POS Receipts: What Details Should You Include

Why a Well-Designed Receipt Earns Its Keep

A receipt is often the last thing a customer sees before they leave your shop, cafe or salon, and the first thing they look at when something needs checking. Get it right and it quietly does three jobs at once: it reassures the customer, it gives you a record you can trust and it saves you time when you sit down with the books. Get it wrong — a missing total, an unreadable item line, no date — and you will spend the following week answering questions and hunting through till rolls for a transaction you cannot quite place.

The good news is that a genuinely useful receipt does not need to be complicated. Almost everything that matters fits comfortably onto a standard 57mm x 40mm till roll or a wider 80mm thermal roll, provided you decide what to print rather than letting the default settings decide for you.

The Details Every Receipt Should Carry

Start with the non-negotiables. These are the details that make a receipt legally useful, practically helpful and easy to match against your bank statements later:

• Your business name and, ideally, your trading address or at least the town — a customer returning an item needs to know where it came from.
• A contact number or email, so queries do not become a trip back to the shop.
• The date, and the time if you process more than a few transactions a day. Time stamps are invaluable when two similar sales appear on the same day.
• A unique receipt or transaction number, which makes refunds and reprints straightforward.
• A clear list of items or services with quantities and individual prices.
• The total paid, shown plainly and in a larger or bolder font than the rest of the text.
• The payment method — cash, card, contactless, bank transfer or voucher.
• Your VAT number and a VAT breakdown if you are VAT registered.

If you sell online as well as in person, keep the wording consistent across both. Familiarity helps customers and reduces confusion when they query an order.

Item Lines, Quantities and Totals

The item section is where receipts most often fall short. A line that reads “Misc” or “Sale” tells the customer nothing and tells your bookkeeper even less. Use short but specific descriptions: “Flat white — oat milk”, “Large bag of bird seed”, “Haircut — adult”. If your till software allows abbreviations, set them up rather than taking the default codes.

Show the quantity, the unit price and the line total separately. This matters most when you sell multiples, offer a three-for-two deal or discount a single item. If a discount applies, print it as its own line so the maths is obvious rather than implied. Rounding should be handled the same way every time — pick a method, stick to it, and let the till do the work.

For cafes and takeaways, note any allergen or dietary flags that matter, or at least a short order reference so the kitchen and the customer are looking at the same information.

Payment Method, Change and Refunds

State the payment method clearly rather than leaving it blank. A card receipt that says “Card” is fine; one that says “Visa credit, £12.40” is better. For cash, show the amount tendered and the change given, which heads off most till disputes before they start.

Include a short, plain returns line: how long customers have, what they need to bring and whether you refund or exchange. Two lines of text on a till roll will save you an awkward conversation at the counter. If you use a separate returns policy, at least print “See returns policy in store”.

Finally, make sure your till records a duplicate of every transaction. Whether you keep the printed copy or the digital record, you need a way to reprint a receipt on request — and to prove what was sold if a card payment is queried later.

Optional Additions That Build Trust

Once the essentials are in place, a few extras punch above their weight:

• Loyalty messages — a running points total or “two more stamps for a free coffee” is genuinely motivating.
• A QR code pointing to your online shop, booking page or feedback form.
• Opening hours or a note about upcoming events, particularly for seasonal businesses.
• A short thank-you line that matches your brand — it costs nothing and reads far better than a blank strip of paper.
• A “served by” name or till reference, which makes staff accountability and training easier.

Keep it tight, though. Cramming every possible message onto an 80mm thermal roll makes the important information harder to find.

Practical Points for Your Till Rolls and Printer

Your receipt is only as good as the paper and printer behind it. Thermal rolls are the standard for most EPOS systems, but they come in different widths and diameters, so check the model of your printer before ordering in bulk. Buy decent-quality rolls: cheap thermal paper fades quickly, especially in sunlight or warm cars, and a receipt that has turned blank within weeks is no use for a returns claim or a VAT inspection.

Store spare rolls somewhere dry and away from direct heat, and keep a couple near the till so a roll never runs out mid-queue. Clean the print head regularly and change the paper before the roll is completely empty — a faded final receipt is a common and avoidable annoyance.

Get these details right and your receipts stop being an afterthought. They become a small, steady part of how your business looks professional, keeps its records straight and keeps customers coming back.