Create a credit note for an invoice
On an approved invoice, «Convert to» → «Credit note» opens a copy: keep only what you credit, choose the reason and approve it.
People with the «Sales» permission in edit mode. With view mode you can open credit notes and download or print them, but not create or change them.
Landmark Venues sent back 20 of the 120 Chiavari chairs unused, and you agreed not to charge for them. The wedding invoice is already approved, so you don't change it. You issue a credit note for the 20 chairs instead.
A created from the invoice starts as a copy of it. You keep only what you're crediting, choose why, and approve it.
Before you start
The invoice must be approved. Filmo doesn't offer a credit note on a draft invoice, which you can still edit, or on an invoice synced from your accounting program, which you correct in that program. See Why can't I create a credit note for an invoice?.
Credit the returned chairs
- Open the invoice In «Sales» → «Invoices», open the wedding invoice.
- Choose «Convert to» → «Credit note» «New credit note» opens with the invoice's client, addresses, lines, taxes, discounts, order, language, currency and template.
- Keep only what you credit Remove the tents and the tables, and change the chairs' quantity to 20. Type amounts as you would on an invoice: Filmo stores them as negative.
- Check the dates and the numbering «Issue date» is today. «Numbering» proposes your default credit note .
- Choose the reason In , pick «Product return». Add a «Reason description» if it helps.
- Approve it Click «Approve». To finish it later, click «Save as draft» instead.
The credit note is issued. A few things happened along the way:
- It got the next number of its series and became «Validated». It can't be edited or deleted any more.
- Its is fixed, and the invoice now lists it under «Credit notes» in «Related documents».
- The credit note is linked to the wedding order and its project, and the 20 chairs come off the order's actual revenue. See Order profitability.
- The invoice doesn't change: it stays «Validated» and keeps its payments and its .
- No money has moved. To give the client their money back, see Refund a client after a credit note.
Warning: Filmo doesn't check the credit note against the invoice. It lets you credit more than you invoiced, credit the same invoice twice, credit a voided invoice or date the credit note before the invoice. Check them before you approve.
What the editor needs
| Field | Rule |
|---|---|
| Client | Required to save and to approve |
| Lines | At least one, to save and to approve |
| «Issue date» | Today by default |
| «Numbering» | Your default credit note series, or the first one available. The number is assigned when you approve |
| «Credit note reason» | Optional: «Invoice error», «Product return», «Subsequent discount», «Cancellation» or «Other reason». «Other reason» is proposed when you start from an invoice |
| «Reason description» | Optional free text |
| «Rental period» | Copied from the invoice. You can change it |
| Amounts | Typed as on an invoice. Filmo stores the totals as negative |
Approve it now or later
«Save as draft» keeps the credit note editable and without a number. Nothing changes on the invoice, the order or the portal until you approve it.
Approve a credit note
- Open the draft Find it in the «Invoices» list.
- Click «Approve» It's in the header of the page.
- Confirm «Approve credit note» warns that the final number will be assigned and the credit note locked. Click «Approve».
You can also approve from the editor: «Approve» there saves your changes and approves in one step. If the approval fails, your changes are saved and the credit note stays a draft.
Before approving, Filmo checks that:
- The credit note has a client and at least one line.
- Its original invoice, if it has one, still exists and isn't a draft.
- Your business has its tax ID and in «Company data».
A client with no tax ID or address, or a total that isn't negative, only shows warnings. If the approval stops, see Why can't I approve a credit note?.
Warning: If approving a saved draft fails, its number may already be used, leaving a gap in the series. Fix anything missing before you click «Approve».
Other ways to do it
Issue a standalone credit note
- Open the creation menu In «Invoices», click the arrow next to «New Invoice» and choose «Credit note».
- Fill it in Choose the client, add the lines and complete the details.
- Save or approve it Click «Save as draft» or «Approve».
A isn't linked to any invoice or order, so it doesn't change any order's profitability.
Prepare it with NEO
Ask NEO to prepare a credit note: it fills the editor with its proposal, and you review it and save it. NEO never saves a credit note on its own.
Edit a draft credit note
- On the draft, click «⋮» → «Edit». The option disappears once it's approved.
- You can change the client, lines, amounts, dates, reason, description and custom fields. The original invoice can't be changed.
- Once chosen, the reason and its description can't be left empty: if you clear them, the previous value is kept.
- In the «Approve» drop-down, «Cancel» leaves the editor without saving.
If you see an error
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| You must select a contact | Choose the client. |
| You must add at least one line | Add at least one line. |
| The original invoice is in draft. Approve it before creating the credit note. | Approve the invoice first, or edit it if it's wrong. |
| Factura original no encontrada (shown in Spanish) | The invoice was deleted or belongs to another account. Check which invoice you're crediting. |
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Keep only the lines and quantities you're crediting. You can credit the rest later with another credit note.
It depends on whether the invoice should exist at all. See Correct an issued invoice: void or credit note.