Swifto ERPPurchasing modulePurchase credit notes
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User Manual Purchasing module Version 1.0 · Stable

Manual Purchase credit notes

The purchase credit note is the credit note granted by the supplier: merchandise return, commercial rebate or correction. It carries a credited amount and a remaining balance applicable to payment, deducted from a future supplier payment.

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Credit note types
7
Tracking columns
2
Row actions
−
Credited amount
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Overview

The purchase credit note represents a credit from the supplier to your company. It is attached to a purchase invoice and to a reason (merchandise return, commercial credit note…). Its amount is shown as a negative figure because it reduces the debt owed; its remaining balance represents the portion still applicable to an upcoming payment. It is the purchasing counterpart of Sales credit note note.

Business goal

  • Track a credit note from the supplier
  • Document the reason (return, rebate…)
  • Track the amount still to be applied
  • Deduct the credit note from a future payment

Target audience

  • Accounting — record and apply credit notes
  • Buyers — manage supplier returns and disputes
  • Warehouse — initiate merchandise returns

Position in the cycle

The purchase credit note originates from a purchase invoice and is applied to a payment. See Purchase invoices upstream and Payments downstream.

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Access and navigation

Left-hand side menu: Purchasing → Credit notes (sub-section of supplier invoices).

Swifto ERP — Purchasing menu
Global dashboard
Sales
Purchases
Orders
Goods receipts
Invoices
Purchase credit note
Payments / Advances
Settings
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The list of purchase credit notes opens on the right after the click.
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List of credit notes

The page lists Purchase credit note notes with their originating invoice, the supplier, the reason, the date, the credited amount (negative) and the remaining balance applicable to payment. The expandable detail shows the returned items.

Purchasing › Credit notes
Global dashboard
Purchases
Invoices
Purchase credit note
Payments / Advances
Settings
071 Mr Amine ABDELKEFI
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Purchase credit note
Search
Number⇅Invoice⇅Supplier⇅Reason⇅Credit note date⇅Amount incl. tax⇅Remaining⇅Action(s)
AV: N°000045FA 0052IMPORT TECH SARLMerchandise return14/05/2026-1,200.000EUR1,200.000EUR
AV: N°000044FA 0051SOTUCAB MATÉRIELCommercial credit note10/05/2026-850.000TND0.000TND
AV: N°000043FA 0049DELTA SUPPLYPricing error30/04/2026-320.000TND320.000TND

Table columns

ColumnDescription
NumberUnique reference of the credit note (e.g. AV: N°000045).
InvoicePurchase invoice the credit note is attached to.
SupplierSupplier issuing the credit note.
ReasonReason for the credit note (merchandise return, commercial credit note, pricing error…).
Credit note dateDate the credit note was issued.
Amount incl. taxCredited amount, shown as a negative figure (deducted from the debt).
RemainingPortion of the credit note still applicable to a future payment.

Negative amount

A credit note reduces what you owe: its amount is shown preceded by a minus sign (−) to distinguish it from an invoice.

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Action bar

Search

Filters by supplier, reason and period (start date / end date).

Help — legend

Reminds you of the credit note types: 0 Commercial credit note, 1 Merchandise return credit note.

The purchase credit note is generally not created from this list: it is generated from the relevant purchase invoice (Credit note button). This page is used for tracking and viewing.

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Row actions

Attachment / Download

Dual

If a document already exists, it is downloaded; otherwise, you can attach the supplier credit note received (PDF, image, Office).

Detail

View

Opens the credit note: returned items, quantities, unit prices, VAT and credited amount incl. tax.

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Create a purchase credit note

The purchase credit note is generated from the relevant purchase invoice, via its Credit note button. A window asks for the type, the reason and the amount (or the returned quantities).

Purchase credit note — FA 0052

Merchandise return
Defective item
1,200.000
14/05/2026

Two entry modes

The credit note can be based on a global amount (rebate, price correction) or on returned quantities per line (the amount is then calculated proportionally).

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Apply a credit note to a payment

The remaining balance of a credit note can be applied to a supplier payment: when making a payment (purchase delivery note or invoice), by choosing the Credit note payment mode, you select the available credit note — its amount is deducted from the payment.

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Open the payment

From a purchase delivery note or a supplier invoice, launch the Pay action.

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Choose the "Credit note" mode

The Credit note payment mode displays the list of the supplier's available credit notes.

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Apply & confirm

The selected credit note reduces the amount to be paid; its remaining balance decreases by the same amount.

Once fully applied, the remaining balance of the credit note drops to 0 and the credit note is considered settled.

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Credit note types & statuses

Credit note types

CodeTypeUsage
0Commercial credit noteRebate, commercial gesture, after-the-fact price correction.
1Merchandise return credit noteMerchandise returned to the supplier (defective, non-compliant).

Remaining balance statuses

StatusMeaning
ApplicableRemaining > 0 — the credit note can still be deducted from a payment.
SettledRemaining = 0 — the credit note has been fully applied.
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Lifecycle (workflow)

flowchart LR
  A[Purchase invoice]:::p --> B([Purchase credit note
return / commercial]):::s
  B --> R[(Stock return
if merchandise)]:::st
  B --> I[Applied to
payment]:::p
  I --> G([Remaining balance reduced]):::ok
  B -.->|remaining = 0| H([Settled]):::ok
  classDef p fill:#f3f1ff,stroke:#7366fe,color:#1f1c3d;
  classDef s fill:#F5F3FF,stroke:#8B5CF6,color:#5B21B6;
  classDef st fill:#FEF3C7,stroke:#F59E0B,color:#92400E;
  classDef ok fill:#D1FAE5,stroke:#10B981,color:#065F46;
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Business rules

Negative amount — the credit note reduces the supplier debt; it is shown with a minus sign in the list.

Mandatory attachment — a credit note is always linked to a purchase invoice and to a reason.

Application — the remaining balance is applied to a payment via the Credit note payment mode; it decreases down to 0.

Merchandise return — a return-type credit note can be accompanied by a stock movement (outflow of the items returned to the supplier).

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Roles & permissions

ActionBuyerWarehouse clerkAccountantAdmin
View✅✅✅✅
Create the credit note (from invoice)✅—✅✅
Attach / download attachment✅✅✅✅
Apply to payment——✅✅
Delete———✅

Indicative matrix — depends on the profiles defined in your company.

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Usage scenarios

Return of 5 defective computers

Out of a batch of 100 invoiced computers, 5 arrive defective. The supplier issues a merchandise return credit note for 5 units. Accounting records it, then applies it to the next wire transfer to the overseas supplier, reducing the amount to be paid by the same amount.

Year-end commercial rebate

A supplier grants a global discount after the fact: a commercial credit note is entered for an amount and applied to the next invoice.

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FAQ & Tips

How do you create a purchase credit note?

From the relevant purchase invoice, via the Credit note button. This page is then used for tracking.

The credit note doesn't appear in the payment?

Check that it belongs to the right supplier and that its remaining balance > 0: only a credit note that isn't settled can be applied.

Tip — attach the document

Always archive the supplier's PDF credit note as an attachment for accounting traceability.

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Swifto ERP · Purchasing module · User Manual v1.0

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