How to write off a purchase invoice?

This article covers writing off a purchase invoice within the Purchase Ledger - for example when a supplier debt becomes uncollectable and needs clearing as bad debt. Writing off is sometimes called voiding, cancelling or clearing an unpaid invoice. For a purchase order, see 'How to write off a purchase order'. For a sales invoice, see 'How to write off a sales invoice'. 

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Writing off a purchase invoice in the Purchase Ledger

To write off a purchase invoice:

1. Open the purchase invoice you want to write off
2. Select the three dots (⋮) menu at the top of the invoice, or the standalone 'Write off' button if shown 
3. Select 'Write off'.

Selecting 'Write off' opens a new invoice with the invoice type set to 'Purchase: Write off', pre-filled with the same supplier, period and line details as the original purchase invoice.

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Completing the write-off invoice

Before submitting the write-off invoice, amend the transaction lines so the account is your write-off (bad debt) account – for example '14355: Write off - Bad debt'. This step in the Purchase Ledger is what actually clears the debt to the correct nominal account, rather than simply cancelling the invoice. .

• For a full write-off, leave the amount as shown
• For a partial write-off, amend the amount on the line to the value you're writing off.

Once the account and amount are correct, select 'Submit' or 'Create as draft'.

Once posted:

• The original purchase invoice is marked 'Written off'
• The new write-off invoice shows a 'Posted write off' stamp.

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If 'Write off' is missing or opens blank

• If 'Write off' does not appear at all, the conversion between the purchase invoice and the 'Purchase: Write off' document type has not been set up
• If 'Write off' opens an empty pop-up with no invoice detail, the document type has not been unlocked and assigned a document series.

Both are administrator tasks – see 'Setting up purchase write off document types' to resolve either issue.

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Reallocating or removing a write-off

This only applies to write-offs created since our July 2026 release as a new feature. Historic write-offs created before this release cannot be reallocated, unposted or abandoned.

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Reallocating a write-off to a different invoice

Use this if the write-off itself was correct, but you wish to apply it to a different invoice.

1. Open the posted write-off document.
2. Select the three dots (⋮) menu.
3. Select 'Reallocate'.
4. In the allocations screen, remove the allocation against the current invoice and allocate the write-off amount to the correct invoice instead.
5. Select 'Apply'.

The write-off document stays posted throughout. Only the invoice it's allocated against changes.

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Unposting and abandoning a write-off

Use this if the write-off shouldn't have happened at all, and the original invoice needs to go back to being an open, posted invoice.

1. Open the posted write-off document.
2. Select the three dots (⋮) menu, then 'Reallocate', and remove the allocation against the original invoice. The write-off must be unallocated before it can be unposted.
3. Select the three dots (⋮) menu again, then 'Corrections', then 'Unpost'. This returns the write-off document to draft status.
4. On the draft write-off document, select 'Abandon'.

Once abandoned, the original invoice returns to 'Posted' status, as though the write-off had never been created.