Understanding Refunds and Voids
Q: What's the difference between voiding and refunding an invoice?
A: Voiding an invoice removes the sales data from your reports but does not initiate a refund. Refunding returns payment to the patient, either to the original payment method or another availabel source. You can also choose "Void and Refund" which both removes the sales data and issues a refund.
Q: Can I process a refund or void directly from my iPad app?
A: No, paid invoices can only be refunded or voided via the web platform. This is to ensure proper documentation and security for financial transactions.
Q: What happens when I void an invoice?
A: When you void an invoice, the sales data is deleted from your account. This means the transaction will not appear in your sales reports.
⚠️ A refund is NOT automatically initiated when you void an invoice.
Q: What refund options are available in Aesthetic Record?
A: Aesthetic Record offers several refund options:
Refund to Original Source: Returns payment to the patient's original payment method (takes 5-10 business days)
Refund to Wallet: Sends the refunded amount as a dollar credit to the patient's AR Wallet
This option is not available for guest checkout and invoices
Refund to Cash: Issues a cash refund regardless of original payment method
⚠️ when you refund as cash, you will also need to update your cash drawer manually and remove the amount refunded.
Refund to Check: Issues a refund via check regardless of original payment method.
Q: What is "Void and Refund to the Wallet"?
A: This option removes the sales data from your reports and immediately credits the refund to the patient's AR Wallet.
This is faster than refunding to the original payment method, which can take 5-10 business days. Think of this as an easy way to bank the refunded amount back to the patient to use toward future purchases.
Payment Method-Specific Refund Rules
Q: Which refund options are available for each payment method?
A: Refund options vary by original payment method:
Credit Card: Source, Wallet, Cash, or Check
Cash: Cash, Wallet, or Check
AR Wallet: Wallet only
Cherry Financing: Refunds are not available
Klarna, Care Credit, Greensky, Text2Pay: Source, Wallet, Cash, or Check
Check: Check, Wallet, or Cash
Gift Card: Wallet, Cash, or Check
Q: Can I partially refund a payment made with a gift card?
A: No, for invoices paid with a gift card, partial refunds are not available. However, full refunds can still be issued to the wallet, cash, or check.
Q: What happens with split payments involving eGift cards?
A: For split payments involving an eGift card, the eGift card amount will always be refunded to the patient's wallet when "Source" is selected as the refund method.
For partial refunds involving an eGift card, the available refund options will include Wallet, Cash, and Check.
Q: How are AR Wallet payments refunded?
A: For payment combinations that include the AR Wallet, if "Source" is selected as the refund method, the AR Wallet amount will only be refunded to the Wallet.
Invoice Management Process
Q: How do I process a refund in Aesthetic Record?
A: To process a refund:
Log into the web platform (not available on iOS)
Navigate to the Sales tab
Locate the invoice you want to refund
Click into the invoice
Select the refund option (full or partial)
Choose the refund destination (Source, Wallet, Cash, or Check)
Complete the refund process
Q: What information will I see when processing a refund?
A: When selecting a refund option, the system will display additional details. For example, if "Source" is selected for a split payment, you'll see a breakdown showing where each portion is being refunded (e.g., "$100 Cash payment refunding to Cash and $50 eGift card payment refunding to Wallet").
Q: How do I know a refund has been processed successfully?
A: Successfully processed refunds will be visible in:
The invoice preview on the web
The invoice PDF
Business Insights > Sales Summary
Business Insights > Payment Methods
Business Insights > Refunds
The patient's Wallet Log/Usage (if refunded to wallet)
Q: Can I see a list of patients who have received refunds?
A: Yes, you can view clients who have received a refund in a specific time period in Business Insights > Clients > "Clients who have received a Refund in X time".
Reporting and Tracking
Q: How are refunds reflected in my BI reports?
A: Refunds appear in several areas:
Business Insights > Sales Summary > Payment methods net report: Calculates net amount including refunded amounts
There is not a line item for refunds, however this will factor in the refunds reflected in the other tables present on the page.
Business Insights > Sales Summary: Shows refund lines on all tables
Business Insights > Payment Methods: Displays refund amounts by method
Business Insights > Refunds: The "Refund Mode" column shows the tender type used for the refund
Q: What happens in reporting if I refund to a different method than the original payment?
A: If the refund tender type differs from the original payment tender type, the refunded amount will be displayed as a negative value under the refund tender type in your reports.
For example, if a payment was made in cash but refunded via check, the refunded amount will show as a negative value under the check tender type.
Q: Can I track who processed refunds or voids in the system?
A: Yes, all user actions including refunds and voids are logged in the system's User Activity Log. This helps maintain accountability and provides an audit trail of all financial transactions.
Invoice Customization and Management
Q: How can I customize the invoice disclaimer text?
A: The invoice disclaimer text appears at the bottom of every patient invoice and can be customized to communicate important clinic policies regarding payments, cancellations, or other relevant information. This can be edited in your system settings by going to POS > Invoice Disclaimer
Q: Can I add a tip to an invoice?
A: Yes, Aesthetic Record allows patients to add gratuities for providers during checkout. The system also supports splitting tips among multiple providers associated with services on the same invoice.
⚠️ Please note: you must have Tip options enabled for both the Clinic & Providers to accept tips from patient at checkout.
When the option to tip is disabled for the clinic, this removes the tip functionality completely from the checkout flow, and from the invoices in AR.
Q: How do I link an invoice to a procedure?
A: Invoices can be linked to procedures via the "Sales" tab. This helps maintain a complete record of services provided and payments received for specific procedures.
Go to Sales > select the invoice needed > click Attach Procedure at the bottom right.
Invoices tied to membership billing, egift card purchases, and treatment plan purchases cannot be tied to a procedure at this time. ⚠️
AR Wallet and Service Deposits
Q: How are deposits handled in Aesthetic Record?
A: Service deposits are stored as Dollar Credits in the patient's wallet automatically and are visible on their account. These deposits can be used as a payment method at checkout and are tracked in sales reports under wallet credits.
Think of service deposits as prepayment for the visit that can be redeemed off of the invoice amount owed at checkout.
Q: Can deposits be waived?
A: Yes, deposits can be waived if needed, when the practice is scheduling an appointment for the patient; and this action is logged in the User Activity Log for accountability.
You can waive a service deposit when scheduling an appointment from the iOS App and the Web. When a service deposit is waived, this will also show up under Booking History Reports.
Q: How do I view a patient's wallet balance?
A: Patient wallet balances can be viewed through the patient's profile.
Navigate to the patient's record and look for the "Patient Wallet" section to see all dollar credits, loyalty points, and pre-purchased items.
Q: Will dollar credits from refunds expire?
A: By default, dollar credits in the AR Wallet do not expire. However, you can set custom expiration dates for specific credits if your practice policy requires it. Manage this by going to Settings on the Web > POS > Patient Loyalty > Wallet Settings
Best Practices
Q: What are some best practices for managing refunds and voids?
Always document the reason for a refund or void in the notes section
Consider using "Refund to Wallet" for faster processing and to encourage the patient to use the funds for future services
Regularly review your refund reports to identify trends
Clearly communicate your refund policy to patients
Ensure staff understand the difference between voiding and refunding
Only grant refund/void permissions to appropriate staff members
Q: How can I prevent refund errors?
Always double-check the refund amount before processing
Verify the refund destination is correct
Ensure you're selecting the right invoice to refund
Review split payment refunds carefully to understand where each portion is being refunded
Remember that the "Issue refund" button will be blocked until you select a refund destination
Q: Who should have permission to process refunds and voids?
A: Only trusted staff members with appropriate user privileges should be able to process refunds and voids. The Head Admin can manage these permissions under Settings > Teammates > Users > Edit > Manage Privileges.