WHMCS client credit can represent received deposits, overpayments or an authorised goodwill adjustment. Record its source clearly so that staff can distinguish money received from a noncash account allowance.
IN THIS ARTICLE
01 Add credit with a transaction
- Confirm the client, amount, currency and source of funds.
- Open Billing and Transactions List, then Add Transaction.
- Enter the transaction details and select the credit option so the receipt increases the client's available balance.
- Save and inspect the client's credit balance and transaction history. Confirm that the reference has not already been recorded.
WHMCS recommends associating received credit with a transaction so that account statements remain reconcilable. If the business grants goodwill credit without receiving money, use Manage Credits in the client's Summary and enter a clear reason for the adjustment.
02 Apply credit to the intended invoice
For an unpaid invoice, open its Credit tab, enter the amount to apply and click Go. Review both the invoice balance and the client's remaining credit. Automatic use for new recurring invoices is controlled by Automatic Credit Use in System Settings > General Settings > Credit. Confirm that setting before promising that a deposit will remain unused for a particular purchase.
In WHMCS 9.0, manually applying client credit creates a credit note for that amount, visible in the invoice ledger. Removing applied credit creates a corresponding debit note. Review the invoice and any previously triggered service automation before removing credit from a settled invoice.
03 Example: apply part of a client credit balance
In this illustrative account, the client has 50.00 available credit and an unpaid invoice balance of 80.00, all in the same configured currency. The approved allocation is 30.00. Open that invoice's Credit tab, enter 30.00 as the amount to apply and click Go.
Check two results: available client credit falls to 20.00, and the invoice balance falls to 50.00. In WHMCS 9.0, inspect the invoice ledger for the generated 30.00 credit note. The invoice remains unpaid because a balance is still due. This allocation uses existing credit; it is not a new 30.00 cash receipt and should not be entered again as a payment transaction. Record the approval and invoice reference so another billing operator can explain the movement.
How do I investigate an unexpected client credit balance?
Compare the credit history with payments and invoices. An overpayment may come from a manual allocation or duplicate provider subscriptions. Removing the visible credit without fixing the recurring source can lead to another overpayment next month.
For a requested refund of unused credit, follow the approved refund policy and identify which actual transaction can be refunded. Do not invent a new payment record to make an adjustment appear as received cash. Keep approval, reason and provider reference together so that the account balance can be explained later.