A refund log that leads back to the sale
Record the original sale, signed refund, supplied tax, rate, calculated adjustment and review evidence in a blank CSV or fictional partial-refund example.
A negative amount explains the arithmetic but not the decision. This log connects a refund to its original sale, shows the supplied calculation basis and records what the reviewer decided. It is especially useful when the refund appears in a later export than the sale it reverses.
The useful part
Keep the original sale and the refund as distinct records. Document the signed effect and the evidence for the chosen treatment.
Your working files
Download blank templateCSV · Column headings only. Add your own records to a copy.Download fictional exampleCSV · Completed sample records in AUD. Use for practice, not a live close.Start with the original reference
Find the underlying item, not just an invoice total. Check whether the refund is full or partial and whether it relates to service, retail or a mixture. Preserve the original completed period if one exists. This log is a supporting review record; it does not edit a past run or decide whether an adjustment is permissible.
Record evidence alongside the amount
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Review ID | Unique identifier for this review. |
| Original reference / Original date | The sale being traced, using its source date. |
| Refund reference / Refund date | Separate source reference and date for the refund. |
| Staff | Person attributed by the checked source. |
| Original sales AUD / Original tax AUD | Original signed item values, not the whole invoice if unrelated. |
| Refund sales AUD / Refund tax AUD | Negative refund values; tax is supplied rather than assumed here. |
| Refund basis AUD | Refund sales less supplied refund tax for this example’s basis. |
| Rate % / Commission effect AUD | Supplied rate and signed calculated result. |
| Decision / Reason | The chosen treatment and transaction-specific explanation. |
| Reviewer / Evidence reference | Who checked it and where to inspect the supporting material. |
Follow the fictional partial refund
A $220.00 service included $20.00 supplied tax. The later refund is $110.00 including $10.00 tax, so the signed refund basis is −$110.00 − (−$10.00) = −$100.00. At the supplied 40% rate, the calculated effect is −$40.00. The example marks that treatment confirmed for this fictional case only.
| Record | Sales | Tax | Basis | Commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original service | 220.00 | 20.00 | 200.00 | 80.00 |
| Partial refund | −110.00 | −10.00 | −100.00 | −40.00 |
| Combined | 110.00 | 10.00 | 100.00 | 40.00 |
Leave a missing link unresolved
A familiar customer name is not a reliable substitute for an item reference. Keep the review open when the connection cannot be demonstrated.
- Check the original item and any earlier refunds against it.
- Verify that the combined refund does not exceed the relevant source amount without explanation.
- Separate the calculation from the decision to include it in a commission period.
- Record any different rate or basis found in the historical evidence.
Keep the signed result visible
Do not turn a refund into a positive number because a spreadsheet displays brackets. In a handover, show the adjustment separately from positive commission and link it to the original record. A negative mathematical result is not an instruction to make a deduction or payment; the operational record should preserve the actual reviewed treatment and its supporting authority.
Put it to work.
Inspect the signed effect under explicitly supplied assumptions.
Check a refund calculation