Correct a sent or paid invoice with a replacement

When a sent or paid invoice needs a real correction, create a separately numbered replacement draft and leave the original and its history untouched.

In the sidebar, open Sales & Billing, then Invoices, and open the invoice from the list. A link that ends in /replacement opens the invoice and starts this step straight away.

When to use it

Most unpaid invoices can simply be edited: change them and press Save. Use a replacement when Nova will not change the invoice in place, because it has been paid, voided, credited or refunded or its amounts are locked by your bookkeeping, or when the corrected invoice should carry a number of its own.

Before you start

• Your role needs permission to replace invoices.
• A draft is never replaced. Edit it instead.
• Invoices that bill one stage of a quote cannot be replaced. Correct them with a credit or by voiding them, then bill the stage again from the quote.

Steps

1. Open the actions menu (the three dots at the top of the invoice) and press See more.
2. Choose Create replacement draft. The same button is also in the Invoice settlement card inside Manage.
3. Read Create a replacement invoice?. Nova keeps this invoice as it is, makes a new draft with its own number linked to it both ways, and copies the lines and details only. Payments, approvals, signatures, delivery links and sending are never copied, and nothing is sent.
4. If your organization asks for one, pick a Reason category and add a Business explanation.
5. Press Create replacement draft. The new draft opens, ready to edit.
6. Make the correction and press Save. Send it when you are ready; see Create an invoice.

If you were already editing a locked invoice when you pressed Save, Nova asks Create a replacement draft? instead of saving. Press Create replacement draft to carry your changes into a new draft, or Keep editing to go back.

What you see

• Nova confirms "Replacement draft created." (or that it was created with your pending updates).
• The replacement starts as a Draft. The original keeps its status, balance and history exactly as they were.

Warning: Creating a replacement does not close the original. It is still owed until you deal with it. If it has no payments on it, void it; see Void, cancel or write off an invoice. If it has payments, move them to the replacement; see Move or reverse a recorded payment.

If something looks different

• Create replacement draft is missing: the invoice is still a draft, it bills one stage of a quote, it is the template for a recurring series, or your role cannot replace invoices.
• The /replacement link opened the invoice for editing instead: the invoice is a draft, so there is nothing to replace. Edit it directly.
• Nova says invoice replacement permission is required: ask your admin.
• You only need to give money back: see Refund a payment instead.

Open Invoices