XOLeap - User Guide: Store Credit Management

Last Updated: January 4, 2026

---

📋 Overview

XOLeap's Store Credit system allows you to issue, track, and apply customer credits. Store credits can be issued manually, automatically from returns, or from refunds. Credits can be applied to customer invoices as a payment method.

---

🎯 Key Concepts

Store Credit

A store credit is a balance that customers can use to pay for future purchases. Store credits are tracked per customer and organization.

Credit Balance

Each customer has a credit balance that shows:

• Total Balance: All credits issued
• Available Balance: Credits available to use (excluding expired or applied credits)
• Used Balance: Credits that have been applied to invoices

Credit Transactions

Every credit action creates a transaction:

• Issued: Credit added to balance
• Applied: Credit used to pay an invoice
• Refunded: Credit from a return
• Adjusted: Manual adjustment to balance
• Expired: Credit that has expired

---

💳 Issuing Store Credit

Method 1: Manual Credit Issuance

When to Use:

• Customer service gesture
• Compensation for issues
• Promotional credits
• Manual adjustments

Steps:

1. Navigate to Finance > Store Credits (or /store-credits)
2. Click "Issue Credit"
3. Fill in the form:
   • Customer Name: Select or enter customer name
   • Customer Email: Optional, for email notifications
   • Amount: Credit amount (must be greater than $0)
   • Transaction Type:
     • "Issued" - Standard credit issuance
     • "Refunded" - Credit from refund
     • "Adjusted" - Manual adjustment
   • Reference Type: Optional (e.g., "Manual", "Customer Service")
   • Reference ID: Optional reference number
   • Notes: Optional notes about the credit
   • Expires At: Optional expiration date
4. Click "Issue Credit"

Result:

• Credit is added to customer's balance
• Transaction is recorded
• Audit log entry is created

---

Method 2: Credit from Return Authorization

When to Use:

• Customer returns products
• You want to issue credit instead of refund
• Return authorization is approved

Steps:

1. Navigate to Orders > Returns (or /returns)
2. Find the return authorization
3. Process the return
4. When selecting refund method, choose "Store Credit"
5. System automatically:
   • Creates store credit for the return amount
   • Links credit to the return authorization
   • Records transaction

Result:

• Credit is automatically issued
• Linked to return authorization
• Customer can use credit for future purchases

---

Method 3: Credit from Refund

When to Use:

• Processing a refund
• Customer prefers store credit over cash refund
• Policy requires store credit for certain refunds

Steps:

1. Navigate to the order or invoice
2. Process refund
3. Select "Store Credit" as refund method
4. Enter refund amount
5. System automatically creates store credit

Result:

• Credit issued for refund amount
• Linked to original order/invoice
• Customer balance updated

---

💰 Applying Store Credit to Invoices

Step 1: Access Customer Invoice

1. Navigate to Finance > Customer Invoices (or /customer-invoices)
2. Find the invoice you want to apply credit to
3. Click to view invoice details

Step 2: Check Credit Balance

On the invoice page, you'll see:

• Customer Credit Balance: Available credit amount
• Apply Credit button (if credit balance > $0)

Step 3: Apply Credit

1. Click "Apply Credit" button
2. Enter the amount to apply (cannot exceed available balance or invoice balance)
3. Add optional notes
4. Click "Apply Credit"

Result:

• Credit is deducted from customer's balance
• Invoice paid amount is increased
• Transaction is recorded
• Audit log entry is created

Partial Credit Application

• You can apply partial credit (e.g., apply $50 credit to $100 invoice)
• Remaining invoice balance can be paid with other methods
• Remaining credit balance stays available for future use

---

📊 Viewing Store Credits

View All Store Credits

1. Navigate to Finance > Store Credits
2. See list of all customers with store credits
3. View:
   • Customer name
   • Total balance
   • Available balance
   • Last transaction date

View Customer Credit Details

1. Navigate to Finance > Store Credits
2. Click on a customer's credit entry
3. View:
   • Credit balance information
   • Complete transaction history
   • Credit expiration dates
   • Applied credits
   • Available credits

Transaction History

Each credit shows:

• Date: Transaction date
• Type: Issued, Applied, Refunded, Adjusted, Expired
• Amount: Credit amount (positive for issued, negative for applied)
• Reference: Link to related order, invoice, or return
• Notes: Transaction notes
• Created By: User who created the transaction

---

🔧 Managing Store Credits

Adjusting Credit Balance

When to Use:

• Correct errors
• Adjust for disputes
• Manual corrections

Steps:

1. Navigate to Finance > Store Credits
2. Find the customer's credit
3. Click "Adjust"
4. Enter adjustment amount:
   • Positive amount: Adds to balance
   • Negative amount: Subtracts from balance
5. Add notes explaining the adjustment
6. Click "Save Adjustment"

Result:

• Balance is adjusted
• Transaction is recorded
• Audit log entry is created

Viewing Credit Expiration

1. Navigate to customer's credit details
2. View expiration dates for each credit
3. Expired credits are automatically excluded from available balance

---

🛒 Using Store Credit in POS

As Payment Method

Store credit can be used as a payment method in POS transactions:

1. In POS checkout, select "Store Credit" as payment method
2. System checks customer's available credit balance
3. If balance is sufficient, apply credit
4. If balance is insufficient, show error and require additional payment method

Credit Balance Display

• POS shows customer's available credit balance
• Staff can see balance before applying
• System prevents applying more than available

---

📈 Best Practices

1. Issue Credits Promptly

• Issue credits immediately after return approval
• Don't delay credit issuance
• Set clear policies for credit issuance

2. Track Credit Usage

• Regularly review credit balances
• Monitor credit expiration dates
• Follow up on unused credits

3. Clear Communication

• Notify customers when credits are issued
• Provide credit balance information
• Explain credit expiration policies

4. Audit Regularly

• Review credit transactions regularly
• Verify credit applications
• Check for discrepancies

5. Set Expiration Policies

• Set expiration dates for promotional credits
• Clear expired credits regularly
• Communicate expiration policies to customers

---

⚠️ Important Notes

Credit Limits

• Credits cannot exceed available balance
• Credits cannot be applied to fully paid invoices
• Credits cannot be negative (use adjustments for corrections)

Credit Expiration

• Expired credits are automatically excluded from available balance
• Expired credits remain in transaction history
• Cannot apply expired credits

Credit Application

• Credits can only be applied to invoices
• Credits cannot be converted to cash
• Credits are organization-specific

Audit Trail

• All credit transactions are logged
• Complete history is maintained
• Cannot delete credit transactions

---

🔍 Troubleshooting

Credit Not Showing

Check:

1. Is the credit issued to the correct customer?
2. Has the credit expired?
3. Is the credit already applied?

Solution:

1. Verify customer name matches exactly
2. Check expiration dates
3. Review transaction history

Cannot Apply Credit

Check:

1. Is there available credit balance?
2. Is the invoice already fully paid?
3. Is the credit expired?

Solution:

1. Verify available balance on credit details page
2. Check invoice paid amount
3. Review credit expiration dates

Credit Balance Incorrect

Check:

1. Review transaction history
2. Check for missing transactions
3. Verify all credits were issued correctly

Solution:

1. Review complete transaction history
2. Use adjustment feature to correct balance
3. Add notes explaining the correction

---

📚 Related Documentation

• User Guide: Getting Started
• User Guide: Core Features
• User Guide: Returns & RMA

---

💡 Examples

Example 1: Return with Store Credit

Scenario: Customer returns $100 worth of products and wants store credit.

Steps:

1. Process return authorization
2. Approve return
3. Select "Store Credit" as refund method
4. System automatically issues $100 credit

Result: Customer has $100 store credit available for future purchases.

---

Example 2: Applying Credit to Invoice

Scenario: Customer has $50 store credit and wants to apply it to a $200 invoice.

Steps:

1. Open customer invoice
2. Click "Apply Credit"
3. Enter $50 (or less if desired)
4. Apply credit

Result:

• Invoice paid amount: $50
• Remaining balance: $150
• Customer credit balance: $0 (if full $50 applied)

---

Example 3: Manual Credit Issuance

Scenario: Customer service wants to issue $25 credit for a service issue.

Steps:

1. Go to Store Credits > Issue Credit
2. Enter customer name
3. Enter amount: $25
4. Select "Issued" type
5. Add notes: "Service compensation"
6. Issue credit

Result: Customer receives $25 credit with notes explaining the reason.

---

Last Updated: 2026-01-04