Order type: Credit note

With a credit note, your customers are refunded with an amount. For example, this can be the case after a return. A credit note in PlentyONE does not represent a reverse invoice but a refund.

Our system also supports the creation of partial credit notes, providing more flexibility in managing refunds.

Credit note orders are created from an existing main order in the Orders » Orders menu. Thus, a credit note is always linked to a main order. The credit note receipts created in a credit note order are also included in your accounting exports, such as the DATEV export.

1. Carrying out the basic settings for credit notes

Before you create a credit note, check the standard status for credit notes in the Setup » Orders » Order types » Credit note menu. Adjust the standard status if required and save the settings.
In this menu, you can also define the settings for Copy shipping costs. You can select between the following options:

Do not copy
Copy from parent (linked) order
Copy from main (original) order

Note: We created this example to illustrate the difference between a main order and a parent order: If a return was created for an order and a credit note order was created for this return in turn, then the original order is the main order for both child orders. The return acts as the parent order for the credit note order.

2. Creating a credit note

A credit note is always linked to an already existing order in your PlentyONE system. This is why you have to open the main order in the order overview first before being able to create a credit note.

Creating a credit note in the main order or child order

If a customer has already paid for an order, for example via cash in advance and then decides against the purchase before you have shipped the items and booked outgoing items, we recommend to cancel the order and to create a credit note including all order items.

In case payment, outgoing items and delivery have already taken place for one or all order items and it results in a return or a repair order, you should create the credit note directly in the corresponding return or repair order.

Creating a credit note order:

Go to Orders » Orders.
Carry out the search () to display orders.
Open the order for which a credit note should be created.
At the top, click on Create orders () > Credit note.
Select an option. Note Table 2.
In case you selected the option For specific order items, carry out the settings. Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 2.
Save () the settings.
→ The credit note order is created.

Table 1. Options for creating credit notes
Setting	Explanation
For all items	All order items included in the opened order are directly included in the credit notes.
For specific items	A window for selecting the items opens. You can add the desired items to the shopping cart by clicking on Add to shopping cart ().

Table 2. Settings for credit notes
Setting	Explanation
Status	Select a status from the drop-down list.
Owner	Select the owner from the drop-down list.
Copy shipping costs	Select an option from the drop-down list to determine if the shipping costs should be copied.
Transfer credit note reason	Enter a credit note reason that will be applied to the items in the shopping cart.
Shipping costs in €	*Note:* You will need to first adjust the shipping cost settings as described in this chapter. In case you want to adjust the amount of shipping costs that should be refunded for customers, enter another amount into the Shipping costs in € field.
Item information
Add all open order items into the cart ()	Adds all open order items to the shopping cart.
Item ID	Displays the item ID.
Variation ID	Displays the variation ID.
Variation no.	Displays the variation number.
Variation name	Displays the name of the variation.
Quantity	Displays the item quantity. If needed, adjust the quantity.
Remaining quantity	Displays the remaining quantity of the item.
Open quantity	Displays the open quantity of the item.
Item name	Displays the name of the item.
Attributes	Displays the attribute of the variation.
Add items to shopping cart ()	Only adds specific items to the credit note. This button is only displayed if at least 1 item is available. *Tip:* If needed, adjust the item quantity in the Quantity field.
Shopping cart
Remove items from shopping cart ()	Removes all items from the shopping cart. If you only want to remove specific items, click on Remove item from shopping cart () on the right of the respective item.
Variation ID	Displays the variation ID.
Quantity	Displays the item quantity. If needed, adjust the quantity.
Credit note reason	Displays the reason for the credit note. If needed, adjust the reason.
Discount	Displays the discount granted for the item.
Surcharge	Displays any additional fees applied to the item.
Coupon	Displays the amount of the coupon.
Price	Displays the original price of the item. *Note:* This field is editable to allow for partial credit notes. Enter the amount you wish to credit.

3. Determining shipping costs for refunds

For child orders of the type credit note or warranty, you can define the shipping costs for customers in case of a refund. In order to determine the shipping costs, proceed as follows.

Settings for shipping cost refunds for warranties or credit notes

Define in the Setup » Orders » Settings menu whether shipping costs should be refunded retroactively for warranties and credit notes. To do so, go to the settings Include shipping costs in warranty and Include shipping costs in credit note and select Yes to refund shipping costs or No if you want the customer to pay the shipping costs.

Determining shipping costs for refunds:

Go to Orders » Orders.
Carry out the search () to display orders.
Open the order for which you want to define the shipping costs. Note that orders can only be opened in the list view.
Click on Create orders () and select the option Warranty or Credit note > For specific order items.
→ The child order of the type Warranty or Credit note opens.
In the Copy shipping costs field of the item, select the option Yes in order to apply the shipping costs.
→ The Shipping cost in £ field becomes visible.
Note: The shipping costs of the main order are preset.
In case you want to adjust the amount of shipping costs that should be refunded for customers, enter another amount into the Shipping costs in £ field.
On the right, click on Add items to shopping cart ().
→ The item is added to the shopping cart.
Save () the settings.
→ The shipping costs for the item’s refund are saved.

4. Creating the credit note document

After creating a credit note order, the document Credit note has to be created directly in the credit note order. Before creating this document for the first time, you have to set up the document template in the Setup » Client » [Select client] » Locations » [Select location] » Documents » Credit note menu.

Before you generate the document in the credit note order, you should check all order items included in the credit note order and adjust them, if needed.

Creating the document Credit note:

Go to Orders » Orders.
Carry out the search () to display orders.
On the right in the row of the credit note, click on the context menu ().
Select Create document > Credit note.
Or: Open the credit note order for which the document Credit note is to be created. Note that orders can only be opened in the list view.
Go to the Documents section.
Click on Create document ().
Select the option Credit note.
→ The window to create the document opens.
Carry out the settings, if required.
Click on Create.
→ The document Credit note is generated.

5. Correcting and reversing the credit note document

In order to correct a credit note and the respective document, you need to generate a Reversal credit note first. Afterwards, the credit note order is unlocked again. Once a credit note document is created, the credit note order itself is locked for editing, so that tax relevant data cannot be changed. Afterwards, the credit note order can be edited again. You can now correct the data and create a new document for the credit note.

Before the initial generation of the document, go to the Setup » Client » [Select client] » Location » [Select location] » Documents » Reversal document credit note menu and setup the template for the Reversal credit note document.

Reversing a credit note document

The reversing of a credit note is used to correct tax relevant data in a transparent way, but*not* to reverse the credit note order itself.

To correct a credit note order by creating a Reversal credit note, proceed as follows.

Correcting a credit note order:

Go to Orders » Orders.
Carry out the search () to display orders.
On the right in the row of the credit note, click on the context menu ().
Select Create documents > Reversal credit note.
Or: Open the credit note order for which the document Reversal credit note is to be created. Note that orders can only be opened in the list view.
In the Documents section, click on Create document ().
Select the option Reversal credit note.
Note: This option is only available if you have already created a credit note document.
Carry out the settings, if required.
Afterwards, click on Create.
→ The reversal document is created.
Click on Create document () once again.
Select the option Credit note in order to generate a new credit note document.
Carry out the settings, if required.
Afterwards, click on Create.
→ The new credit note document is generated.

6. Booking refunds

After creating a credit note, the refund of the credited amount has to be booked in your PlentyONE system. Refunds that are transferred via one of the payment providers you have integrated in your system are booked directly in the Assigned payments section of the credit note order.

Requirements for PayPal

PayPal does not allow you to enter an amount higher than the amount paid for the original order.

Booking a refund:

Go to Orders » Orders.
Carry out the search () to display orders.
Open the credit note order for which you want to book the refund. Note that orders can only be opened in the list view.
Go to the Assigned payments section.
Click on Create payment ().
Carry out the settings. Pay attention to the explanations given in Table 3.
Click on Book.
→ The refund is booked.

Table 3. Settings for booking refunds
Order ID	Shows the order ID.
Amount	Shows the amount that will be refunded. If needed, adjust the amount.
Credit/Debit	Select from the drop-down list whether it is credit or debit.
Currency	Select a currency from the drop-down list.
Exchange rate	Shows the exchange rate.
Reason for payment	Enter a designated use.
Incoming payment	Enter a date for the incoming payment or use the calendar () to select a date. The current date is preset.