Refund a payment

A refund sends money back to the card or bank account it came from, through the processor that took it. This page shows how to refund a payment taken online, and how to keep the invoice settled or re-open it.

Before you begin

• You need psa:refund.
• Only payments taken online through a provider can be refunded from the console. Refund a payment you recorded by hand, such as a check, outside Outpost, then issue a credit note. See Invoice clients.
• The provider that took the payment must still have its keys. A deleted provider cannot refund. See Switch payment providers.
• A refund cannot be undone.

Refund a payment

1. Open the invoice: select Client billing > Invoices, then the invoice.
2. In the Online payments card, on the paid attempt, select Refund. The dialog says how much is left to refund.
3. In Invoice amount to refund, enter the amount. It opens on a full refund of what is left.
4. If the payment carried a card surcharge, Card surcharge to refund follows the amount in the same share, as card rules require. Change it only if you have a reason to.
5. If the client paid more than the balance, enter what to return in Overpayment to refund. That money was never applied to the invoice.
6. In Reason, describe the refund. It is kept on the record.
7. Choose what happens to the invoice:
   • Tick Also issue a credit note for the invoice amount to keep the invoice settled.
   • Leave it clear to re-open the invoice: the refunded amount is owed again.
8. Select Refund, which shows the total.

The client is emailed when the refund succeeds. The invoice’s balance changes only then. A refund still pending does not move it.

Caution

The credit note is issued only when the processor confirms the refund at once. If the refund shows as pending and succeeds later, no credit note is issued for it. Issue one yourself from the invoice if the invoice should stay settled.

Verify

• The attempt lists the refund with its status.
• With a credit note, the invoice stays Paid and lists the credit note. Without one, its balance shows the refunded amount again.

Next steps

• Resolve a payment with an unknown outcome
• Invoice clients