Refunds in Certain start from a credit balance on the registration. Card refunds are processed by your event's payment processor, so how and when the money reaches the registrant depends on that processor. The refund screen in Certain is the same whichever processor you use. A few rules catch people out.

The rules

• You need a credit balance first. The registration must show a negative balance due. If it doesn't, clicking Refund shows a Refund Not Available message. It says there must be a credit due to the registrant, and tells you to cancel the items (for a partial refund) or set the registration to a Cancelled status (for a full refund) first.
  
• Cancelling creates the credit. Set the registration's status to Cancelled, or cancel a session or agenda item, and the balance changes on its own. Cancellation fees reduce it. Refresh the page if you don't see the new balance.
• You can't refund more than was paid. The refund is capped at the total charged.
• You can't undo a refund. Once processed, it can't be cancelled in Certain.
• Cancelling a guest refunds the primary. Refunds for additional registrants go to the primary registrant's payment.

Refund a card payment

1. Open the registration and go to Financials.
2. Under Payments, note which card paid (for example, Credit Card - 1111).
3. Next to Add a, click Refund.
4. Set Payment Type to match how the registrant paid, usually Credit Card. The Amount fills in from the credit balance; change it for a partial refund.
5. Under Credit Cards on File, choose the card that made the original payment.
6. Leave Process Payment Online checked.
7. Click Submit. You'll see "Completed Successfully" and a new refund line under Discounts & Refunds, and the balance goes to $0.00.
   

In this example, the registrant paid $1.00 by Credit Card - 1111 (under Payments). Under Discounts & Refunds, the $(1.00) line is the card refund that went through, and the balance is $0.00. The $0.00 line above it is what you get when Process Payment Online is unchecked: a refund line with no money returned. The Add a buttons at the top right are Payment, Refund, Discount and Adjustment.

Paid by check, wire or another method?

Use Refund with the Payment Type that matches how they paid, such as Check or Wire, so it reports as a refund. Certain records it and corrects the balance. Send the money back yourself outside Certain.

Already refunded in your payment processor?

If the money already went back through your payment processor, don't refund the card again in Certain. Record it with an Adjustment instead:

1. Cancel the registration or item first, so the registration shows a credit balance.
2. On the Financials page, next to Add a, click Adjustment.
3. Enter a Transaction Description, such as "Refunded in processor," and the refunded Amount.
4. Choose Debit. A debit raises the balance due, so it brings the credit balance back to $0.00. A Credit lowers the balance due and can't be more than what's owed.
5. If you see a Notes box, add a note saying where and when the refund was made. If not, put that in the Transaction Description. Then click Submit.
   

Refunded the wrong amount?

Because you can't reverse a refund, correct the balance with an Adjustment on the registration's Financials page. Use Debit to raise the balance due, or Credit to lower it. If too much went back to the card, the registrant will need to pay the difference again.

Next step: Cancel the registration or item, then issue the refund from Financials.