Remittance advice template
A short note to send a supplier with a payment, saying exactly what the money is for: which bills it pays, any credit you have used, and the total transferred. It lets the supplier match the payment to their records straight away.
- By Book Keeping Pros
- Sources checked 15 Oct 2026
When one payment covers several bills, or only part of one, the supplier may not be able to tell from the bank transfer alone which bills it settles. A remittance advice tells them. It lists each bill by the supplier's own number, shows how much of the payment goes to each, subtracts any credit note you are using, and gives the total, the payment date and the transfer reference.
business.gov.au names internet banking as today's preferred way of paying invoices. A transfer reference has little room for detail, so the breakdown goes in a separate note sent to the supplier on the day you pay. When a customer sends you a remittance advice, it does the same job in reverse, telling you how to apply their payment across your invoices.
It is a CSV file you open in a spreadsheet program. File your copy with the bills it settled. The advice filed beside the bills shows which payment covered each one. Where you pay only part of a bill because of a problem, the advice also puts the reason in writing, and business.gov.au suggests keeping records of your communication with a supplier when a dispute comes up, in case you need them later.
Download the template
The template as a CSV file, which opens in any spreadsheet program.
Download the CSV fileWhat's in the template
| Item | Date | Original amount (AUD) | This payment (AUD) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payment to Supplier C | 14 Aug 2026 | Bank transfer, reference RA-0388 | ||
| Bill 4471 | 3 Jul 2026 | 1,240.00 | 1,240.00 | Paid in full |
| Bill 4502 | 17 Jul 2026 | 865.50 | 865.50 | Paid in full |
| Bill 4519 | 29 Jul 2026 | 1,100.00 | 600.00 | Part paid: 500.00 held until the two missing cartons arrive |
| Credit note CN-208 | 5 Aug 2026 | 120.00 | (120.00) | Used in this payment, for damaged goods sent back |
| Total paid | 14 Aug 2026 | 2,585.50 | Bill 4519 has 500.00 still owing |
Illustrative example only: these rows show the method and are not sourced data.
What goes in each column
- Item: The payment itself on the first row, then each bill or credit note by the supplier's number, then the total paid.
- Date: The payment date on the first and last rows, and the date the supplier put on each bill or credit note.
- Original amount (AUD): The full amount of the bill or credit note as the supplier issued it.
- This payment (AUD): How much of this payment goes to each bill, with a credit note you are using shown in brackets because it reduces the amount paid.
- Note: Paid in full, or part paid with the reason and the amount left owing, or what a credit note was for.
How to use it
- Download the CSV file, open it in a spreadsheet program and fill in the first row: the supplier, the payment date, how you are paying and the reference you will put on the transfer.
- List each bill the payment covers by the supplier's bill number and date, with its full amount and the part you are paying now. Give the reason for any part payment in the Note column.
- Put any credit note you are using on a row of its own, with the amount in brackets and a word on what it was for.
- Check that the rows add up to the total paid and that the total is exactly the amount of the transfer, then send the advice to the supplier on the day the money goes.
- Record the payment in your books against each bill it settles, and mark the credit note as used, so each bill in your books shows the same amount paid or still owing as the advice.
- File your copy with the bills, ready to check against the supplier's next statement and your bank reconciliation.
Related terms
Sources
- Set up your business bank account
business.gov.au, Australian Government. Current at 15 October 2026, released 11 July 2024. Checked 15 October 2026.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2020, licensed under CC BY 3.0 AU. Licence: CC BY 3.0 AU.
- Suppliers
business.gov.au, Australian Government. Current at 16 October 2026, released 30 March 2026. Checked 16 October 2026.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2020, licensed under CC BY 3.0 AU. Licence: CC BY 3.0 AU.
Related guides
How to manage accounts payable
How to handle supplier bills from arrival to payment: check and approve each one, match it to the order and delivery, pay on time and reconcile statements.
How to reconcile accounts payable
How to reconcile accounts payable: agree the payables list with the ledger, check each supplier statement line by line and explain every difference.
How to do a bank reconciliation
A step-by-step guide to reconciling a business bank account: what to compare, why the balances differ and how to deal with each difference.