[GNC] How to Delete a Runaway Invoice?

[Adrien Monteleone]

On 9/27/23 8:26 PM, Jediator wrote:
> Thanks again Adrien!  I did answer your initial questions in one of the 
> response messages, but it didn't get published.  Cutting and Pasted them 
> below.
> 
> You may be right this isn't a replicated ID issue. To summarize what I 
> encountered was:
> 
> 1. An invoice automatically become a credit note after reusing the ID.
>     It shows as a refund on the Customer Report.

That is odd for sure. But please explicitly state what you mean by 
'shows as a refund' because I have used Credit Notes, and other than 
being a Credit to the account, there is no such 'refund' designation.

*note, before going further, if you aren't already using formal 
accounting labels, at least for troubleshooting, please change that 
preference and then proceed so we are discussing (and seeing) the same 
terms.

> 2. Searching after that ID via Find Invoice turns out nothing.

Again, odd. I'd think at least one or both would have appeared unless 
you used additional criteria.

> 3. Clicking on the ID link on the customer report brings you to the AR
>     screen, not to the View Invoice screen.

Another oddity. For my Customer Report, if I click the Invoice number 
link in the Reference column, I get taken to the Invoice or Credit Note. 
(I tested both, just to be sure)

Clicking on the Debit/Credit Amount (which is also link) takes me to the 
AR account at that transaction.

>> If you changed the Customer assigned to the invoice, it wouldn't show 
>> up on the original Customer Report. (did you change it back?)
> -- I did change the customer name back to the original, but the problem 
> remains.

Of course, because you changed the customer back to the original, that 
makes sense that it shows up on that customer's report. If you like, 
create a dummy customer, assign that old invoice to them (you'll have to 
unpost and repost) and then refresh the original Customer Report. It 
should no longer be there. Then change it back to the original customer.

>> How are you searching for the invoice you can't seem to find?
> -- The search on the invoice ID turned out to be one.  Once opened, it 
> is the newly created one.

Fair enough. Did you set any other criteria? Try 'Company Name' and 
'Invoice Owner' but don't add any other restrictions. See if they both 
appear now. (possibly along with other invoices for that customer)

>> Do they both show up in the AR register?
> -- No, only the old one (now labeled as refund) shows up in AR. However, 
> it is still under Debits instead of Credits.

That is really odd. So the Customer Report shows both, but the AR 
account only shows one?

 From the Customer Report, click the Debit/Credit amount for the new 
invoice and see if it takes you to that AR transaction. Then do the same 
for the old Credit Note.

(the AR register should open and jump to the relevant transaction, but 
it sometimes brings it right at the top and you can't see the 
Description line so you might have to scroll slightly)

>> You can right-click that transaction to 'Jump to Invoice'
> -- No 'Jump to Invoice', only 'Jump to another account' which leads to 
> an income account.

You might have missed it, as it is in the middle of the menu. The 'Jump 
to the other account' is at the bottom. (see attached screenshot)

> I can't delete from that account the corresponding 
> transaction either.

That is by design. The proper step is to unpost the Invoice/Credit Note.

>> Once you are viewing the invoice, click the Edit Invoice button on the 
>> *toolbar*. (not the Edit link within the invoice!)
>>
>> Now you can change Customer, ID, etc.
> -- I changed the new invoice to another ID to ensure that the old 
> invoice (labeled by Refund) is by itself.  The old invoice is still 
> showing up on the Customer Report (labeled as Refund).  It is still 
> showing on AR.  Now searching via Find Invoice after that ID turns out 
> an empty result.

Where are you seeing this 'Refund' label?

>>
>> I change my errant invoices to "USE NEXT" as the ID so I can spot them 
>> easily for re-use.
>>
>> Note, you can't change the type. So if it was a Credit Note, you have 
>> to wait to use it for your next Credit Note. (for any customer, as you 
>> can re-assign it)
> Shouldn't a refund/credit note show up in AR as a credit? But this one 
> shows under invoice (debit) in AR.

Then why do you think it is a Credit Note? Simply because of the 
'Refund' label?

Does the Reference column in AR for that transaction say "Credit Note"?

If not and it says "Invoice" then it is an Invoice.

If this "Refund" label is something of your own typing on the new 
(actual) Credit Note, and the original invoice is still a Debit to AR, 
then I'd hazard the original invoice is still an invoice. (as the type 
is immutable as I noted, or should be)

What might have happened is that by duplicating the Invoice number, 
GnuCash confounded your own typed label of "Refund" and that is why you 
think it is one, but the accounting says otherwise.

As long as the above checks out, I think the only issues left are to:


1. Verify that the accounting is correct (old Invoice is a Debit to AR, 
new one is a Credit)

2. Assign different Invoice numbers if this isn't already the case at 
this point.

3. Fix the errant "Refund" label on the original invoice (this might 
require unposting, editing, and reposting depending on where this label 
appears)

4. Make sure both documents show up on the Customer Report

5. Make sure both transactions are in AR.

6. Make sure both documents can show up when searched for (and the 
proper internal report links and transaction actions jump as designed)



Regards,
Adrien
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