I come across this problem repeatedly and can't seem to find a solution (using QB 2003)
I have taken merchandise back from a customer and issued a credit memo to that customer. The next time the customer comes in I want to apply their credit to their new bill. So I create an invoice and then go to "Receive Payments" I select the current invoice, click on the "Set Credits" button and find that there are no credits listed. This is all the more strange because "Unused Credits" in the lower right corner of the "Customer Payment" screen shows the correct credit amount. How can there be a balance in "Unused Credits" and absolutely no credits listed in the "Set Credits" window???
I'd appreciate any help I can get on this. It's driving me CRAZY!
The ability to apply payments entered at the parent level to subjobs was a much advertised 'improvement' to QB in 2003. It has its caveats though. Payments can be applied from the parent level (*ONLY*) to invoices covering multiple jobs. Credits may also be applied to invoices covering multiple jobs. But, the credits have to be created AND applied at the parent level.
To address your current situation you have two options: First option is to edit the credit memo you created to exclude the specific job, thereby posting the credit to the parent record. In the Receive Payments window, select the parent record to apply the credit to invoice(s).
Alternatively Open the customer register from the job with the credit. Create an entry to balance the credit remaining. Open the customer register for the job you wish to apply the credit to. Create a credit in the register under that job. You should put an appropriate memo in each customer register entry - something like 'Transfer CR memo #123 to job xyz'
The first method is 'quick and dirty' in that reports on payments for specific jobs under the customer will NOT SHOW the credits/payments applied under the parent record. The second method is user intensive. But, combined with a policy of posting payments ONLY to specific jobs (that means multiple 'Receive Payment' entries if one customer check covers multiple jobs) the second method provides clear reports and statements.
Both methods are best used in conjunction with the MEMO fields. Our office has a policy of ALWAYS typing the invoice number(s) to which a payment is applied in the memo field of the Receive Payments windows. Checks which are applied to multiple jobs have entries such as 'Inv #123 - Total check $123.45'. When a Customer Quick Report or statement is generated, the customer payment will show under each specific job - the corresponding memo lets the customer see the total for the check s/he wrote. The number and date of the check is, of course, recorded as well.
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