How to Apply a Credit Memo to an Invoice in QuickBooks Online?

QuickBooks Online has been the one name that stands for the efficient execution of all of your financial activities and […]

QuickBooks Online has been the one name that stands for the efficient execution of all of your financial activities and thus you must be familiar with most of its terms. One of such terms is a credit memo. Follow the steps to create and Apply Credit Memos in QuickBooks Online.

What are Credit Memos? 

A credit memo, or credit memorandum, can be added to a customer’s account, serving as a “credit” applicable to an open or future invoice. It acts like an in-store credit; instead of getting cash back, the credit can be used for future purchases. In QuickBooks, creating a credit memo is a simple process and serves as a useful tool to reduce the amount a customer owes, either immediately or in the future.

Credit memos play a vital role in any business’s financial management. They are used to correct errors, provide discounts, and maintain accurate accounts. Understanding how to apply a credit memo in QuickBooks Online is essential for efficient bookkeeping and smooth financial operations.

What are the different types of Credit Memo?

In QuickBooks, you are offered with different types of Credit memos which includes: 

  1. Standard Credit Memos: Standard Credit Memo is the most commonly used credit memos in QuickBooks. With Standard Credit Memo, you can hold them to record refunds, and adjustments which are applied to the customer’s account. You can either print or email these credit memos to your customers. 
  2. Recurring Credit Memos: You use Recurring Credit Memos when you apply for a discount or refund to a customer’s account regularly. This type of credit memos are usually good for businesses which have a recurring customer base, for example: a subscription based business. 
  3. Discount Credit Memos: With Discount Credit Memos, you can apply a discount to a customer’s account. Businesses can easily use this type of credit memo to offer valuable discounts to their customers. They can offer these discounts at the time of returning items or making purchases. 
  4. Void Credit Memos: A void credit memo will be used to only cancel an already misused credit memo. This can happen when a refund or credit is no longer necessary. Moreover, this can also happen when the customer has already received the credit or refund.

Why use a Credit Memo?

There are several reasons that are applicable to use a credit memo:

  • Order Cancellations: Credit memos are commonly used to cancel either a portion or the entirety of an order previously placed. This is crucial, as it ensures the accuracy of records, as invoices cannot be altered or eliminated once delivered to customers.
  • No Refund Policy: Certain businesses, instead of providing refunds for returned goods, may offer credits as alternatives. These credits can be redeemed for other products or services provided by the same establishment.
  • Rewards or Incentives: In addition to their primary function, credit memos can also be utilized by businesses as a means to reward or incentivize their customers.

Why You Need to Create Credit Memos?

A typical credit memo is created for multiple reasons. Look at a few of the most generic reasons for which you need to create a credit memo:

  • The customer has paid extra than what was originally billed or owed
  • There is a return of product
  • A refund has been requested
  • A certain amount of store credit is being sanctioned or given
  • The credit memo can be applied for a given customer with respect to an open invoice associated with it.

But how would you create a credit memo and apply it to an invoice?

Well, that’s what this article is here for. Let this article be your guiding light for finding the right directions to creating and applying credit memos on QuickBooks Online.

How to Create Credit Memos in QuickBooks Online

  • Tap on the Plus (+) icon and choose Credit Memo
  • Select the customer’s name for which you are willing to create the credit memo
  • Insert the date of the Credit Memo
  • Insert the vital information
  • Select Save and close to successfully create the credit memo

How to Apply Credit Memos in QuickBooks Online

  • From the left pane, choose Sales.
  • Select and click on the customer’s name for which you are willing to apply the credit memo.
  • Find the invoice for which you wish to apply the credit memo to and tap on Receive Payment.
  • Input all the important information required once you land on the Receive Payment window.
  • Ensure that you have chosen the right invoice by visiting the Outstanding Transactions section.
  • Select Save and close to successfully apply the credit memo to an open invoice.

How to Apply a Credit Memo to an Invoice in QuickBooks Online?

Applying a Credit Memo in QuickBooks Online:

  1. Locate the Credit Memo:
    Find the credit memo you want to apply by navigating to the “Sales” menu in QuickBooks Online and selecting “Credit Memos.”
  1. Open the Credit Memo:
    Click on the credit memo you want to apply to open it.
  1. Select the Invoice:
    Choose the invoice you want to apply the credit memo to from the “Apply To” drop-down menu.
  1. Enter the Amount:
    Specify the amount you want to apply from the credit memo to the invoice.
  1. Review and Confirm:
    Review the details and ensure they are accurate. Then, click “Save and Close” to apply the credit memo.

How to Send a Credit Memo in QuickBooks? 

  1. Access QuickBooks and select the “Invoices and Credit Memos” tab.
  2. Identify the specific credit memo you wish to send.
  3. Click the “Send” option.
  4. Enter the customer’s accurate email address.
  5. Click “Send” to finalize the transmission of the credit memo.

Upon receiving the credit memo through email, the customer can review it and make adjustments as necessary to their account.

Credit memos are a valuable tool for managing finances and ensuring accurate accounting. By understanding how to apply a credit memo in QuickBooks Online, businesses can streamline their financial processes and maintain a smooth flow of transactions.

This revised text maintains the same information as the input text but presents it in a more organized and reader-friendly manner.

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Frequently Asked Questions (Faqs)

What is a credit memo?

A credit memo is a document issued by a business to its customer to correct errors, provide discounts, or refund payments.

When should I use a credit memo?

Credit memos should be used when there are errors in the original invoice, when a customer is entitled to a discount, or when a refund is requested.

How does a credit memo affect my accounts?

Applying a credit memo reduces the amount owed by the customer and updates the accounts receivable balance accordingly.

Can I Apply a Credit Memo to Multiple Invoices?

Yes, you can apply a credit memo to multiple invoices by allocating the amount among them.

What if the Credit Memo Amount Exceeds the Invoice Amount?

Any excess credit memo amount can be used towards future invoices or refunded to the customer.

What is a Delayed Credit in QuickBooks Online?

A delayed credit can be used for tracking a customer’s credit which is going to be redeemed in the future instead of having it being used as an immediate effect.

When a delayed credit is used, your customer’s open balance is not affected and can reduce the payable amount of their next invoice by balancing it out with the delayed credit amount applied.

The addition of delayed credit to future invoices can be done as a line item. Until applied to invoices, delayed credits are known for not affecting the sales reports, unlike credit memos.

How can I Create and Apply Delayed Credits in QuickBooks Online?

Now you can easily create and apply delayed credits in QuickBooks Online. For creation and applying for the delayed credits in QuickBooks Online, there are specified steps that need to be followed:

Creation of Delayed Credits

  • Tap on the icon which beams as +New
  • Choose Delayed Credit
  • From the Customer Drop-Down, choose the customer’s name for which you wish to create the delayed credit
  • Details like amount, the date must be entered
  • Once done, hit Save and Close

Application of Delayed Credits

  • Tap on the icon which beams as +New
  • Choose Invoice
  • Tap on Customer from the Customer drop-down which shall roll down the list of open transactions which are listed for this respective customer
  • Locate Delayed Credit and choose Add
  • The rest of the form needs to be filled out
  • Once done, hit Save and Close/Save and Stamp

How to Turn on the Credit Note Auto-Apply Feature?

Other than creating and applying credit memos manually, you can now automate the creation and application of credit memos in QuickBooks. For this, you need to turn on or enable the credit note auto-apply feature.

The credit note can be applied to either open invoices or customers’ balances.

  • Visit Settings
  • Choose Account and Settings
  • Click on Advanced
  • Tap Edit that you can find in the Automation section
  • Choose Automatically apply for credits
  • Press Save followed by Done

If you feel you want to turn off or disable the credit note auto-apply feature, you can also choose to do the same at any given point in time.

I am not being able to link my bank account to QuickBooks Online. Can that be a reason why the Credit Memo option is not appearing for me?

If the Credit Memo option is not appearing for you, it might be some cache problem that is hindering the way.

Try accessing the Credit Memo option from various private browsers.

  • Google Chrome: (press Ctrl + Shift + N)
  • Safari: (press Command + Shift + N)
  • Internet Explorer: (press Ctrl + Shift + P)
  • Mozilla Firefox: (press Ctrl + Shift + P)

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