Guide
Invoice vs receipt
People mix these up because both list money and line items. They are not interchangeable. Using the wrong one confuses AP and makes your books harder to reconcile.
Invoice: a request for payment
You send an invoice before the money arrives (or when it is due). It says what you delivered, what they owe in USD, and by when. Until they pay, the invoice is an open receivable.
That is what the InvoiceForge invoice generator creates. It is not a receipt.
Receipt: proof of payment
A receipt is issued after you have the funds. It should show the amount paid, the date paid, the method (ACH, card, check), and the invoice number it closed. Many clients only need the marked-paid invoice plus a bank confirmation. Some ask for a separate receipt for expenses.
Side by side
- Timing: invoice first, receipt after payment
- Balance: invoice shows amount due; receipt shows amount received
- Purpose: invoice starts collections; receipt closes the loop
- Taxes: neither document files your return. They are records.
Can one PDF do both?
Some tools stamp “PAID” on the original invoice. That can work if the paid date and method are obvious. If a client’s expense policy wants a receipt, send a short receipt that points at the same invoice number rather than rewriting history.
InvoiceForge stays an invoice generator on purpose. Generating a receipt would imply we saw the payment. We never see your money or your files.