Edit a credit note

This article explains how to edit a credit note in FreeAgent.

If your business is registered for VAT and you edit a credit note that already appeared on a VAT return that you’ve either filed or marked as filed, FreeAgent won’t apply any changes to the locked return. Instead, if the change results in a material change to the VAT calculated, any VAT corrections will be deferred to your next open VAT return.

1. Find the credit note

Navigate to the ‘Work’ tab at the top of the screen and select ‘Invoicing’ from the drop-down menu.

Invoicing highlighted from the work drop-down menu

If the credit note has been marked as refunded or applied to an invoice, you'll need to remove the payment before you can mark it back to draft and edit it. If the credit note hasn't been marked as refunded or applied to an invoice, you can mark it back to draft and edit it.

‘Mark as draft’ highlighted on ‘Actions’ drop down menu.

2. Remove the payment

To edit a credit note which has been marked as refunded or applied to an invoice, you’ll need to remove the payment from the credit note first.

To remove the payment, select the relevant credit note from the list of credit notes.

Paid credit note highlighted on list of credit notes.

Select the blue payment link on the credit note beside the credit note total.

Payment link highlighted on credit note next to credit note total.

If the credit note was marked as refunded by explaining the bank transaction in the Banking area, select ‘Remove this Explanation’ in the top-right to remove the payment from the credit note.

‘Remove this Explanation’ button highlighted.

Select 'Yes, remove the explanation' in the pop-up window to complete the process.

‘Are you sure you want to remove this explanation’ pop up window.

If the credit note was marked as refunded manually, or the bank transaction was entered manually, select ‘Delete this Entry’ in the top-right instead.

‘Delete this Entry’ button highlighted.

Select ‘Yes, delete the transaction’ in the pop-up window to complete the process.

‘Are you sure you want to delete this transaction’ pop up window.

If the credit note was applied against an invoice, select 'Remove payment'.

Remove button highlighted

3. Mark the credit note back to draft status

Once the payment has been removed from the credit note, you need to mark it back to draft status.

To do this, select ‘Make Draft’ above the credit note template.

‘Make Draft’ highlighted above the credit note.

You can now make changes to the credit note.

4. Edit the credit note

Select ‘Edit’ in the top-right to make changes to the credit note details such as the contact, project, credit note reference, credit note date, payment terms, additional text, email options, bank details or VAT options. Please note that credit notes can only be applied to invoices issued to the same contact. 

‘Edit’ button highlighted above the credit note.

Once you’ve made the relevant changes, select ‘Save Changes’ at the bottom of the screen to complete the process.

Please note that a record of the credit note having been updated will appear in your Audit Trail report.

5. Mark the credit note as sent

Once you’ve made the relevant changes to the credit note, select ‘Mark as Sent’ above the credit note template to activate the updated credit note in your account if you don't need to send the updated credit note to your customer.

‘Mark as Sent’ highlighted above the credit note.

To send the updated credit note to your customer, select ‘Resend by email’.

‘Resend by email’ button highlighted above the credit note.

6. Mark the credit note as refunded

Finally, after marking the credit note as sent, you’ll need to mark the credit note as refunded again. You can either re-explain the bank transaction relating to the payment for the credit not or, enter the bank transaction manually.

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