Handle a return without losing track of the sale

A return affects the customer, the payment record and sometimes your stock. Start with the original sale so that your team can understand what happened later.

01. Check the sale and your return policy

Find the original receipt or sale record. Confirm the item, quantity, amount paid and payment method, then follow your business's return policy. Check whether a refund has already been recorded for the same items.

Inspect the returned product. A sealed item that can be sold again and a damaged item need different stock decisions.

02. Start the refund from Sales

Open Sales, then Refunds, and choose Add Sales Refund. Follow the fields shown in your workspace to identify the relevant sale and returned items. Check quantities and the refund amount carefully before confirming.

For a partial return, include only the products being returned. Do not add a second sale or use an unrelated negative-priced product to balance the amount.

03. Confirm the actual payment movement

Recording a refund and returning money through a separate payment provider are different steps. Follow the process for the customer's original payment method and confirm the result on any separate terminal or provider you use.

If a payment result is unclear, check it before retrying. Keep the refund reference and explain to the customer what has been completed.

04. Review the records afterwards

Ask your manager for help if your permissions do not allow the action or the original transaction cannot be identified.

• The refund refers to the intended sale and items.
• The customer receives the correct refund amount.
• The stock treatment matches the item's condition.
• The refund reference is available for the team.

Keep your stock numbers accurate