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Issue a credit note or correct the original invoice?

Bookkeeping-wise always a credit note, never edit the original. Editing a sent invoice breaks the audit trail and is not legal once it has been issued.

Try this first

  1. 1Confirm amount and reason for credit with the customer (return, invoice error, retrospective discount).
  2. 2Create a credit note in your package referencing the original invoice number, use a separate sequence or negative format.
  3. 3Book the credit on the same accounts and VAT rates as the original, otherwise your VAT return is off.
  4. 4Send the credit note to the customer, even if they already paid, it is a formal document.
  5. 5If you refund, book it as a payment against the credit note's open item, not as a stand-alone expense.

When to bring us in

For multiple credit notes or a return from an earlier year, we can help process it correctly in the return.

See also

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