Why can't I void this invoice?

Voiding an invoice reverses it in your accounts. Sales Scribe blocks a void in a few specific situations, each with a clear message. Here is what each one means and how to clear it.

"Only Issued invoices can be voided."

You can only void an invoice that is Issued.

• If it is a draft, you don't void it — you delete it (a draft has no accounting effect).
• If it is already voided or written off, there is nothing to void.

"...has payments applied to it, so it cannot be voided."

The invoice has one or more payments applied to it. Because those payments affect your accounts, you must take them off it first:

1. Open the invoice and find its payments (or go to Payments).
2. On each payment's page, select Reverse this allocation on its allocation to this invoice. The money goes back on the payment, to apply elsewhere — see Allocate an existing payment. If the payment itself was wrong, reverse or refund the payment instead, which takes its allocations with it.
3. Once no payment is applied to the invoice, void it.

"...has applied credit notes. Unapply the credit note(s) before voiding the invoice."

A credit note has been applied to this invoice, and Sales Scribe will not void an invoice while a credit note is applied to it. Remove the application first:

1. Open the applied credit note.
2. In its Credit Applications list, select Unapply on the row for this invoice. This restores the invoice's outstanding balance.
3. Then void the invoice.

The unapplied credit becomes available to use again, and the credit note itself can be voided once it has no applications left.

"This is dated … and the books are locked up to and including …"

The reversal a void posts carries the invoice's own date, so voiding an invoice inside a locked period is a posting into that period — which is exactly what the lock exists to prevent. The invoice stays issued and nothing is half-done.

Your options are to raise a credit note in an open period, to ask someone with the post into a locked period permission, or to have the lock moved. Which is right is an accounting decision, so Sales Scribe does not choose. See Why can't I post into this date?.

Not every reversal is affected. A refund, or reversing a supplier payment or purchase invoice, is dated today rather than on the original — the money moved today — so the lock does not stop those.

Should I void, or write off?

• Void if the invoice was raised in error or needs cancelling — it reverses everything, including the VAT.
• Write off if it was a genuine sale the customer simply won't pay — this records a bad-debt loss and keeps the VAT.

Related guides

• Void or cancel an invoice
• Write off an invoice as bad debt
• Refund or reverse a payment
• Void a credit note
• Why can't I post into this date?