Give your customer a credit or refund in QuickBooks Desktop for Windows

Learn how to create a credit memo or refund check in QuickBooks Desktop for Windows.

QuickBooks makes it easy to give money back or credit to your customers.

Step 1: Create a credit memo

1. From the Customers menu, select Create Credit Memos/Refunds.
2. From the Customer:Job dropdown, select your customer.
3. Enter the items you're giving a credit for, then select Save & Close.

Step 2: Choose how you want to handle the credit

In the Available Credit window, choose one of the following and select OK.

• Retain as an available credit. QuickBooks enters a negative amount in your Accounts Receivable (A/R) register for the credit memo. You can use this credit as payment for another transaction. If you chose to retain as available credit, you'll see the available credits in the customer payment window.
• Give a refund. You can issue the refund in cash or a check. If your customer used a credit card, learn how to refund a credit card payment.
• Apply to an invoice. QuickBooks opens the Apply Credit to Invoices window. Select an invoice you want to apply this credit to.

Option 1: Retain as an available credit

You'll see the receive payments window.

1. Select Customers and then Receive Payments.
2. Under the Received from dropdown, select your customer.
   Then, select the Discounts and Credits icon.
3. On the Credits tab, check the credit you want to apply and then Done.
4. You may see a prompt to Confirm transfer. If you do, select Yes. The amount will be applied automatically to the invoice.
5. Select Save & Close.

Option 2: Give a refund

1. The check is filled out automatically. Select OK.
2. Link the check to the overpayment. Go to the Customers menu and then select Receive Payments.
3. From the Received from dropdown, select the Customer.
   Then, select the Discounts and Credits icon.
4. In the Available Credits section, select the check you created and then Done.
5. You may see a prompt to Confirm transfer. If you do, select Yes. The amount will be applied automatically to the invoice.
6. Select Save & Close.

Option 3: Apply a credit to an invoice

1. When you create the credit memo, make sure you select Customer: Job. This will open the Apply Credit to Invoice window.
2. Select the credit you want to apply automatically and select Done.