Receipt, Payment and Transfer Vouchers Explained

Walk into any well-run office in Bangladesh and you will see voucher files: printed slips, each with a number, an amount written in figures and words, and two or three signatures. Vouchers are one of the simplest and most effective controls a business can have.

#What is a voucher?

A voucher is a document that authorises and proves a transaction. It records who received or paid money, how much, for what purpose and who approved it. The bill from a supplier is evidence; the voucher is your internal record that the payment was checked and approved.

#The three common types

#Receipt voucher (RV)

Used when money comes in — a customer payment, a donation, a loan received, owner investment. It shows who paid, the amount, the account it went into (cash, bank, bKash) and the purpose.

#Payment voucher (PV)

Used when money goes out — supplier payments, salaries, rent, utility bills. It shows who was paid, the amount, the account it came from and the purpose, and normally carries the approver's signature.

#Transfer voucher (TV)

Used when money moves between your own accounts — depositing cash into the bank, withdrawing from bKash to cash, moving money between two bank accounts. A transfer is neither income nor expense, and giving it its own voucher type keeps your profit figures clean.

#What a good voucher contains

#Why numbering matters so much

Sequential numbers are an anti-fraud tool. If vouchers RV-101 to RV-110 exist and RV-106 is missing, someone has to explain why. Many businesses number receipts and payments separately so each series is continuous.

Software like Averiq assigns numbers automatically — RV, PV and TV series per organization — and never reuses a number, even if an entry is deleted. Deleted entries go to a trash where they can be reviewed or restored, and the audit log records who deleted what.

#Amount in words: a small detail with big value

Writing "Taka Twelve Thousand Five Hundred Only" next to ৳ 12,500 makes tampering obvious. Banks and auditors expect it. Averiq prints the amount in words on every voucher PDF automatically, in the lakh–crore style used in Bangladesh.

#Who should sign?

For a small business, a simple rule works:

• Prepared by — the person who recorded the entry (accountant, manager).
• Checked by — someone who verifies the bill and amount.
• Approved by — the owner or authorised person.

For NGOs, somitis and committees, signatures from the treasurer and president add transparency. See our guide to somiti accounts.

#Filing vouchers

Keep printed vouchers in date order with the supporting bills stapled behind them, one file per month. Scan or photograph bills if possible. Clean voucher files make tax returns, bank loan applications and audits dramatically easier — see preparing records for a bank loan.

#FAQ

#Is a supplier's bill enough without a voucher?

The bill proves what you owe; the voucher proves you checked, approved and paid it from a specific account. Small businesses can work with bills alone, but vouchers add control as soon as more than one person handles money.

#Do I need vouchers for small expenses like tea and transport?

Group small daily expenses into one petty cash payment voucher per day or week with a list attached. This keeps records complete without excessive paperwork.

#Can vouchers be digital?

Yes. A digital voucher with a unique number, audit trail and printable PDF serves the same purpose and is harder to lose.