How to write a receipt for tailors: fields, template and WhatsApp version

For tailors and fashion designers in Nigeria · 9 minute read

Most arguments between a tailor and a customer are about money. “I paid you more than that.” “You said the balance was less.” A clear receipt ends the argument before it starts, because the answer is on paper and both people can see it.

Most receipt templates and receipt makers online are made for any shop. A tailor’s money moves differently: a deposit first, a balance later, and a pickup day. This guide follows that real flow. It shows what to write, gives you a template to copy, and explains how to keep your records safe.

Receipt, invoice or deposit note: what is the difference?

People use these words loosely. Here is the quick version. For more detail, read invoice vs receipt vs proforma invoice.

A receipt is not a request for payment. It is the record that payment happened. A tailor should give one at two main moments: when the customer pays the deposit, and when the customer pays the final balance. If the customer pays in parts, give one each time.

What every tailor’s receipt must have

Write all of these. If one is missing, that is usually the one a customer will question.

• Shop name and phone number. So the customer knows who to call.
• Receipt number. Number them in order: 0001, 0002, 0003.
• Date. The day you received the money.
• Customer name and phone number.
• Order description. The garment and the fabric, for example “Ankara two-piece, 6 yards”.
• Total price. The full agreed amount.
• Amount paid now. What the customer is paying today.
• Balance. Total price minus everything paid so far.
• Collection date. When the outfit will be ready.
• Payment method. Cash, transfer or POS.
• Who received the money. Your name or your staff’s name.

A copy-paste receipt template

Save this in the notes on your phone. Replace the words in square brackets each time. It is plain text, so you can paste it straight into WhatsApp.

RECEIPT - [Shop name]
Phone: [Shop phone]

Receipt no: [0001]
Date: [day month year]

Customer: [Customer name]
Customer phone: [Customer phone]

Order: [Garment], [fabric and yards]

Total price: [₦ amount]
Paid now: [₦ amount] ([deposit / part payment / final payment])
Balance: [₦ amount]

Collection date: [day month year]
Payment method: [Cash / Transfer / POS]
Received by: [Your name]

Thank you.

Deposit receipt example

This is an example with made-up names and numbers. Funke has ordered an aso-ebi blouse and wrapper, and she pays a deposit.

ADUNNI COUTURE (EXAMPLE)
Phone: 0800 000 0000

Receipt no: 0007
Date: 20 November 2026

Customer: Funke Adeyemi
Customer phone: 0800 000 0001

Order: Aso-ebi blouse and wrapper,
6 yards of lace

Total price:      ₦45,000
Paid now:         ₦20,000 (deposit)
Balance:          ₦25,000

Collection date:  18 December 2026
Payment method:   Transfer
Received by:      Adunni

Balance and pickup receipt example

On pickup day, write a second receipt with a new number. Add the line “Collected”, so you both agree the outfit left your shop on that date. Again, this is an example.

ADUNNI COUTURE (EXAMPLE)
Phone: 0800 000 0000

Receipt no: 0031
Date: 18 December 2026

Customer: Funke Adeyemi
Order: Aso-ebi blouse and wrapper

Total price:      ₦45,000
Paid now:         ₦25,000 (final payment)
Balance:          ₦0

Collected:        18 December 2026, fitted and accepted
Payment method:   Cash
Received by:      Adunni

For an alteration, use the same layout. Write what you changed in the order line, for example “Alteration: take in waist and shorten hem”, with the price for that job.

Part payments and bank transfers

Many customers pay in pieces. That is fine, as long as every piece gets a receipt and the balance goes down in front of them. Here is how it looks as an example, using the same order:

A bank transfer alert is not a replacement for a receipt. The alert shows that money reached your account. It does not say what the money was for or what is still owing. Send a receipt anyway, and write “Transfer” as the payment method.

What to add for a cash receipt

A cash receipt is the same receipt, but you pay more attention, because there is no bank alert behind it. Add these:

• Write “Cash” as the payment method and write the amount in words as well as figures, for example “Twenty thousand naira”.
• Sign it. The person who took the money signs, so it is clear who received it.
• Make two copies. One for the customer and one for you. A duplicate receipt book does this for you.
• Count the money in front of the customer before you write the amount.

Numbering and keeping your records

Start at 0001 and add one each time. Never reuse a number. If you make a mistake, cross out that receipt, write “Cancelled” on it and keep it. A missing number makes people suspicious.

1. Take a photo of every paper receipt before you hand it over. Make sure the date and amounts are clear.
2. Send the photo to the customer on WhatsApp. Now both of you have a copy.
3. Keep photos in one folder on your phone, named by month, such as “November 2026”.
4. Keep the duplicate book in a safe place, even after you have photographed it.

Paper receipt book, receipt maker or TailorDesk?

A receipt book with carbon copies costs little, needs no network and gives you a copy automatically. A receipt maker is any app or tool that builds the receipt from the details you type in. It is faster when you have many orders.

TailorDesk is one way to do it. Each order can show a branded receipt page with your shop name and phone, the items, the amount paid, the balance and the due date. You share it to WhatsApp as a link. The customer opens it in their phone browser. They install nothing and sign up for nothing.

All three are fine. What matters is that every receipt carries the same fields, and that you give one every time money changes hands, even when the customer is your friend or your aunty.

Mistakes that cause arguments

• No date. Without a date, nobody can say when the payment was made.
• “Part payment” with no amount. That phrase means nothing. Write the exact naira figure.
• No balance written. If you do not write the balance, the customer will remember a smaller one. Write it every time.
• No copy kept. If the customer has the only receipt, you have no proof. Always keep a copy.
• Changing the price after the receipt. Agree the price before the deposit. If you are unsure how to set it, read how to price your sewing work.

If a customer still owes after the collection date, a calm message works better than an argument. Our polite payment reminder messages give you words to use.

A note on tax

This guide is about the simple receipt a tailor gives a customer. We do not give tax or legal advice. If a customer’s company asks for particular tax details on your paper, or you are unsure what applies to your business, ask an accountant.

Questions tailors ask about receipts

What details must a tailor’s receipt contain?

Your shop name and phone, a receipt number, the date, the customer’s name and phone, the garment and fabric, the total, the amount paid now, the balance, the collection date, the payment method and who received the money. The list above has all eleven.

Is a bank transfer alert a receipt?

No. An alert shows that money arrived in your account. It does not say what the payment was for or how much the customer still owes. Give a receipt as well.

Can I write a receipt for a part payment?

Yes, and you should. Write the exact amount paid now and the new balance. Each part payment gets its own receipt number.

How do I send a receipt on WhatsApp?

Either paste the plain-text template into a chat, or send a clear photo of the paper receipt. Send it the same day, so the customer has proof on their own phone. TailorDesk can also show a receipt page that you share as a link.

How do I write a receipt by hand?

Use the same fields, in the same order, every time. Write clearly in ink, press hard if you use carbon paper, and sign it. Take a photo before you hand it over.

How long should I keep my receipts?

Keep them for as long as you can. Photos take little space on a phone. At the very least, keep every receipt until the customer has collected the order and nothing is owing.