# Refund Overview
> Source: https://development.fuze-store.com/docs/store/refund/overview

# Refund Overview

Sometimes a customer changes their mind, receives the wrong item, or needs to cancel a service. The refund feature in Fuze Store POS lets you handle returns quickly and keep your records accurate.

## What Is a Refund

A **refund** is when you return money to a customer for a product or service they purchased. This could be for a returned item, a canceled booking, or a mistake in the order.

**You send the money through your own channel.** Fuze Store does not move money for you — you refund the customer the way you got paid (cash from the drawer, your own GCash/Maya, a bank transfer, or a reversal on your own card terminal), then **record it here**. Recording the refund keeps your sales and inventory accurate, restores stock, and reverses any loyalty points or gift-card value. For card payments, refund on the same terminal you charged on and enter the terminal reference number when you record it.

**You can only refund a completed, closed order.** A refund becomes available once the order has been fully paid and **closed**. If the order is still open or being processed, finish and close it first — the **Refund** option will not appear until then. This keeps refunds tied to real, settled sales.

Because you hand over the money yourself, a refund records as **Completed** the moment you save it. There is no waiting period and no "pending" or "failed" state — card refunds are just another tender you log with a reference number.

**Real-life examples:**

- **Food and Beverage.** A customer returns a coffee that was made incorrectly, and you refund the amount.
- **Retail.** Someone brings back a shirt that did not fit, and you process a refund to their card.
- **Services.** A client cancels a massage appointment and receives their money back.

## Why Use the Refund Feature

- **Keep customers happy.** Quick refunds show you care about good service.
- **Easy to use.** Process returns and refunds in just a few clicks.
- **Accurate records.** Every refund is tracked so your sales and inventory stay correct.
- **Flexible options.** Refund to cash, card, or gift card depending on how the customer paid.
- **Staff accountability.** See who processed each refund for better control.

## Field Explanations

Here is what you see for each refund:

| Field | What It Means | Possible Values | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Refund Number** | Unique ID for the refund. | | 200145 |
| **Amount** | Total money returned to the customer. | Any number | $15.00 |
| **Reason** | Why the refund was given (if provided). | | Wrong size |
| **Status** | Current status of the refund. | Draft, Authorized, Completed, Voided | Completed |
| **Created At** | When the refund was created. | | 2025-07-11 10:15 |
| **Updated At** | When the refund was last updated. | | 2025-07-11 10:15 |
| **Transactions** | List of transactions related to the refund. See [Transaction Field Explanations](/docs/store/transaction/overview#field-explanations) for details. | | TXN-200145 |
| **Items** | List of items included in the refund. See [Product Field Explanations](/docs/store/product/overview#field-reference) or [Service Field Explanations](/docs/store/service/overview#field-explanations) for details. | | |

## Best Practices

- Always check the original order before processing a refund.
- Communicate your refund policy clearly to customers.
- Use notes to explain why a refund was given.
- Review refunds regularly to spot patterns or issues.
- Make sure your staff knows how to process refunds correctly.