How to 'write off' an invoice?

[sunrisepro]

As we all know, not all invoices get paid. How do we write one off? In my case, I have a partially paid invoice that will never get another payment. I can't archive the client either.

[Michael]

Click edit and then void. If it's got a translation click the row of the invoice and click unapply remove the transaction from the invoice and then click void.

[Daniel B]

  On 9/27/2016 at 2:52 PM, Licensecart said:

Click edit and then void. If it's got a translation click the row of the invoice and click unapply remove the transaction from the invoice and then click void.

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I don't think this is the best method of doing that looking at his requirement.  The client appears to have paid a part of the invoice, so the transaction should really stay on it since it's directly related to that invoice.  Might be worth a feature request to void remaining invoice balances.

[Michael]

  On 9/27/2016 at 2:55 PM, Daniel B said:

I don't think this is the best method of doing that looking at his requirement.  The client appears to have paid a part of the invoice, so the transaction should really stay on it since it's directly related to that invoice.  Might be worth a feature request to void remaining invoice balances.

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well the cron does pay the invoice again but you can't void an invoice if it has a transaction.

[Daniel B]

  On 9/27/2016 at 2:57 PM, Licensecart said:

well the cron does pay the invoice again but you can't void an invoice if it has a transaction.

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So if you remove the transaction and void the invoice, the cron will actually reapply the transaction to the voided invoice?

[Michael]

  On 9/27/2016 at 3:00 PM, Daniel B said:

So if you remove the transaction and void the invoice, the cron will actually reapply the transaction to the voided invoice?

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nope  it's back as account credit.

[Daniel B]

  On 9/27/2016 at 3:01 PM, Licensecart said:

nope  it's back as account credit.

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yeah, that's what I thought happened.

While that works as a sort of work around, I'm thinking a new feature request (not really super important though since this doesn't happen often) to have the ability to write-off the remaining balance of an invoice for tracking/accounting purposes.  The client paid part of the invoice so technically it's not a voided invoice (hence the reason you can't void an invoice with a transaction in the first place).  Having an actual method to do it instead of a work-around would certainly be an added bonus were it to be added

So @op, you should make a feature request :).

[Michael]

  On 9/27/2016 at 3:03 PM, Daniel B said:

yeah, that's what I thought happened.

While that works as a sort of work around, I'm thinking a new feature request (not really super important though since this doesn't happen often) to have the ability to write-off the remaining balance of an invoice for tracking/accounting purposes.  The client paid part of the invoice so technically it's not a voided invoice (hence the reason you can't void an invoice with a transaction in the first place).  Having an actual method to do it instead of a work-around would certainly be an added bonus were it to be added

So @op, you should make a feature request :).

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But you can't half pay for something you either pay it off fully or you don't pay for it. That's like going to a shop, saying I want to part pay for this shopping, but never turning up to pay the second, the company if they did that eat the rest or if they know where you live send a debtor out to get the rest.

[Daniel B]

  On 9/27/2016 at 3:05 PM, Licensecart said:

But you can't half pay for something you either pay it off fully or you don't pay for it. That's like going to a shop, saying I want to part pay for this shopping, but never turning up to pay the second, the company if they did that eat the rest or if they know where you live send a debtor out to get the rest.

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Exactly, they eat the rest...but they do have the first part of the payment.  You can pay for half of something (as in this instance that's exactly what happened).  Voiding works as a work around, but accounting wise voiding an invoice doesn't really write it off, voiding means it was never owed in the first place...which isn't true in this instance (at least in my differentiation of the words).

[Michael]

  On 9/27/2016 at 3:08 PM, Daniel B said:

Exactly, they eat the rest...but they do have the first part of the payment.  You can pay for half of something (as in this instance that's exactly what happened).  Voiding works as a work around, but accounting wise voiding an invoice doesn't really write it off, voiding means it was never owed in the first place...which isn't true in this instance (at least in my differentiation of the words).

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if you want to do that, just edit the invoice and make it cover the cost which has been paid e.g: Non payment - invoice repair | 1 | -rest and save after removing the transaction then the cron will apply the rest and the invoice is then closed. Job done.

[sunrisepro]

  On 9/27/2016 at 3:05 PM, Licensecart said:

But you can't half pay for something you either pay it off fully or you don't pay for it. That's like going to a shop, saying I want to part pay for this shopping, but never turning up to pay the second, the company if they did that eat the rest or if they know where you live send a debtor out to get the rest.

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That's usually the world we live in but it's not completely applicable for hourly based invoices & client disputes. Ideally the client would have disputed before paying, rather than paying and then disputing.

[sunrisepro]

  On 9/27/2016 at 3:10 PM, Licensecart said:

if you want to do that, just edit the invoice and make it cover the cost which has been paid e.g: Non payment - invoice repair | 1 | -rest and save after removing the transaction then the cron will apply the rest and the invoice is then closed. Job done.

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I tried that - editing was not allowed due to the existing transaction.

[Michael]

  On 9/27/2016 at 3:13 PM, sunrisepro said:

I tried that - editing was not allowed due to the existing transaction.

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that's why you click the invoice row and un-apply the invoice that's the only way you can edit an invoice.

[sunrisepro]

OK, that worked. I have to note the loss of income in my records though.

Question: how do I 'archive' a client?

[Michael]

  On 9/27/2016 at 3:44 PM, sunrisepro said:

OK, that worked. I have to note the loss of income in my records though.

Question: how do I 'archive' a client?

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mark them as inactive or fraud depending on which is better for you press the green bar.

[Daniel B]

  On 9/27/2016 at 3:10 PM, Licensecart said:

if you want to do that, just edit the invoice and make it cover the cost which has been paid e.g: Non payment - invoice repair | 1 | -rest and save after removing the transaction then the cron will apply the rest and the invoice is then closed. Job done.

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I think this is definitely a better way to handle it, though it still won't allow for the accounting of the lost income.  Still think this would make a good non-urgent feature request for the future :).

[Paul]

What I usually do is:

1. Unapply the payment to the invoice
2. Add a negative line item to the invoice to reduce the total to the desired amount
3. Reapply the payment to the invoice

The negative line item is a record of the adjustment.

[sunrisepro]

Good idea, thank you!