Receipt vs payment vs contra vs journal: which voucher?
1 min read
Updated 04 Oct 2026
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AI summary
A one-table guide to picking the right voucher every time, with the key that opens it.
3 sections 2 steps F8F9F6F5F4F7
Quick guide
| What happened | Voucher | Key |
|---|---|---|
| You sold goods or services | Sales | F8 |
| You bought from a supplier | Purchase | F9 |
| A customer paid you, or you received other income | Receipt | F6 |
| You paid a supplier or an expense | Payment | F5 |
| Cash to bank, bank to cash, or bank to bank | Contra | F4 |
| An adjustment with no cash or bank movement | Journal | F7 |
| A customer returned goods, or you gave a discount after the sale | Credit Note | Alt+C |
| You returned goods to a supplier, or the supplier overcharged | Debit Note | Alt+N |
Two questions that settle most cases
- Did cash or bank move? No → Journal. Yes → go to question 2.
- Who was on the other side? Your own bank or cash → Contra. A customer → Receipt. A supplier or expense → Payment.
Mixed situations
- Sold goods and the customer paid on the spot: Sales (F8) first, then a Receipt (F6) against the customer.
- Bought goods and paid the same day: Purchase (F9), then Payment (F5).
- Paid an expense from petty cash: Payment with Cash A/c as the credit account.
Still unsure? Type what happened in the Atulya AI command bar (Alt+Z), for example Paid 50k to Apex Retailers. It picks the voucher and fills the entry for you to check.
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