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Canceling an Invoice for a Credit Card Transaction

Depending upon the type of payment method used, such as a credit card versus a check or cash, and what you intend to do with the funds upon canceling an invoice, different steps should be observed and taken. This topic will explain how to cancel an invoice when a credit card has been used for a transaction and how to refund the payment back to the credit card versus how to credit the customer's netFORUM Pro account instead if desired. Examples for events, memberships, and merchandise are detailed.

When a payment is credited, you can view the payment credit profile via the invoice page. To view the details of the payment credit that you created, locate the payment credit in the Payments section of the invoice and click Cancel Paid Credit in the Transaction Type column. The Payment Credit Profile will appear. For more detailed information, see the help topic Credit Profile.

Canceling Credit Card Invoices for an Event Registration

When you want to credit the customer’s credit card back when processing an event registration cancellation, the best method to cancel is by canceling the Invoice itself by clicking the Cancel Invoice icon. Note the following about this method:

  • This method of cancellation will cancel both the invoice and the event registration. It will not create a credit on the customer’s netFORUM Pro account unless you enter a cancellation fee.
  • The customer must have purchased the event registration using a credit card. In other words, you cannot create a refund on a credit card for a registration that was purchased using another payment method such as cash or a check.
  • If you are using PayPal to refund the funds, you must do so within 60 days of the initial credit card transaction. Otherwise, after 60 days, you will receive a message that you are over the time limit to perform a refund on the transaction from PayPal when you attempt to process the refund.
  • A good rule of thumb to follow is: When processing a full refund, cancel through the Invoice. If you need to process a partial refund, such as when using a Cancellation Fee, cancel through the Event Registrant Profile, as described in Processing a Partial Credit Card Refund for an Event.

To cancel an event registration and create a credit on the customer’s credit card (or netFORUM Pro account):

  1. Go to the customer Invoice created for the Event registration. The Event Registrant Profile will have the invoice number in the Event Registration Fee Information section.
  2. Once on the Invoice, click the Cancel Invoice button.

  1. In the Invoice Cancellation window, enter any relevant cancellation-related information such as a Cancellation Reason and ensure that the Issue Credit refund for single card payment check box is selected. If you do not see this check box, this means that the registration was not purchased using a credit card and you may not use this method to credit their refund back to their credit card.
Cancelling a registration through the invoice will only grant full refunds. This means that if you enter a Cancellation Fee, a refund should not be processed using this method because a partial refund will be created (Event fee minus the Cancellation Fee). As a result, a credit is created on the customer's account instead. If you need to create a partial refund on the customer's credit card using a cancellation fee, view the Help topic, Processing a Partial Credit Card Refund for an Event.

You may deselect the Issue Credit refund for single payment check box and choose to create a credit on the customer's netFORUM Pro account instead by keeping the Create Credit box highlighted. This will have the same effect as described in Crediting a Customer's netFORUM Pro Account section of the Canceling an Event Registration help topic. You should not credit funds back to the customer’s payment processor if you choose to do this since you will, in effect, be giving the customer double credit. The main difference in creating a credit here instead of through the Event Registrant Profile is that canceling through the invoice does not allow you to charge a cancellation fee. You must have one of the Credit check boxes selected and should never have all the check boxes cleared.
  1. The Event Registrant Profile updates with the Cancel Date and Cancellation Reason entered (if specified). The Attended flag also flips to No.

  1. The Individual Profile updates the Activities tab as well to display the Cancel Date of the Event.

  1. The invoice is canceled just as it was when you canceled the registration through the Event Registrant Profile. However, as mentioned, the difference in this method does not create a credit on the customer’s account (unless you enter a Cancellation Fee). This is because you are refunding the customer’s funds back to the credit card used to purchase the registration through PayPal or Authorize.net. As mentioned, you may not use a Cancellation Fee using this method because a partial credit is created; to use a partial credit and refund funds to a credit card, you must process the refund through the Event Registrant Profile instead.

Notice in the image below that the invoice is indeed canceled but no credit balance has been created. Further, the customer's credit card has been refunded through the Merchant Account you use (noted in the Balance & Credit section).

If the registration was paid for by a credit card, you may have to wait before you are able to cancel the registration and refund the fee to the credit card. For example, Authorize.net takes approximately 24 hours to process/post these transactions. If you attempt to cancel a registration before the transaction posts, you will receive an error message.

Canceling Credit Card Invoices for a Membership Purchase

When you want to credit the customer’s credit card back when processing a membership cancellation, the best method to cancel is by cancelling the Invoice itself by clicking the Cancel Invoice icon. Note the following about this method:

  • This method of cancellation will cancel both the invoice and terminate the membership. It will not create a credit on the customer’s netFORUM Pro account unless you enter a cancellation fee.
  • The customer must have purchased the membership using a credit card. In other words, you cannot create a refund on a credit card for a membership that was purchased using another payment method such as cash or a check.
  • If you are using PayPal to refund the funds, you must do so within 60 days of the initial credit card transaction. Otherwise, after 60 days, you will receive a message that you are over the time limit to perform a refund on the transaction from PayPal when you attempt to process the refund.
  • A good rule of thumb to follow is: When processing a full refund, cancel through the Invoice. If you need to process a partial refund, such as when using a Cancellation Fee, cancel through the Member Profile, as described in Processing a Partial Credit Card Refund for a Membership.

To cancel a membership and create a credit on the customer’s credit card (or netFORUM Pro account):

  1. Go to the customer Invoice created for the membership purchase. The Member Profile will have the invoice number on the Order/Invoice child form.
  2. Once on the Invoice, click the Cancel Invoice button.

  1. In the Invoice Cancellation window, enter any relevant cancellation-related information such as a Cancellation Reason and ensure that the Issue Credit refund for single card payment check box is selected. If you do not see this check box, this means that the registration was not purchased using a credit card and you may not use this method to credit their refund back to their credit card.
Canceling a membership through the invoice will only grant full refunds. This means that if you enter a Cancellation Fee, a refund should not be processed using this method because a partial refund will be created (Dues Fee minus the Cancellation Fee). As a result, a credit is created on the customer's account instead of a Refund. If you need to create a partial refund on the customer's credit card with a cancellation fee, view the Help topic, Processing a Partial Refund for a Membership.

You may deselect the Issue Credit refund for single payment check box and choose to create a credit on the customer's netFORUM Pro account instead by keeping only the Create Credit box highlighted. This will have the same effect as described in Crediting a Customer's netFORUM Pro Account section of the Cancelling an Individual Membership help topic. You should not credit funds back to the customer’s payment processor if you choose to do this since you will, in effect, be giving the customer double credit. The main difference in creating a credit here instead of through the Member Profile is that canceling through the invoice does not allow you to charge a cancellation fee. You must have one of the Credit check boxes selected and should never have all the check boxes cleared.
  1. The Individual Profile updates with the Termination Date and Member Flag flipped to No.

  1. The Individual Profile updates the Membership and Dues tab as well to display no Membership and the Canceled date of the Dues Order (you will need to manually change the Member Status from Active).

  1. Finally, the invoice is canceled. As noted, this method does not create a credit on the customer’s netFORUM Pro account (unless you enter a Cancellation Fee). This is because you are refunding the customer’s funds back to the credit card used to purchase the registration through PayPal or Authorize.net. As mentioned, you may not use a Cancellation Fee using this method because a partial credit is created; to use a partial credit and refund funds to a credit card, you must process the refund through the Membership Profile instead.

Notice in the image below that the invoice is indeed canceled but no credit balance has been created. Further, the customer's credit card has been refunded through the Merchant Account you use (noted in the Balance & Credit section).

If the registration was paid for by a credit card, you may have to wait before you are able to cancel the registration and refund the fee to the credit card. For example, Authorize.net takes approximately 24 hours to process/post these transactions. If you attempt to cancel a registration before the transaction posts, you will receive an error message.

Canceling Credit Card Invoices for a Merchandise Purchase

To cancel a merchandise purchase and create a credit on the customer’s credit card (or netFORUM account):

  1. Go to the customer Invoice created for merchandise purchase (under the Merchandise Purchased child form from the Individual Profile).
  2. Once on the Invoice, click the Cancel Invoice button.

  1. In the Invoice Cancellation window, enter any relevant cancellation-related information such as a Cancellation Reason and ensure that the Issue Credit refund for single card payment check box is selected. If you do not see this check box, this means that the merchandise was not purchased using a credit card and you may not use this method to credit their refund back.
Canceling a merchandise purchase through the invoice will only grant full refunds. This means that if you enter a Cancellation Fee, a refund will not be processed using this method because a partial refund will be created (Merchandise price minus the Cancellation Fee). As a result, a credit is created on the customer's netFORUM Pro account instead for the balance. If you want to use a Cancellation Fee and create a partial credit, view the topic on Processing Partial Credit Card Refunds.

You may also choose to deselect the Issue Credit refund for single payment check box and create a credit on the customer's netFORUM Pro account instead by keeping the Create Credit box highlighted. You should not credit funds back to the customer’s credit card if you choose to do this since you will, in effect, be giving the customer double credit. You must have one of the Credit check boxes selected and should never have all the check boxes cleared.
  1. The Individual Profile updates the Purchases tab as well to display the Cancel Date of the merchandise purchase.

  1. The invoice is canceled as well. Notice in the image below that the invoice is indeed canceled but no credit balance has been created. Further, the customer's credit card has been refunded through the Merchant Account you use (noted in the Balance & Credit section).

If the merchandise was paid for by a credit card, you may have to wait before you are able to cancel the purchase and refund the fee to the credit card. For example, Authorize.net takes approximately 24 hours to process/post these transactions. If you attempt to cancel a registration before the transaction posts, you will receive an error message.