Also called: Original Draft, Sales Slip, Ticket
What a sales draft is
A sales draft is a record of a completed payment-card purchase. You might know it as a receipt, sales slip, or ticket. It can be printed or electronic, and records details such as the transaction date, amount, items purchased, payment method, and your business name and location.
The exact fields depend on the receipt format. A card receipt can show the last several digits of the card number and an authorization number, while masking the rest of the card number. The draft documents the sale, but it does not guarantee that a later dispute will be decided in your favor.
A sales draft documents the purchase. It is evidence to organize, not a guarantee against a dispute.
How it works
After a card payment is approved, your point-of-sale system or payment software produces the customer’s receipt and a transaction record for your business. That record connects the amount and purchase details to a specific sale. For example, an itemized restaurant receipt can help you identify what a customer bought and the amount charged when the customer asks about a transaction.
A sales draft is different from the payment itself. It is documentation of the transaction, not a separate payment method or processing fee. Creating a draft does not add a fee to your card-processing costs.
Why it matters when a customer disputes a charge
If a cardholder questions a charge, your sales draft can help you locate the transaction and assemble supporting records. The item description, date, amount, and merchant details help distinguish the disputed sale from other purchases. A card issuer can request a copy as part of reviewing a questioned transaction.
Keep the draft connected to any other evidence for that sale, such as an invoice, order details, or delivery record. A receipt alone does not prove every part of a customer’s claim is wrong, and it does not replace a timely response to a chargeback.
Where it appears on your statement
A sales draft is a transaction record, not a card-processing statement fee. You should not expect a separate sales-draft charge alongside interchange, network fees, or processor markup. If you see a line described as a retrieval or copy fee, treat that as a separate charge to investigate, not as the sales draft itself.
Use your sales records to reconcile the date and amount of a purchase with your transaction reporting. If a customer inquiry or dispute comes in, those details help you find the right record without searching through every receipt.
Keep records useful
Save sales drafts in a format your staff can search by transaction date, amount, or transaction identifier. A receipt stored without a way to connect it to the sale is harder to use when a customer questions a charge. Apply your payment-card data security procedures to electronic and paper records, especially where card information appears.
What you can actually change
- Save the details. Keep the date, amount, item description, and transaction identifier together so you can find the draft when a customer asks about a charge.
- Link supporting records. Store the invoice, order, or delivery record with the relevant sales draft when those records apply to the purchase.
- Separate fees from drafts. A sales draft is not a processing fee. Review any retrieval or copy fee as its own statement charge.
Frequently asked questions
Is a sales draft the same as a receipt?
A sales draft is the transaction record, and a receipt is a common form of that record. It can be printed or electronic and can include the date, amount, purchase details, payment method, and merchant information.
Does a sales draft prevent a chargeback?
No. A sales draft gives you documentation of the purchase, but it does not stop a cardholder from disputing a charge or guarantee the dispute outcome. Keep relevant order, invoice, or delivery records with it.
Does a sales draft appear as a fee on my processing statement?
No. The draft is documentation of a card sale, not a processing fee. A retrieval or copy fee is a separate charge, so review that line independently if it appears on your statement.