A Credit Note is a store credit assigned to a customer and issued as an itemised document. It can be used as a payment method towards a future order and is not a cash refund.
Creating and using credit notes
Credit notes let you assign store credit to a customer and apply it to a future order. Each credit note records the credited items, prices and taxes, keeps track of the remaining balance, and can be downloaded as a PDF.
A Common Ground credit note does not return money through Stripe, PayPal or another payment provider. If you need to return money to a customer, process the payment separately and record the refund on the order.
Before you begin:
An existing customer and at least one inventory item is required to create a Credit Note.
Be aware of any returned items that should be added back to your available stock.
Create a credit note from an order
This is the quickest option when the credit relates to an existing order.
Open Orders in the Backoffice and select the relevant order.
Select Add a credit note.
Review the customer and item information copied from the order.
Remove any items that should not be credited, or edit the quantity, price and tax details where necessary.
Add a clear Title and Reference so that your team can identify the reason for the credit.
Enable Increase items stock quantity only if the items have been returned and are ready to be sold again.
Select Submit.
Create a credit note manually
You can also create a credit note without starting from an order.
Go to Credit Notes in the Backoffice.
Select Add a credit note.
Choose the customer who will receive the credit.
Add a Title and Reference.
Search for and add the relevant inventory items.
Check the quantity, price and tax details for each item.
If appropriate, enable Increase items stock quantity.
Select Submit.
The credit note is linked to the selected customer. When applying it to an order in the Backoffice, select an order belonging to that same customer.
Download and share the PDF
Open the credit note and select Download PDF. Common Ground generates an itemised document containing the customer, items, taxes and total credit value.
Creating a credit note does not automatically email the customer. Download the PDF and send it using your usual customer communication channel if needed.
Apply a credit note to a future order
Credit notes are applied by a shop admin in the Backoffice; customers cannot enter or redeem it themselves at Eshop checkout.
Open the customer's new order in the Backoffice.
In Billing, find Payment methods and select Edit.
Choose With credit note, then select the relevant credit note.
If appropriate, enable Also lock order as Payment Received.
Select Submit payment.
Common Ground applies the smaller of:
The credit note's available balance.
The amount still due on the order.
If the credit note does not cover the full amount, add another payment method for the remainder. If the credit is greater than the amount due, its remaining balance stays available for a later order. Only one credit note can be applied to an order.
View or cancel a credit note
Open Credit Notes to view each note's original value, remaining balance and the orders on which it has been used.
Removing the credit-note payment from an order restores that amount to the credit note's balance.
Selecting Delete on an unused credit note marks it as void; it does not remove the historical record.
A credit note cannot be voided after any of its balance has been used.
Important to know
Creating a credit note does not automatically:
Refund a card, PayPal or bank payment.
Change or cancel the original order.
Notify the customer.
Add stock back to inventory unless Increase items stock quantity is enabled.
Credit-note and tax requirements differ by country. Check with your accountant whether the generated document meets your local bookkeeping and tax requirements.