How to cancel an invoice: Crediting or writing off

An invoice is a type of accounting documentation, and for legal reasons you can't delete an invoice. There are two ways to cancel an invoice: crediting the invoice or writing off the invoice.

An invoice is a type of accounting documentation, and for legal reasons you can’t delete an invoice. There are two ways to cancel an invoice: crediting the invoice or writing off the invoice.

When to credit the invoice

If you make a mistake when you create an invoice, you can credit the invoice. When you credit the invoice, you’ll get a a credit note. This is a counter-document, which cancels out the invoice. If you’ve already sent the invoice to the client, you should send the credit note as well.

Then you can create a new invoice with the correct information on it.

When to write off the invoice

You can write off the invoice when you know it won’t be paid. If your client is unable or unwilling to pay, and you have exhausted your debt collection options, or you don’t want to spend time chasing the payment, you can write off the invoice. It will still be listed in your invoice overview, but it will be marked as written off rather than due or overdue.

How to credit the invoice

On the homepage, simply click on the invoice under the Follow up or Unpaid invoices-section or search for it in your invoice overview.

Click CREDIT INVOICE.

The invoice view in Conta, where you can create a credit note

The credit note date will default to today’s date, but you can change this if you want.

Then click CREATE CREDIT NOTE.

Once the credit note has been created, click SEND CREDIT NOTE.

The credit note overview, where you can send the credit note and download as PDF.

On the send page you can edit the recipient and the email text. If you want to attach a file, you can also do that by clicking ADD ATTACHMENTS.

The send credit note page

Then simply click SEND, and you’re done!

The invoice will be listed as credited, and you will find the credit note in your invoices overview too:

The invoice overview, showing a credited invoice and a credit note

Click on the credit note to resend the credit note or to download a copy for your own records.

The credit note overview, where you can resend the credit note or download as a PDF

What if I never sent the invoice?

If you never sent the invoice to the client—for example, if you noticed an error after you created it— you still need to create a credit note for your own bookkeeping, but you don’t have to send the credit note to the client. Crediting the invoice will also remove the invoice from the list of unpaid invoices in Conta, and only show you the invoices you need to follow up on.

How to write off an invoice

On the homepage, simply click on the invoice under the Follow up or Unpaid invoices-section or search for it in your invoice overview.

Click WRITE OFF.

The invoice view in Conta, where you can write off an invoice.

The write off date will default to today’s date, but you can change this if you want.

Then click WRITE OFF INVOICE.

The invoice will be listed as written off in your invoices overview:

The invoice overview, showing a written off invoice.

Click on the written off invoice to reopen it or to download a PDF.

Did you find this useful? like moderate dislike
Related