---
name: document-a-refund
category: money
description: Document a refund from request and authority through calculation, processor action, customer notice, ledger posting, and settlement. Use when money is returned or credited after a sale.
---

# document-a-refund

Link the customer outcome to the original transaction.

## When to use

- Use for full, partial, fee, tax, shipping, subscription, duplicate, or goodwill refunds.
- Do not ask customers to send passwords, full card numbers, or one-time codes.

## Procedure

1. Record customer, order, invoice, original transaction, amount, currency, method, date, and reason.
2. Verify policy, contract, authority, return, cancellation, service failure, or dispute evidence.
3. Calculate item, tax, discount, fee, shipping, credit, prior refund, and remaining refundable amount.
4. Use the original payment route where required and authorized; do not redirect funds based on an unverified message.
5. Create one refund identifier and prevent duplicate initiation.
6. Record processor reference, status, timing, failure, and customer communication.
7. Post and reconcile revenue, tax, receivable, cash, fee, inventory, and credit effects as applicable.
8. Confirm settlement or expiry and close any outstanding promise.

## Done

- A refund record links request, authority, calculation, original transaction, processor, customer notice, ledger, and status
- Arithmetic, duplicate, settlement, ledger, tax, and remaining-balance checks verify the final customer and financial outcome