What is a Petty Cash Receipt?

A petty cash receipt is a form used to document cash payments from a petty cash box. The form is filled out by the petty cash custodian, documenting the reason for a petty cash payment and the amount of the payment, as well as the date. At a minimum, it is signed by the custodian, and preferably also by the cash recipient. When the amount of cash in the petty cash box is periodically reconciled, the amount of cash remaining in the box plus the amount of the petty cash receipts should match the original funding amount for the petty cash box. If this reconciliation reveals that a petty cash box is in need of a petty cash replenishment, then the bookkeeper disburses new funds to the petty cash box, in exchange for the existing petty cash receipts.

Preprinted petty cash receipt forms can be purchased from most office supply stores.

Characteristics of a Petty Cash Receipt

The key characteristics of a petty cash receipt are as follows:

Documentation purpose. A petty cash receipt is used to document the nature of each petty cash payment made from a petty cash box.
Control usage. A petty cash receipt is an essential source document for auditors, who need it to verify cash outflows from a petty cash box.
Accounting usage. A petty cash receipt is used to record expenses paid for from a petty cash box.