CiviCRM Community Forums (archive)

I would like to know what the best way to do a full or partial refund for memberships and/or events. I'll give a couple scenarios.

I have an event that costs $600. Within that event I have a price set for an optional tour for $40. The person pays for both, but later decides that she does not want to go on the tour. How would I do a refund for only that tour?

I have a member that pays for a $39 membership for her friend, but her friend passes away before she can get her membership (I know it's morbid, but it happens). I know I can cancel the order and put in the notes section that she was refunded, but is there a better way to do this?

I think what you should do will depend on what you need in terms of accounting information.

My association reconciles  income received (sub-totalled by payments instrument) with income allocated (sub-totalled by accounting code) through Civi on a daily basis.

Income comes in (or is refunded) via an online payment gateway or via a standalone eftpos terminal (or sometimes cheques or cash).   So if we refund a payment we have to record it as a negative contribution of the correct payment type against the appropriate accounting code in Civi to keep the bookkeeper happy.
 
When we  record a negative contribution we use a refunds price set with a price field for each accounting code. We use the contributions-by-line-item extended report grouping by price field label for the income allocated daily report.  When matched with a contributions report grouped by payment instrument this gives our bookkeeper all the info she needs.