Refund or Void a Payment (Cloud)
Knowing when to refund and when to void a payment is key to keeping your folios accurate and your reports balanced. While both actions correct payment errors, they work differently in Visual Matrix depending on when the transaction is processed and whether the payment has already been settled.
Refund vs Void Overview
The main difference between a Refund and a Void depends on when the transaction was processed and your credit card setup.
Action | Description | When to Use | Visible on Folio | Fees |
Refund | Reverses a completed or settled transaction by posting a new debit to offset the payment. | After settlement, or anytime if Credit Card Capture is enabled. | ✅ Yes | 💳 Processor fees apply |
Void | Cancels a pending or unsettled transaction before it’s finalized. | Before settlement (only available if Credit Card Capture is not enabled). | ❌ No | ⚡ No additional fees |
If your property uses the Credit Card Capture feature, credit card payments cannot be voided or adjusted, even if they have not yet been settled. In that case, you must process a refund to return the funds to the guest.
Refunds always create a separate transaction, while voids simply remove the pending payment before settlement.
Credit Card Payments
Before the Payment is Settled (Night Audit)
If the night audit has not yet been completed and the batch has not been settled, a credit card payment can normally be voided or overridden — unless your property uses the Credit Card Capture feature.
Standard Credit Card (No Capture):
- You can void or override the payment directly from the folio.
- If the override amount is higher than the original, an authorization increase is processed.
- If the override amount is lower, an authorization reversal (decrease) is sent to the processor.
- Voiding before settlement avoids an additional transaction fee since no refund needs to be processed.
With Credit Card Capture Enabled:
- Once a payment is captured, it cannot be voided or adjusted, even if the batch is not yet settled.
- Any correction must be handled by posting a refund instead of a void or override.
- The refund will process through the payment gateway as a new debit transaction and will appear as a separate line on the folio.
Once a payment is captured, it’s treated as finalized by the processor — even if this happens before night audit. From that point, the only way to correct it is to post a refund instead of a void or override.
You can tell if Credit Card Capture is enabled by what appears when posting a payment. If a pop-up message displays “Captured” after processing, Capture is active at your property.
After the Payment is Settled
After the batch has been settled, voiding a credit card payment is no longer an option. To correct or reverse the charge, post a refund for the same amount.
Refunds appear as separate transactions on the folio and are subject to credit card processor fees.
Transaction Fee Clarification
Each credit card action—payment, refund, or authorization—is treated as a separate transaction by the processor.
- A payment and refund will result in two fees.
- A payment and void (before settlement) will result in only one fee (for the initial authorization).
Cash Payment
Post & Void by a different User
When a payment is posted by one user and refunded or voided by another, each user’s Cash Report may temporarily appear unbalanced. These differences resolve automatically at the end of the day when all transactions are consolidated in the Daily Cashier Summary. Learn more...
Operational Considerations
- Once a credit card batch is settled, use a refund—not a void.
- If a payment was posted to the wrong folio, void or refund it there before reposting to the correct folio.
- Always confirm the payment method before selecting Refund or Void.
- When processing a refund, ensure it is made to the same payment method used for the original transaction.
- If the property uses Credit Card Capture, void and adjust options are not available for credit card payments.
Still need help with this topic?
Ask Yourself:
- Did I confirm whether the payment was settled or still pending?
- Did I verify the payment method (credit card, cash, check)?
- Did I check whether Credit Card Capture is enabled at the property?
- Did I confirm if the night audit has already run?
- Am I refunding to the same payment method originally used?
Support May Ask You:
- What folio and payment type are involved?
- Was the payment settled or pending at the time of correction?
- Did you attempt to void before batch settlement?
- Were multiple users involved in the posting and correction?
- Do you know if Credit Card Capture is active for your property?
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