Digital point-of-sale and core banking systems handle most of an exchange house's transaction record-keeping today. So why do many Dubai branches still keep a carbonless receipt book at the counter? The two serve different purposes.
What a Digital System Does Well
A digital system centralises records across branches, generates reports instantly, and is easier to back up than paper. For head-office reconciliation and regulatory reporting, it's the primary system of record for most licensed exchange houses.
Where a Paper Receipt Book Still Earns Its Place
A carbonless receipt or voucher book gives a customer something physical to walk away with immediately, without depending on a printer, app or working connection at the counter. It also gives the branch an instant duplicate copy filed on-site, which some branches keep as a local backup independent of the digital system — useful if a system is temporarily down or during an internal audit.
The Branding Requirement Applies to Both
Under CBUAE regulation, the licensed trade name must appear on transaction receipts, whether those receipts are generated digitally or on a physical carbonless book. If a branch uses both formats, it's worth checking that the trade name and formatting are consistent across the two rather than assuming the digital template automatically matches the printed one.
A Practical Take
Most branches we work with aren't choosing one over the other — they're using digital systems as the primary record and a carbonless book as a physical backup and immediate customer copy. If your branch is deciding whether to keep ordering paper books, the honest answer is: it depends on how often your digital system is the only copy a customer receives, and whether that's acceptable for your operation.
