A digital receipt gives a customer an electronic record of a completed transaction. It can be sent by email, SMS, or another agreed channel, depending on the business workflow. It should make the sale easy to recognize and give the customer a practical way to ask about an error.
A digital receipt is not automatically an electronic tax invoice or proof that an online payment has settled. Keep each document and transaction status clear.
What a useful receipt includes
Include enough information for the customer to identify the purchase:
- Business name and contact details.
- Receipt number and transaction date.
- Items or services, quantity, and price.
- Discounts, taxes, fees, and total as applicable.
- Payment method and status where known.
- Order reference or delivery details where relevant.
- A contact route for corrections, returns, or questions.
- Any terms the customer needs to know, stated clearly.
Avoid including full payment-card details, passwords, authentication codes, or unrelated personal information. Consider whether the customer needs a phone number or address repeated on every receipt. Minimize data while keeping the document useful.
Choose a delivery channel that fits the transaction
| Channel | Advantages | Checks |
|---|---|---|
| SMS | Short and easy to revisit on a phone | Links should be clear, safe, and expected; check message charges and delivery status |
| Can carry a detailed item list and attachments | Confirm the address, attachment access, spam handling, and privacy | |
| Customer portal or order page | Keeps the receipt near order details | Explain how the customer can access it and recover account access |
| Printed copy | Useful when the customer prefers paper or needs it immediately | Keep the business copy and make text legible |
Ask which channel the customer prefers when your process allows. Confirm the contact detail before sending. If delivery fails, follow a defined process to check the address, retry safely, or provide another copy.
Keep receipts linked to the sale
Use a unique receipt or transaction reference that also appears in the sales record. Keep the item, price, discount, tax, and payment details aligned. If a purchase is returned, refunded, or corrected, keep the new record linked to the original receipt instead of replacing it silently.
Digital storage can make records easier to search, but it still requires access controls, backups, and a retention policy. Keep records for the period required by the rules that apply to your business. Do not use customer contact details from a receipt for unrelated marketing unless you have an appropriate lawful basis and respect the customer’s preferences.
A clear post-purchase message
A receipt-delivery message should identify the business and transaction, say why the customer received it, and provide a working way to view or save the receipt. Do not place a promotion in the same message unless the customer expects and is permitted to receive marketing from you.
Example:
Thank you for your purchase at Soko Market. Receipt R-2087 for KES 1,450 is ready: secure receipt link. Contact us at business contact if an item or amount looks wrong.
Check that a receipt link opens only the intended transaction. Avoid public links that expose another customer’s details, and do not put sensitive information into a URL.
Plan for a failed message or changed contact
A sent message may be delayed, filtered, or delivered to an address the customer no longer uses. Keep the receipt in the transaction record even if the notification fails. Provide a way for the customer to request another copy, and verify identity or transaction details before sending it to a new address.
If the customer gives a corrected email or phone number, update it only for the agreed purpose and follow the business’s privacy process. Avoid exposing the receipt through a predictable URL based on a sequential receipt number. Use an access-controlled link and define whether it expires and how the customer can request a replacement.
Train staff to distinguish a delivery problem from a payment problem. A failed email does not mean a sale failed, and a delivered receipt does not prove that an online payment settled. Check the sale and payment records before changing the transaction status.
Digital receipts and eTIMS are separate checks
A customer may receive a digital receipt while the business still needs to issue or retain a separate electronic tax invoice through the appropriate system. In Kenya, review KRA’s eTIMS guidance for current requirements and available solutions. Do not describe a basic receipt as an eTIMS invoice unless it was generated through the applicable approved process.
Keep payment confirmation separate too. An order, receipt, or message that says “payment requested” should not be shown as “paid” until the payment has been verified through the relevant provider or cash reconciliation.
Make the receipt accessible and easy to keep
Use readable text, meaningful labels, and enough contrast. Ensure customers can zoom on mobile, save or print the document, and contact the business if a link expires. If the receipt is an image or PDF, offer a usable text or HTML view where possible.
Keep the customer’s requested copy available through a defined support process. When resending, confirm the recipient and avoid exposing unrelated purchase details. For a corrected transaction, send the updated document and explain what changed.
Include a paper or alternative option where needed
Some customers may not have reliable access to a phone, email account, data connection, or printer. Explain the available choices at checkout and let customers receive the record in a format they can use. Do not make a customer provide an email address or phone number unless it is needed for the transaction or they choose digital delivery.
If staff provide a printed receipt on request, keep the business record connected to the same sale reference. If the customer declines a digital copy, do not treat the decision as a marketing opt-out or opt-in; record only what is necessary to provide the chosen receipt.
Review language, font size, and contrast. A concise receipt that can be read with assistive technology is more useful than a decorative image with tiny text. Include a plain-text summary in the notification when possible, and offer a way to open the full itemized record.
Mistakes to avoid
- Calling every digital receipt a tax invoice.
- Marking a pending payment as settled.
- Sending a receipt to an unverified email address or phone number.
- Including private data that is not needed for the transaction.
- Using receipt delivery as automatic permission for promotions.
- Overwriting the original receipt after a refund or correction.
- Allowing receipt links to expose another customer’s record.
- Keeping no retention or backup process.
Common digital receipt questions
What should a digital receipt contain?
Include enough detail to identify the business, transaction, items or service, amount, date, payment status where known, and a contact for corrections. Avoid private information that is not needed.
Is a digital receipt an eTIMS invoice?
Not by default. Confirm whether the document was generated through the applicable eTIMS solution and keep any separate payment confirmation linked to the sale.
Is SMS or email better?
Choose the channel the customer prefers and can access. Check contact details, delivery status, data privacy, and a process for resending a copy safely.
For requirements that apply to tax invoices and business records, see receipts and eTIMS in Kenya. For a repeatable payment and expense routine, continue to daily bookkeeping.