Correct or cancel an invoice with a traceable record

Establish what is wrong first

An incorrect address and a duplicated charge need not use the same correction route. Record invoice number, customer, project, issue date and disputed information. Check whether it is a draft or already issued and delivered, and identify payments, previous corrections and final invoices referencing it.

Correct a genuine draft

Open a not-yet-issued draft with Edit, change the fields, save and check the PDF preview. A filename containing “draft” does not prove its actual state. If the customer already received a version, establish which one and keep the communication rather than creating conflicting files.

Distinguish details from changed amounts

§ 31(5) UStDV permits correcting missing or inaccurate invoice information through a document clearly referring to the original, subject to the applicable invoice requirements. This is not a blanket rule to cancel every error completely.

Clarify the correct master data, agreed and delivered quantities, prices, tax treatment and any now-obsolete invoice. Resolve tax uncertainty with accounting or an adviser before issuing another document.

Preserve the original reference

Depending on permissions and status, an issued invoice offers Korrekturrechnung erstellen and Gutschrift erstellen. These start follow-up documents; the transaction determines the appropriate choice.

Check the source reference and all copied items, especially signs, quantities, taxes and totals. Creating a follow-up document does not itself settle the original claim.

Under German VAT terminology, Gutschrift can mean agreed self-billing by the recipient, which differs from every everyday use of “credit note”. § 14(2) UStG explains the statutory meaning. A software label does not replace classification of the case.

Separate correction from money movement

A reduction after payment does not execute a refund. A cancellation is not proof of a bank movement. Compare the original amount, correction and allocated payments separately. Document any agreed refund or offset. Never invent a payment merely to make a status look complete.

Record real transactions using Zahlung erfassen and check date, amount and method.

Review the electronic format too

Where e-invoicing is mandatory, corrections generally also need the corresponding structured format, subject to applicable transition rules. Editing a visible PDF alone does not fix every error in the data. The Finance Ministry FAQ covers correction; the format comparison explains outputs.

Check the actual file and delivery route. Keep original, correction and recipient response together, inform accounting of the current balance and assign one person to coordinate rather than correcting in parallel.

Read team permissions and accounting preparation. As of 6 October 2026, concerning the German context and the specific transaction.