Mistakes happen and sometimes you need to update a client's payment history by changing the price, quantity, payment method, amount, etc. once you have already posted a payment to the client's record. There are two solutions - voiding the transaction or making a return.
Two key things to keep in mind: how your inventory will be affected and how your prior sales reports will be affected.
INVENTORY
The system removes an item from inventory once it is used as a Treatment in the patient record. For example, if SMZ tablets are entered as a treatment, then they will be taken out of inventory and the client's record will show that they owe money for the medication as a treatment. If you return this item, you will be given the option (shown below) to place the item back in inventory. If you void a payment, the item will not be automatically placed back into the inventory and you will need to do so manually.
SALES REPORTS
Returning an item only affects your current day sales report. The return credit will show up on your end of day reports for your book keeping needs. Voiding a payment can be easily done if you are voiding the payment on the same day the payment was processed, but if you wish to void a past dated payment, you will need to take into consideration how this affects your previous sales reports. For example, if you void a payment today for exactly one week ago and your end of day sales reports look out two weeks, every report you have run for the past week will be affected by the void payment and could possibly need to be rerun depending on your book keeping needs.
VOIDING A PAYMENT
This option can be used to erase the payment you put in previously and return the state of the client's account to where it was prior to you processing the payment. Think of this as a "do over." This can be done for any date in the past, but the employee voiding the amount will need the employee rights to edit payment history and this will affect your sales report from the day the payment was posted.
- From Settings on the menu, click on Employees > Employees.
- Click on the edit pencil next to the employee who should have the right to void/edit past payments.
- Make sure the three check boxes below are selected.
To void the payment navigate to the client's record and click View History under Account Balance. From this screen you will see the option to Void Payment.
You will be asked to enter your comments and then click Void. Once you click void your comments will be saved and the entire invoice will be voided. Now you can make any changes you need to the record by changing price, amount, removing/adding items, etc.
RETURNING ITEMS
This method is typically used if something is either being physically returned or you are refunding someone for a service that was performed.
To return items and/or refund a service, navigate to the client's record and click View History. From this screen you will see the link to Return Items.
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Click the link. This will bring you to the Return Paid Items screen.
Enter comments on why the return is taking place, the quantity to return, and whether or not they should be returned to inventory. Once all this information is in the system you can click Calculate Refund Amount to determine what the refund will be. Then click Process Return. You will be prompted with a confirmation that you do want to make the return. Click Yes to proceed.
You will now see that the client has a credit on the account that you need to refund to the client
Click the Process Refund link. From here you can enter the credit amount to be put back onto the method of payment (Visa, Amex, Cash, etc.)
Next click on Process Payment. You will be prompted to confirm that you do want to continue processing the refund. Click Yes. This will even out the client's account balance so it is back at zero.
For common examples of when and how to void or return a payment, please click on the links below: