Credits
Package: BILLING
1. General
A credit note is (in the VAT law sense) a special form of invoice in which the recipient of a service issues an invoice to the provider of the service.
A customer has overpaid because a discount was not taken into account. A credit note is created, linked to the corresponding invoice and the correct amount is entered in the line items block. After sending the credit note, the Status is set to paid.
After the end of the month, all credit notes from the period are marked in the list view and transferred directly to DATEV via the DATEV Invoice Data Service 1.0 action. The DATEV Export Completed field is automatically set in the process.
This section only describes special fields or functionalities of the module, as all general brainX functionalities are described elsewhere in the manual.
2. List View
The list view in the Credits module has the usual functionalities of a list view. For more detailed information, see the section Structure/Layout – List View.
2.1. Actions
In the list view, general actions are available depending on the module. An overview and description of all general actions can be found in the section Actions (List View).
The following module-specific actions are also available:
| Action | Prerequisite | Functionality |
|---|---|---|
| DATEV Export | Integration DATEV Invoice Data Service 1.0 must be configured. | Exports the selected credit notes in DATEV format as a ZIP file – see Actions (List View) – DATEV Export |
| DATEV Invoice Data Service 1.0 | Integration DATEV Invoice Data Service 1.0 must be configured. | Transfers the selected credit notes including general ledger accounts and cost centers to DATEV – see Actions (List View) – DATEV Invoice Data Service 1.0 |
| DATEV Posting Data Service | Integration DATEV Posting Data Service must be configured. | Transfers complete posting records of the selected credit notes directly to the DATEV data center – see Actions (List View) – DATEV Posting Data Service |
| DATEV Posting Data Export | Integration DATEV Posting Data Service must be configured. | Exports posting data of the selected credit notes in DATEV format – see Actions (List View) |
3. Detail View
3.1. Fields
The following table describes required fields and fields with non-obvious functions. All other fields are self-explanatory.
Basic Data Block
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title * | Name of the credit note |
| Organization * | Linked Organization |
| Status | Current processing status of the credit note |
| Type | Type of the reversed invoice type |
| Term | Term of the credit note (only for type Subscription or Installment payment) |
| Billing Interval | Billing cycle (only for type Subscription or Installment payment) |
| Billing Period | Defines whether billing is done in advance or in arrears |
| DATEV Export Completed | Indicates whether a DATEV export has already been performed for this credit note |
| Posted | Indicates whether the credit note has been posted |
| Original Posting Document | Linked Document with the original posting document |
| Last Posting Document | Linked Document with the most recently created posting document |
*Required field
Line Items Block
The description of the fields and functionalities of this block can be found in the section Product Block in Billing Modules.
Line Items Block – Basic Settings
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Currency | Selection list of all active currencies in brainX – see Global Settings – Currencies & Taxes |
| Tax Type | Tax type (none, Group, Individual) that is automatically transferred to the product block when a record is created |
| Language |
|
Conditions Block
The Payments block displays the remaining open amount and all payments made for the credit note.
Payments Block
The Payments block displays the remaining open amount and all payments made for the credit note.
ZUGFeRD/X-Invoice Block
The "ZUGFeRD/X-Invoice" block is only available if the ZUGFeRD integration has been activated.
3.2. Actions
The following actions are available in the detail view:
3.2.1. General Actions
- PDF Export
- Recommend
- Copy
- Delete
- Change Tracking
For detailed information on the actions, see the section Actions (Detail View).
3.2.2. Module-Specific Actions
| Action | Prerequisite | Functionality |
|---|---|---|
| Set status "paid" | – | Sets the status of the credit note to paid |
| New Email | Configured email inbox | Opens the email editor with reference to the credit note |
4. Practical Examples
1 – Issuing a Credit Note for an Unaccounted Discount
A customer received and paid a full invoice even though an agreed volume discount was due. To correctly document the overpaid amount, a credit note is created.
In the Credits module, a new record is created, the corresponding organization is linked and the credit note is referenced to the original invoice. The discount amount is entered as a line item in the product block, currency and tax type are set accordingly. In the Conditions block, the standard terms and conditions are adjusted if necessary. The credit note is then exported as PDF and sent directly to the customer via the New Email action. After processing the credit note, the status is updated via Set status "paid".
2 – Creating a Credit Note for a Subscription Invoice with a Term
A customer cancels a subscription at the end of the month but has already paid for the entire quarter in advance. A credit note is to be issued for the unused period.
In the Credits module, a new record is created with the Type Subscription. The Term is set to the remaining period and the Billing Interval and Billing Period are configured accordingly. The credit note amount is recorded as a line item in the product block. The completed credit note is exported as PDF and sent to the customer. In the Payments block, the outstanding amount is traceable at any time.
3 – Transferring Monthly Credit Notes to DATEV in Bulk
At the month-end closing, all credit notes created during the month are to be transferred to the DATEV accounting system. In the list view of the Credits module, all relevant records are filtered using DATEV Export Completed = No and marked with checkboxes.
Via the module-specific action DATEV Invoice Data Service 1.0, the credit notes are transferred directly to DATEV including general ledger accounts and cost centers. The DATEV Export Completed field is automatically set to active for all transferred records, so that no double transfer occurs in the next export run.
5. Frequently Asked Questions
What is the legal difference between a credit note and a cancellation invoice?
A credit note is, in the VAT law sense, a special form of invoice in which the recipient of a service issues an invoice to the provider – i.e., the reverse of normal invoicing. A cancellation invoice, on the other hand, cancels a previously issued invoice from an accounting perspective. In brainX, both processes are mapped in separate modules: credit notes in the Credits module, cancellations in the Cancellations module.
Can I link a credit note directly to an existing invoice?
Yes. Via the Relations tab in the detail view of the credit note, a link to the original invoice can be established. This keeps the connection between invoice and credit note traceable in the system.
What are the "Term" and "Billing Interval" fields used for in a credit note?
These fields are only available for the credit note types Subscription and Installment payment. They define the period and the cycle to which the credit note refers – for example, when refunding an already paid but unused subscription period.
What does the "Payments" block in a credit note show?
The Payments block displays the remaining open amount of the credit note and all payments already made. This makes it immediately apparent whether the credit note has already been fully settled or is still outstanding.
What DATEV export options are available in the Credit Notes module?
The same four export options as in the Invoices module are available: DATEV Export (ZIP file), DATEV Invoice Data Service 1.0 (direct transfer with general ledger accounts), DATEV Posting Data Service (complete posting records to the data center) and DATEV Posting Data Export (export in DATEV format). All require the respective configured DATEV integration.
Can I manually set the status of a credit note to "paid"?
Yes. Via the module-specific action Set status "paid" in the detail view, the status of the credit note is set directly to paid, without having to manually enter a payment in the Payments block.