A receipts journal is an official accounting journal in which you record every day all sales for which you do not issue an invoice. The payment method has no influence (cash, bank card, bank transfer, ...).
💡 The receipts journal is mandatory as soon as you receive income that has not been the subject of sales invoices.
It should not be confused with the cash or bank journal, which only record transactions (payments).
A sales-type journal
Accounting law requires you to keep one sales journal per type of income. This journal simply lists income received in chronological order.
The sales invoice journal 🧾
The journal lists every sales invoice issued. These invoices are listed in numbered order. An invoice is mandatory when your client is a professional.
The receipts journal 📝
Receipts are income for which there is no sales invoice. They therefore represent a distinct type of income. This income generally comes from a payment by bank transfer or in cash.
💡 It's simple: you make a sale or provide a service without issuing a sales invoice? Then it's a receipt. However, be careful not to create a duplicate. This happens if you categorise as a receipt an amount for which you had already issued an invoice.
Difference between a receipt and a sales invoice
Receipt | Sales invoice | |
Client type | Individual | Mandatory when billing a professional |
Supporting document | Receipt in the receipts journal | Invoice in the sales journal |
Example | A patient pays for their physiotherapy session at the end of the appointment | A lawyer invoices their services |
Payment timing | Upfront, before the receipt | After the invoice |
Accounting entry | When validating* a month (for all receipts of the month) * in the monthly receipts book | When sending an invoice |
Who is it for? | Physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychologists, dentists, doctors,... but also photographers, coaches,... when providing services to individuals | Lawyers, architects, consultants,... for a professional client or |
⚠️ If you issue a sales invoice, the amount paid by the client must never be included in your receipts. If it were, your income would be counted twice.
Furthermore, one of the main differences lies in validation: a sales invoice is immediately recorded in your accounts. A receipt is only validated at the end of the month, when the month is closed in the monthly receipts book.
Specific features of the receipts book
Modifications not allowed ⛔
It is forbidden to delete or modify data entered in the receipts journal.
If you have made an error, you record the correction separately, at the time you identify the mistake.
Permitted formats 📲
You can keep your receipts journal in a paper book. The pages must be bound and numbered: no separate sheets may be added or removed.
If you keep this journal in digital form, simply using an Excel file is not allowed. You must use software that meets compliance requirements, such as BILLY. One of the key points is the timestamping of transactions in a database and the impossibility of modifying them.
Daily entries ✍🏻
You must record at least one total amount per day in your receipts journal. If the selling price exceeds €250 VAT incl., you must add a separate line specifically for that sale.
💡 In practice, we recommend adding a receipt for every sale made. Thanks to bank synchronisation, BILLY handles this automatically. Your accounts are therefore clearer and it saves you from having to justify yourself in the event of an audit.
Breakdown by VAT rate 🔢
Each receipt added must have a corresponding VAT rate: 0, 6, 12 or 21%.
Difference from the cash book
The receipts journal is not a cash book. In a cash book, you record all cash payments. These are generally income, but they can also include, for example, a withdrawal for personal use (private withdrawal) or a deposit to the bank (bank deposit).
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