Credit Balances
Invoiced includes a robust credit system that allows customers to maintain a credit balance that can be used to pay outstanding invoices.
The reasons for crediting a customer are many. Maybe they referred a friend and you want to give them a bonus to spend with you later. Another common scenario is when a customer overpays. It's easier to credit the customer's account if you know they are coming back instead of issuing a refund.
Credits might be useful for prepaid billing where the customer purchases a block of credits from you that can be spent later. Prepaying is especially useful when the credits will be spent in tiny amounts across many transactions. Think how your highway toll tag account might work, or prepaid cell phone minutes. You pay some amount up front to charge the account and drained over time until it hits zero or is refilled.
One of the major highlights of the system is that Invoiced keeps track of credit balances over time for each customer account. This gives a complete account history as credits are issued and spent. Another highlight is that Invoiced will prevent credit balances from being overspent, keeping you sane, and customers in the green.
- Open the customer you want to credit in the dashboard.
- Click the + button underneath the client's balance and then Add Credit.
- Enter the amount to credit and any notes. Click Save when you are finished. The customer's balance will be updated to reflect the new credits.
Once you have added credits to your customer's account then you are now able to use them. By default, Invoiced will automatically apply credits to new invoices you issue for that customer.
If you have the Apply Credits to New Invoices setting turned off or want to credit an existing invoice then you can follow these steps:
Steps to use credits:
- Click the Receive Payment button in the dashboard for a customer, invoice, or in the Payments section.
- Select the customer that wants to use the credits (if not already selected).
- Invoiced will load any available credits for that customer. If the customer has a credit balance then you will see a credit line item available to apply.
- Select an invoice to apply the credits to (if one is not already selected).
- Click Create to apply the credits to that invoice. The invoice and customer balance will be updated immediately.
The Apply Credits to New Invoices setting will automatically apply any available credits when a new invoice is raised against your customer's account. This setting can be enabled in Settings → Accounts Receivable.