How to Delete an Invoice

Owned by Gemma Heidemann (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Jun 05, 2023 by Gemma Heidemann
2 min read

How to Delete an Invoice

To Delete an Invoice, it must be in DRAFT or POSTED status. 

If it is in CONFIRMED status, you will need to wait until it has posted through to your external accounting system before deleting it.

 Important Info about Editing and Deleting Invoices:

 

  • Can edit/delete when invoice is draft

  • Can edit/delete when invoice is approved

  • CANNOT delete once invoice is confirmed

  • Can delete once invoice is posted to accounting system (if you delete the second entry in the external accounting system (E.g. QuickBooks Online) , you will then need to delete the original entry in the OWL as well)

  • Can VOID an invoice in external accounting system (this will not flow back to WOL)

 

Note: If you delete an invoice in Wise Owl, there will be an option to make the items available for a replacement invoice. This will mark them as unbilled for the next time you are making an invoice.

 

If you have payments applied to an invoice, it will not let you delete that invoice until the payments are also deleted. This is to prevent monies already receipted from being un-receipted and changing the client’s account balance incorrectly. Note: You should only delete receipts if you can confirm that no funds were actually received by the firm.

 

To delete an Invoice:  

 

  1. Go to the Invoice Register and choose your invoice record. 

  2. Click on the Invoice Number to open the invoice

  3. Select the red 'Delete Invoice' button

  4. Read the warning - If the Invoice has been posted to the external accounting system then you need to delete it from there as well. Once read and actioned, you can press the delete button.

    IMPORTANT: There is a checkbox on this screen that is ticked by default. this allows the records that were billed on this invoice to be rebilled after this invoice has been deleted.
    If you untick this checkbox, these records will no longer be available to bill.

    Records that were created on a blank invoice (not within the Time, Fixed Fee, Disbursement or Recovery sections of the OWL) will not be available to bill.

  5. If necessary (I.e. if your invoice was posted before deletion), go into your external accounting system and VOID the invoice there as well.

    There is often a search system to be able to find transactions by their reference number or amount in accounting systems.