# Editing, cancelling or deleting an invoice

> Change a sent or paid invoice with a private reason, cancel one you no longer want paid, or delete one that never took money. What each does in CoreHue.

Source: https://help.corehue.co/docs/invoices/editing-cancelling-and-deleting/

Jobs change after the invoice goes out. Here's how to update an invoice, stop it being paid, or remove it, while keeping a clean record of money that's already moved. For the same choice across other documents, see [Cancelling vs deleting in CoreHue](/docs/getting-started/cancelling-vs-deleting).

## Editing a draft

Open the draft and choose **Edit** in the header. Change anything, then **Save draft** or **Save & send**.

## Changing an invoice you've already sent

You can change a sent invoice even after your client has paid some or all of it. CoreHue shows what will change and asks for a reason first.

1. Open the invoice and choose **Edit** from the three-dot menu.
2. Change the items, prices, tax, discount, dates, payment schedule, notes or payment methods.
3. Choose **Save changes**, or **Save & resend** to email your client the updated invoice.
4. Read the **Save invoice changes?** window. It lists what will happen, such as "The invoice total will change from $1,200.00 to $1,450.00."
5. Write a **Reason**, like "Added second shooter at client's request". It's required.
6. Choose **Save changes**, or **Go back** to keep editing.

The reason stays in your records and never appears on the invoice, the PDF or any email. **Save changes** updates the invoice at the same link without emailing anyone.

### What stays fixed

| Detail | When it locks |
| --- | --- |
| Contact, booking and inquiry | Once the invoice is sent or shared, or has received a payment |
| Currency | Once a line has content, and for good after any payment |
| Automatic reminder timings | Once the invoice is sent |
| Invoice number | Always |

To bill a different contact or job, cancel this invoice and create a new one.

### Totals and payments already received

The new total has to cover what your client has already paid, after refunds. Go lower and you'll see "Invoice total cannot be less than..." with the amount received, so [refund](/docs/payments/refunding-a-payment) the difference first.

Payments, receipts and refunds stay as they were. Raise the total on a **Paid** invoice and it opens again for the difference. On a [payment schedule](/docs/invoices/payment-schedules), money already received is applied from the earliest payment onwards, and unsent [reminders](/docs/invoices/invoice-reminders) move to the new due dates.

If the invoice is linked to a booking or proposal, the review window also says how that's affected: the payment needed to confirm the booking may change, the booking may be confirmed because it's now covered, or a booking confirmation email may go out. See [Invoices for bookings and proposals](/docs/invoices/invoices-for-bookings-and-proposals).

### When an invoice can't be edited

**Edit** isn't offered on a cancelled or written-off invoice. An invoice whose contact was deleted is kept as history: "This invoice is retained as history because its contact was deleted. Create a new invoice for new work."

If your client is partway through a card payment, you'll see "A payment is being processed. Wait for its outcome before changing this invoice." Try again once it's through.

## Cancelling an invoice

Cancel when you no longer want an invoice paid, say because the job was called off or you've replaced it.

**Before you cancel:** a fully paid invoice can't be cancelled. If you're giving the money back, refund the payments first and the invoice reopens, ready to cancel.

1. Open the invoice and choose **Cancel invoice** in the three-dot menu.
2. Tick **Send cancellation email** if you'd like CoreHue to tell your client. It starts unticked.
3. Choose **Cancel invoice**, or **Keep invoice** to back out.

**What stays**

- The invoice and its number, marked **Cancelled**. Your client's link still opens, read-only.
- Payments already received, with their receipts ("Recorded payments stay on the invoice"). You can still refund them later.
- Any pending booking waiting on the invoice. It isn't confirmed or cancelled, so deal with it on its own page. See [Cancelling, restoring or deleting a booking](/docs/managing-bookings/cancelling-a-booking).

**What stops**

- The balance drops to zero and your client can no longer pay.
- Unpaid payments on its schedule are closed.
- Reminders stop, and invoice emails waiting to go out are withdrawn.

You can't undo a cancellation, but **Duplicate** starts a fresh draft from the cancelled invoice.

If you see **This invoice can't be cancelled yet**, the balance and payment history don't match. Choose **Review payments**, correct the wrong payment, and try again.

## Deleting an invoice

Delete when an invoice should never have existed, like a test or a duplicate.

**Before you delete:** **Delete invoice** only appears on an invoice that has never received a payment. A refund or a removed payment doesn't change that, because money did move once. Cancel those instead.

1. Open the invoice and choose **Delete invoice** in the three-dot menu.
2. Read the **Delete invoice?** window. It lists anything the invoice will be unlinked from, such as a booking or proposal.
3. Choose **Delete invoice**.

**What goes:** the invoice, its link and any payment proof your client sent for it.

**What stays:** a gap in your invoice numbers, since the number is never given to a new invoice (see [Invoice defaults, terms and numbering](/docs/invoices/invoice-defaults-and-numbering)). A pending booking that was waiting on the invoice stays pending until you choose **Confirm booking** or cancel it.

> **Deleting can't be undone**
A deleted invoice can't be brought back. If you might want the record later, cancel it instead.

## Written-off invoices

Writing off has been retired, so use **Cancel invoice** for a balance you won't collect. Invoices written off in the past keep their **Written off** status and reason. To collect one after all, choose **Reopen invoice** and its balance comes back. See [Invoice statuses](/docs/invoices/invoice-statuses).

## What your client sees

After an edit, your client sees the new version at the same link, with any new balance. A cancelled invoice opens marked **Cancelled**, with nothing to pay. If you sent the cancellation email, they get "INV-0042 has been cancelled" (with your invoice number), saying nothing more is needed, with a **View invoice** button. A deleted invoice's link stops working.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does my client see the reason I give for an edit?

No. The reason is kept for your own records and never appears on the invoice, the PDF or any email.

### Can I delete an invoice after refunding the payment?

No. An invoice that has ever received a payment can't be deleted, even after a full refund. Cancel it instead, and the payment history stays intact.

### Can a cancelled or deleted invoice's number be used again?

No. A cancelled invoice keeps its number, and a deleted invoice's number is never given to a new one. Your sequence carries on with a gap.