1. What is a credit note?
A credit note is essentially a 'reverse invoice' or 'negative invoice'.
When do you use it? When an invoice already paid (status 'Paid') needs correcting.
Why not simply delete it? For the tax authorities, invoice numbering must always be sequential. Deleting invoice FAC-001 creates a gap in your records. A credit note (e.g. CN-001) officially offsets the original invoice amount.
2. How do I create a credit note?
In FITsociety, this takes just a few clicks:
Go to Finance > Invoices.
Find the invoice you want to correct and click the three dots (...) at the end of the row.
Choose the option 'Create credit note'.
A screen opens where you can choose:
Full credit: The full amount is waived/reversed.
Partial credit: You reimburse only part of the amount (e.g. because the member missed one class).
Click 'Save'. An official document is generated to settle the original invoice in full or in part.
3. Refunds
Please note: In some systems, creating a credit note does not automatically mean that the money is refunded to the member's bank account.
How does refunding work?
Through Stripe/Mollie: If payment was made through the app, you can often click 'Refund' .
Timeline: Once you click 'Refund', it usually takes 5 to 10 business days for the money to reach the member's account. This depends on their bank.
Manual refund: Did you receive the money in cash or through your own bank transfer? You must also refund the amount manually to the member through your own banking app.
4. Canceling versus crediting
When do you use each button?
Situation | Action | Invoice status |
The invoice is still a Draft | You can simply Remove. | No entry in the accounts. |
The invoice is Outstanding (unpaid) | Use the button 'Cancel'. | The invoice remains in the system with status 'Canceled'. |
The invoice is already Paid | Create a 'Credit note' on. | The invoice remains 'Paid'; the credit note offsets the amount. |
Exporting to spreadsheets
Pro tip for the coach:
Always send the member a short message when creating a credit note. A 'negative amount' appears in their app, and it is helpful to explain that this corrects their earlier invoice.