How to Fill Out a Receipt Book

If you still like to process customer orders manually, don't have an electronic register, or you only accept cash for sales, you will need to fill out a receipt book to keep track of purchases. The receipt book needs to create at least two copies---one for the customer and one copy that remains in the book for your records. You can then total up your sales at the end of the accounting period.

Write the date in at the top of the page of your receipt. This should be the date that money and product changed hands. However, some sellers may use the receipt as an invoice for the customer to pay later---in that case, use the date when product was shipped or delivered.

Include the identification number or name of the employee that made the sale at the top or bottom of the receipt. That way, if you have questions down the line about the transaction, you will know who to ask.

Write a thorough description of each product being sold, including the number of units and the name, style, and size of each item. Include each product on separate lines of the receipt, and be sure to skip a line to allow more space for extra details.

Write the extended price (the price being charged to the customer, whether retail or wholesale) at the end of each row.

Multiply the extended price by the number of units and include the item total in the next column.

Add up all of the item totals to get the subtotal for the order. Write that figure on the designated line at the bottom of the receipt.

Multiply the subtotal by any applicable sales tax and write the total tax on the next line. Be sure to write in the sales tax percentage nearby for reference purposes.

Add the sales tax to the subtotal to get the final total due from the customer, and place this on the designated line. (You can also just use the formula "(1 + sales tax in decimals) x subtotal" each time to get the total if you want to skip the extra line listing sales tax).

Add in any surcharges and other non-taxable items (sales tax), such as delivery fees and gratuities, to get the absolute final total.

Include information about your business on each receipt, including company name, contact name, address, phone, and website (if applicable) so that your customer can keep in touch.

Get a personalized stamp made at your local supply store or online that includes your complete business information. Stamp each receipt in the area that is usually left blank on receipt book pages.

Carbonless receipt books create two copies automatically without the need for a carbon sheet in the middle of both pages.