Once an invoice is closed, the invoice amount cannot be adjusted by editing the invoice itself. If the balance of a closed invoice is incorrect, a credit note can be created to credit an overcharged amount or another invoice can be generated to invoice an undercharged amount.
Credit notes and adjusted invoices can be created to credit or adjust the balance of a closed invoice in the following ways:
by processing an adjustment timesheet in an invoice batch (for timesheet-based invoices only)
by using the Credit Rebill process
by creating a manual credit note to credit a manual invoice by creating an ad-hoc manual credit note.
Each of these methods is described below.
Processing an Adjustment in an Invoice Batch
The Invoice Batch process, which creates timesheet-based invoices automatically, creates credit notes or bundles invoice items into a consolidated invoice automatically based on adjustment timesheets that are processed as part of an invoice batch.
Whether the Invoice Batch process creates a credit note or consolidates the adjusted items onto an invoice depends on the adjustment type (positive or negative) and how your system is configured to handle each adjustment type. This can be configured differently for each billing company.
Where an adjustment timesheet has been created to adjust items on an original timesheet but the original timesheet is yet to be invoiced, the Invoice Batch process ignores the original timesheet and invoices the adjustment timesheet only. In such cases, a credit note is not generated because the resulting invoice is already adjusted according to the information on the adjustment timesheet.
Using the Credit Rebill Process
The Credit Rebill process creates a credit note automatically to credit the balance of a timesheet-based invoice, thereby negating the invoice. It then creates a new, adjusted invoice that is then distributed to a debtor.
This method prevents the need for the debtor having to pay the original invoice only to be credited or invoiced an additional amount in relation to that original invoice. Instead, the original invoice can be ignored and the debtor simply pays the new invoice, which has been adjusted accordingly.