Is a receipt a bill of sale?

Depending on the type of transaction, you may need a bill of sale or a receipt detailing the purchase.

Individuals and businesses use receipts and bill of sale documents to record the details of a purchase. Regardless of whether the sale is public or private, it’s important to keep accurate records — and get signatures where appropriate. Learn more about which one to use and why.

What’s the difference between a receipt and a bill of sale?

A receipt is a digital or physical document that says a customer has paid for a product or service. For example, if you buy a new computer for your business, you’ll be issued a receipt for the purchase. You can then keep the receipt and use it for tax or accounting purposes.

Similar to a receipt, a bill of sale records the details of a transaction. Bills of sale are commonly used between buyers and sellers for cars or boats. However, a bill of sale is unique in that it:

• Includes very specific details about a product.
• Generally isn’t used for services.
• May be required for title transfers and vehicle registrations.
• Almost always needs to be signed by both parties.

How do I digitally send a receipt or bill of sale?

To send a digital receipt or bill of sale, you’ll need to either use a pre-built template or create one from scratch — and Acrobat Sign is a great place to get started. All that’s generally required is to enter in the transaction details and include the appropriate number of signature fields.

When the document has been completed, enter the email address of each person involved and click send. You can check on its progress by tracking the document’s history to see that everyone signed the form correctly.

Learn more about what you can do to make transactions hassle-free. Explore everything you can do with Acrobat Sign today.