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Accounts Payable & Receivable › Cash Application

What is the difference between a payment and a receipt in AR?

Beginner

Answer

In AR, a receipt is money coming in from a customer that reduces receivables. (A payment, by contrast, is money going out in AP.) Recording a customer receipt debits cash and credits AR. Keeping the direction clear avoids posting a customer receipt as if it were a supplier payment.
Real-world example A customer receipt of $3,000 is posted as cash in and AR down, not confused with any AP payment.

Common follow-ups: Which side does a customer receipt hit? | How does this differ from an AP payment?