and currency received, payment date, seller, purchased items or referenced invoice, and sometimes the payment method. It should not expose full card or bank account numbers. A “Paid” stamp on an invoice may be useful, but whether it satisfies receipt or tax-document requirements depends on the rules that apply to the transaction.
Keep both when they prove different facts
The invoice preserves what was requested and how it was calculated; the receipt preserves what was received and when. Keeping both makes partial payments, refunds, and later questions easier to trace. A quote or estimate is different again: it describes a proposed price before the final charge.
Use Mallow Invoice for the invoice stage
Mallow Invoice creates an invoice PDF and can show an amount already paid and the remaining balance. It does not collect money, verify a transfer, send email, or generate a separate receipt workflow. Keep evidence of payment in the system you use for financial records.
Open Mallow Invoice