Voucher and Bill

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JAISON JACOB . K (Querist)
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18 August 2009 Is voucher and bill the same?

Should i attach the print out of the entry passed by me in an accounting software say tally, and attache it to the bills.

Or bills itself is a voucher?

Thanks in advance

Jaison

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Guest (Expert)

18 August 2009 Dear Jaison

Invoice/Bill is different from the voucher.

Technically, the bill is a supporting document to the voucher prepared (or generated through accounting software).

For example, you bought a computer of Rs 50,000 through invoice. Now on the basis of that invoice you will enter the accounting entry in the accounting system of yours. This will generate an accounting document which is known as voucher.

Hence, you need to annex the bill with the voucher.

Hope this assist you.

Thanks & Best Regards
CA Himanshu Garg
ca.hims@gmail.com

JAISON JACOB . K

JAISON JACOB . K (Querist)
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18 August 2009 Thank you sir.

Sir one more doubt. should i attach a copy of the print out taken from the accounting softwareto each bill or i should mention only the voucher number in the bill?

Aashok Kumar Sharma

Aashok Kumar Sharma (Expert)
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03 August 2025 Great question! Here’s a clear explanation about **voucher** vs **bill** and how to handle them in accounting:

### Voucher vs Bill:

* **Bill (Invoice)**:
This is the original document received or issued as evidence of a transaction — for example, a purchase bill from a supplier or a sales invoice to a customer. It shows details like items, quantity, price, tax, etc.

* **Voucher**:
A voucher is an internal document prepared in your accounting system when you record a transaction. It acts as proof of the entry made in the books. It may reference the original bill or invoice.

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### Relationship:

* The **bill is a source document** — the original evidence of the transaction.
* The **voucher is the accounting entry** made based on that source document.

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### What to attach?

* You **should keep the original bill/invoice** attached as primary evidence.
* The **voucher printout from Tally or your accounting software is not usually required to be attached to the bill**.
* Instead, you can **mention the voucher number/reference on the bill** or cross-reference it in your records.
* The voucher printout serves internal audit and reconciliation but is not a substitute for the original bill.

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### Best Practice:

1. Attach the **original bill/invoice** to your payment or expense file.
2. Maintain vouchers (accounting entries) separately in your system.
3. Cross-reference the voucher number on the bill or in your payment file for easy tracking.
4. During audits, you can produce both the original bill and voucher printout as supporting documents.

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Let me know if you want me to draft a sample format or a checklist for attaching vouchers and bills!

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