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Credit note template
When an invoice is wrong, the professional fix is never to edit it - it is a credit note: a document that reverses part or all of the original while leaving the audit trail intact.
Why credit notes exist
Invoices, once issued, are records: your numbering, your tax filings, and the client’s books all reference them. Editing a sent invoice corrupts every one of those. A credit note reverses cleanly: the original stands, the credit offsets it, and both documents explain themselves years later.
What to put on one
Reference the original invoice number and date, list exactly what is being credited and why, and compute the credit including its tax portion. The reason matters: "returned - damaged in transit" is a record; an unexplained credit is a question in every future audit.
Applying the credit
State the disposition: reduces the referenced invoice, applies to the next invoice, or triggers a refund. Unapplied credits floating in accounts receivable are how reconciliation dies; every credit note should say where the money goes.
Credit note checklist
| Field | What to include | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Reference | Original invoice # and date | The document it reverses |
| Reason | What is credited and why | Auditors ask; the note answers |
| Tax | The tax portion of the credit | Your tax filings need the reversal too |
| Disposition | Offset, apply forward, or refund | No credits floating unapplied |
Downloadable templates
Every format computes: the PDF calculates as you type, Word recalculates with F9, and Excel updates live. For branded documents with online payments and automatic reminders, use Invoice My Clients.
Credit note FAQ
Credit note vs refund: what is the difference?+
The credit note is the document; the refund is one way to settle it. Many credits never move cash - they simply reduce what the client owes on current or future invoices.
Should credit notes have their own numbering?+
Yes, a separate sequence (CN-0001) that references invoice numbers. Mixing credits into the invoice sequence confuses both ledgers.
Do credit notes affect my taxes?+
A credit reverses revenue and its associated tax in the period it is issued. That is exactly why the tax portion is computed separately on this template.