How to Reverse Wrong Credit Card Amount in Order Entry Payment Window
Version: 8.5 and Above
Q - When processing a credit card on the Order Entry Payment Screen, if a user makes a mistake with the credit card amount, what is the best way to reverse it?
A - There are two ways to reverse a credit card payment: Void or Refund.
Void Is Preferred If It Is Still Possible
Void must be done in the same day as the original charge while Refund has no such limit. You can also refund a different amount than the original charge amount, while voiding only allows you to void exactly the same amount. Typically, the charge credit card amounts are to be settled overnight. Before the settlement takes place, you can void the charge to be settled at night. As a result, the credit card holder will not see the voided transaction on his/her credit card statement.
On the other hand, when you do a refund, the credit card holder will see both the original charge and the refund as two separate entries. What may be even worse is that some credit card companies may delay the refund to show on the credit card holder's statement. This can sometimes cause the consumer to call and question the charge due to the refund appearing past the card statement's cutoff. In that case, you have to assure the customer that their refund will show on the next month's statement. For this reason, you should use Void to reverse your mistake whenever possible. It is always better than using Refund.
Credit Card Payment Window Add or Change Mode
When processing a credit card on the Order Entry Payment Screen, a Void can be processed two different ways. If you just process the credit card payment for the first time on this order and there is no other payment record for this order yet, then the payment window is considered to be in Add mode regardless of the mode chosen from the Order Entry menu. On the other hand, if you previously processed a payment in the payment window (including a credit card payment) for this order, then the payment window is considered to be in Change mode.
Press ESC Key in Payment Window Add Mode to Create Void Automatically
If you have just processed a credit card payment and realize the amount is wrong, the easiest way is to simply press ESC key and abort the payment window. This will signal to the system that you wish to void the credit card payment you just charged. This principle applies to the Order Entry billing screen as well as Sales Desk.
Another way to reverse in Add mode is to go to the credit card amount field, which brings up the detail screen. The original intention is to allow users to enter up to five credit card amounts for the same order. This is to handle the scenario where multiple credit cards are needed to cover the entire order amount when there's a credit limit on the credit cards. In the detail screen, the user can also enter a negative amount which will create a refund. Since it is better to void than to refund, the application will warn the user with the following message:
Entering negative payment is a Refund. It's better if you void payment by ESC out of payment window. Do you still want to use negative amount?
Void COP Credit Card Payment in Payment Window Change Mode
Let's say you charged the wrong amount without realizing it initially and finished the order normally. Later on, in the same day, you realize that the credit card was charged incorrectly. At this moment, you still can void the payment, but you can't void it in the COP Payment Window since it would be in the Change mode. If you go to the COP billing screen and bring up the payment window, then go to the credit card amount field, you can bring up the detail screen and enter the negative amount. If it is in the same day, voiding is still possible. At that point, the application will warn you the as follows:
Entering negative payment is a Refund. You can still void today's payment in A/R Credit Card Trx Handle. Do you still want to use negative amount?
You should answer No and go to A/R -> Processing -> Credit Card Trx Handle -> Add to void the transaction by using the F8 key at the credit card number field and selecting the original charge to void.
A voided credit card payment is handled in Elliott as a negative payment and shown in AR an an open item. Once you post that voided credit card payment on the A/R side, you can go to the COP billing payment window, then go to the A/R open amount field and look up the negative payment to apply to this order.
Refund COP Credit Card Payment in Payment Window Change Mode
If the credit card charge that needs to be reversed was not made on the same day, then voiding it is no longer possible. In that case, the user should go to the Order Payment Screen and access the credit card amount field. This will bring up the detail window. In the popup window, enter the exact negative amount of the original credit card charge, the credit card number, and the expiration date. This will reverse the transaction as a refund.
It's worth noting that there is a difference between the COP and AR sides when it comes to credit card processing. While both sides perform real-time interfacing with a payment gateway, the COP side performs real-time posting of credit card transactions while the AR side is on a batch basis and requires a separate posting step to update Elliott's A/R open item, customer, distribution...etc.
Programs Modified: CPPAYMNT
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