Why Web Development Receipts Are Essential
Web development projects often span months and involve multiple payments — deposits, milestone payments, and final balances. Each payment needs a receipt that documents what was paid, when, and for which phase of the project. Without receipts, reconciling a six-month project with four milestone payments becomes a nightmare for both you and your client's bookkeeper.
Receipts also protect you in disputes. If a client claims they paid a deposit that you never received, or if they dispute a milestone payment, a sequentially numbered receipt trail provides clear evidence. For developers working with international clients, receipts serve as documentation for cross-border payment verification.
What to Include on a Web Development Receipt
- Developer or agency name with business registration details if applicable
- Client name and project reference — "Receipt for Project: Acme Corp E-Commerce Platform"
- Corresponding invoice number — link each receipt to its source invoice
- Payment milestone — "Milestone 2 of 4: Front-End Development Complete"
- Amount received and payment method — wire transfer, ACH, PayPal, crypto
- Date of payment — when funds were actually received, not when requested
- Running project total — "Total paid to date: $12,000 of $20,000"
- Remaining balance — helps clients track their outstanding commitments
Receipt Best Practices for Developers
For milestone-based projects, your receipt should reference the specific deliverables completed at that milestone. Instead of "Payment received — $5,000," write "Payment received for Milestone 2: User authentication system, admin dashboard, and API documentation complete." This creates a delivery record alongside the financial record.
When clients pay via wire transfer, processing can take 2-5 business days. Issue the receipt when the funds clear your account, not when the client initiates the transfer. Note the settlement date on the receipt for accuracy.
If you offer retainer arrangements, issue a monthly receipt regardless of whether the client used their hours. The receipt should state: "Monthly retainer — 20 hours, 14 used, 6 unused (non-rolling)." This prevents disputes about carried-over hours.
Generate Dev Receipts with BillThemToday
Use BillThemToday's free receipt generator to issue professional web development receipts tied to project milestones. Track running totals, link to source invoices, and download clean PDFs that satisfy any accounting department.