Editing and Updating a Bill

After a bill has been created, you can open it again to make changes, update amounts, adjust dates, or add notes. This guide explains how to edit bills and what restrictions may apply.

Opening an Existing Bill

To edit an existing bill, open the Bills Browser and double-click on the bill you want to edit. The Bill Form opens with all the bill's current information loaded.

You can also open a bill from within the Payment Transaction form by clicking the Edit Bill button, if available.

Editable Fields

When a bill is open for editing, the following fields can be changed:

• Bill Date — Update the date if it was entered incorrectly
• Due Date — Adjust the payment deadline
• Amount — Change the bill total if the original amount was wrong
• Returns — Update the returns or credits amount
• Reference — Add or change the reference number
• Notes — Add, edit, or remove notes
• Vendor — Change the vendor (unless locked to a purchase order)
• Location — Change the assigned location (unless locked to a purchase order)

All changes take effect when you click Save and Close or Save and New.

When Editing Is Restricted

Purchase Order Lock

When a bill is linked to a purchase order, several fields are locked to maintain consistency with the PO:

• The Bill Date picker is disabled
• The Vendor dropdown is disabled
• The Location dropdown is disabled
• The Amount and Returns fields become read-only
• A lock icon is displayed on the form to indicate the bill is locked to a transaction

This lock ensures that the bill's key financial details match the originating purchase order. If you need to change these fields, you must first update or unlink the associated purchase order.

Cancelled Bills

When a bill has been cancelled, the bill form opens in a restricted state:

• The Payments section is disabled
• The Cancel Bill button is disabled (the bill is already cancelled)
• You can still view all bill details and payment history

Cancelled bills cannot be un-cancelled. If you need to re-enter a cancelled bill, create a new bill with the same details.

Permission Restrictions

If you have the FIN_VIEW_BILLS permission but not FIN_CREATE_BILL, you can open and view bills but cannot save changes. The Save and Close and Save and New buttons will be disabled.

Validation Rules

When saving an edited bill, the system validates:

• A vendor must be selected
• The bill amount must be a valid number greater than or equal to zero
• The bill date and due date must be valid dates
• A location must be selected

If validation fails, the system displays an error message and the save does not proceed. Correct the highlighted issue and try saving again.

Bill Balance Recalculation

When you change the Amount or Returns fields, the bill balance is recalculated automatically. The balance formula is:

Balance = Amount - Returns - Total Payments + Credits and Refunds

The updated balance displays immediately on the bill form after saving. If the new amount is less than what has already been paid, the bill may show an Overpaid status.

Status Display on the Form

The bill form displays the current status in the group box header. For example, a bill might show "Bill # 1234 (Unpaid)" or "Bill # 1234 (Paid)." New bills that have not yet been processed show just "New Bill" or "Bill # 1234" without a status suffix.

What to Read Next

• Understanding Bill Statuses — Learn how statuses change as payments are recorded
• Recording Payments on a Bill — Add a payment to reduce the balance
• Canceling a Bill — Cancel a bill that is no longer needed