Receipt Knowledge Base
Receipt Glossary
Thermal paper, UPC barcodes, transaction codes, hotel folios, PNRs — every term you'll see on a real receipt, explained in plain language. 39 entries across 10 categories.
Air Travel
3 entries
Fare Class
The booking class on an airline ticket. Determines pricing, miles earned, and refundability. Y, B, M = Economy; J, C, D = Business.
PNR (Passenger Name Record)
A 6-character alphanumeric airline confirmation code. Different from the 13-digit ticket number. Used to retrieve and modify the booking.
Ticket Number (e-Ticket)
The 13-digit unique identifier for an airline ticket. Format: airline prefix (3 digits) + 10 digits.
Barcodes
5 entries
Barcode (Overview)
A machine-readable encoding of data, printed as parallel lines (1D) or a matrix of squares (2D). Receipts use UPC, EAN, Code 128, and QR codes.
Code 128
A high-density 1D barcode used for transaction codes, shipping labels, and warehouse logistics. Common at the bottom of retail receipts.
EAN-13
The international 13-digit product barcode standard. UPC-A is technically a subset of EAN-13.
QR Code
A 2D matrix barcode that can store much more data than 1D barcodes. Increasingly common on receipts for surveys, tracking, and digital coupons.
UPC (Universal Product Code)
The 12-digit barcode found on US retail products. Used to identify the product and look up its price at checkout.
Health & Safety
1 entry
Hotel
2 entries
Loyalty
3 entries
Loyalty Program
A retailer’s rewards system that incentivizes repeat purchases. Tracks points, tier status, and member-only discounts on receipts.
Points Earned
Loyalty points credited for the current transaction. Typically printed as "X points earned" near the bottom of the receipt.
Tier / Status (Loyalty)
The level a customer has reached in a loyalty program based on annual spend or visits. Higher tiers unlock bigger perks.
Pricing
10 entries
Discount Line
A negative line item that reduces the subtotal. Used for coupons, loyalty rewards, employee discounts, and promotions.
Occupancy Tax (Hotel Tax)
A tax levied by city, county, and state governments on hotel stays. Typically 10-18% combined. Separate from sales tax.
Resort Fee
A mandatory daily fee charged by some hotels and resorts on top of the room rate. Covers amenities like Wi-Fi, gym, pool, and parking.
Sales Tax (and Why Walmart Has Two Lines)
A consumption tax calculated as a percentage of the taxable subtotal. Varies by US state, county, and city — and by item category.
Service Charge
A non-optional fee added to a bill, typically 15-20% in restaurants for large parties. Different from a tip — service charges are mandatory.
Subtotal
The sum of all line items before tax, tips, fees, or discounts are applied. The pre-tax base for the rest of the receipt.
Tax Flag (T, N, X)
Single-letter codes next to each receipt line item indicating its tax status. T = taxable, N = non-taxable, X = exempt.
Tip (Gratuity)
Voluntary additional payment to service staff. Typically 15-20% in US restaurants. Calculated on the pre-tax subtotal.
Total (Grand Total)
The final amount the customer paid — subtotal + tax + tips + fees minus any discounts. The single most prominent number on a receipt.
VAT (Value Added Tax)
The European/UK equivalent of sales tax. Typically baked INTO the price (tax-inclusive) and noted on the receipt rather than added at checkout.
Printing
4 entries
Monospace Font
A font where every character takes the same width. Used on receipts because it produces clean column alignment.
Receipt Width (80mm vs 57mm)
Standard thermal receipt widths. 80mm for retail/grocery (~32 monospace chars). 57mm for gas pumps and tickets (~24 chars).
Thermal Paper
Heat-sensitive paper used for receipts, tickets, and labels. Doesn’t use ink — the printer uses heat to darken a chemical coating.
Thermal Printer
A printer that uses heat instead of ink. Used at virtually every retail point-of-sale to print receipts.
Retail
6 entries
Auth Code (Card Authorization Code)
A 6-digit code the card network returns when a card payment is authorized. Required on receipts for chargeback protection.
Card Last 4
The last 4 digits of the credit/debit card used in a transaction. The only card data that’s safe (and typical) to print on a receipt.
POS System (Point of Sale)
The hardware + software that handles checkout: scanner, card reader, drawer, thermal printer, and the software tying it all together.
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
A unique internal identifier a retailer assigns to a product variant. Different from UPC — the SKU is internal, the UPC is universal.
TC# (Walmart Transaction Code)
Walmart’s transaction code — a 20-digit identifier printed at the bottom of every Walmart receipt for returns and Pay-by-Walmart lookups.
Transaction Code (TC#, REC#, AUTH#)
A unique identifier the POS assigns to each transaction. Used for returns, lookups, and dispute resolution. Format varies by retailer.
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