Invoice vs receipt: which one to send

An invoice is a request: this amount is owed, by this date, to this person, for this work. A receipt is proof: this amount was received, on this date. They are not interchangeable, even if both are PDFs with your logo.

Before they pay

Send an invoice. Status is sent (or draft until you are ready). It needs a unique number, due date, and the usual fields. Do not title it Receipt. Do not mark it paid “to look professional.”

After they pay

Mark that same invoice paid. The paid document is the record for most sole operators — you do not mint a second number called RCT-004. If they ask for a receipt, send the paid invoice (or a short note: paid on DATE, method Interac, referring to INV-004).

Do not create a new invoice for the same job because they “need a receipt.” That is a second number for one payment, which AP and GST records hate.

Estimates are neither

A quote is not a bill and not a receipt. Convert it when they accept. See estimate vs invoice.

justIssued

Draft, sent, paid, void. Mark paid when Interac or the wire lands. There is no Pay now receipt from a card processor, because there is no Pay now. Pricing.