Refunding a payment
Plans change. When you need to give money back, a refund in CoreHue is always tied to one specific payment, so your records show exactly what came in and what went out.
Refunding a card payment
- Open the invoice and find the payment under Payments received, or open the payment from Payments.
- Open the ⋯ menu and choose Refund payment.
- Set the Refund amount, up to what's left on that payment. Refund full amount fills it in for you.
- Add a Note (optional) for your records. It appears on the payment record.
- Choose Issue refund.
Stripe sends the money back to the card your client used. It usually appears within 5 to 10 business days, depending on their bank, so it's worth telling them that up front.
While Stripe works on it, you'll see "The payment provider is processing the refund", and the payment shows Refund processing with no further actions until it's done.
Recording a refund you made yourself
For a payment you recorded by hand, like a bank transfer or cash, CoreHue can't send the money back for you.
- Refund your client outside CoreHue first, for example by bank transfer.
- Open the payment's ⋯ menu and choose Record refund.
- Enter the Refund amount and an optional note, then choose Record refund.
Recording it moves no money. It keeps your payment history in line with what really happened.
Partial refunds
Refund part of a payment when you're keeping a cancellation fee or refunding one item from a larger invoice. A partly refunded payment shows Partially refunded and can be refunded again later, up to what's left. A fully refunded one shows Refunded, with its amount struck through in your payments list.
What a refund does to the invoice
As the refund dialog puts it, a refund "returns received money and may reopen the invoice balance. It does not reduce the agreed price." So a paid invoice can go back to having a balance due. If you've agreed a lower price, edit or write off the rest of the invoice too. See Editing, cancelling or writing off an invoice.
Refunds show in your finance report as money out, so your earnings reflect what you actually kept.
When you refund a card payment, the Stripe processing fee on the original payment isn't given back. A full refund leaves you out of pocket by that fee, which is worth remembering when you write a cancellation policy.
Cancelling an invoice that's been paid
CoreHue won't cancel an invoice with money recorded against it until that money is accounted for. You'll see This invoice can't be cancelled yet, listing each payment with the options that fit, such as Refund payment, Record refund or Correct payment, plus writing off the balance instead.
What you can't refund
Payments on a cancelled or written-off invoice don't offer a refund, because those invoices are closed. And once a payment has a refund against it, it can't be removed. The refund is the correction.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a card refund take to reach my client?
A card refund through Stripe usually reaches your client in 5 to 10 business days, depending on their bank. CoreHue shows Refund processing until Stripe confirms it.
Can I refund only the deposit and keep a cancellation fee?
Yes. In Refund amount, enter the amount you want to return instead of the full payment. The payment shows Partially refunded, and you can refund more later if you need to.
Does a refund lower the amount of a booking?
No. Refunds in CoreHue never lower a booking's amount. To change what a booking is worth, change its invoice. See Booking details: title, description and amount.
Does CoreHue decide what's refundable?
No. What's refundable is down to your own policy, written into your contract or service. Having it in writing makes the conversation much easier when someone cancels.