> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.finerd.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Record a refund
> Record a refund in finerd: refund a recorded expense, enter one without the purchase, fix a bank refund and see how refunds count in reports.
When a shop gives your money back, record a refund instead of a new income. finerd books it in the purchase's category, so your spending in that category goes down and your income doesn't change.
Refund an expense you recorded
Choose the original expense, and finerd fills in the refund from it: the same merchant, category and account, the full amount and today's date. Check it and change what's different before you save; nothing is recorded until you select **Save**.
* Only part of the money came back: change the amount.
* The money came back to another account: change the account in **To**.
* A transfer can't be refunded: finerd shows **Validation error**. Choose the purchase itself.
The refund keeps the purchase's accrual month, which you can see under the category.
1. On the **Dashboard** or the **Transactions** page, select **Add transaction**, then **Refund**.
2. On **Select refunded transaction**, find the purchase: type the merchant in **Search** or use the filters. Select the purchase.
3. Check the amount, **From** (the purchase's category) and **To** (the account the money came back to). For a partial refund, select the amount and enter what came back.
4. Select **Save**. finerd confirms with **Transaction created on** and the date.
The Android app doesn't have **Refund** yet. Record the refund on the web or in the iOS app.
1. On **Dashboard** or **Transactions**, tap **+**, then **Refund**.
2. On **Select refunded transaction**, tap the purchase. To find it faster, type the merchant in **Search**.
3. Check the amount, **From** and **To**. For a partial refund, tap the amount, enter what came back and tap **Apply**.
4. Tap **Save**.
The refund appears in **Transactions** under the merchant's name with a plus sign, for example **IKEA** **+\$40.00**, and the account's balance goes up by the amount.
Record a refund without the original transaction
If the purchase isn't in finerd, for example you didn't record it, enter the refund yourself. You give the amount and the merchant who refunded you; finerd takes the category and the account from that merchant's latest transaction. Nothing is recorded until you select **Save**.
Check both sides before you save:
* **From** must be the category of the purchase. If it shows an income category, such as **Uncategorized Income**, or **Choose category**, select the purchase's category: otherwise the refund isn't counted against your spending.
* **To** must be the account the money came back to.
1. On the **Dashboard** or the **Transactions** page, select **Add transaction**, then **Refund**.
2. On **Select refunded transaction**, select **Skip**.
3. On **Refund amount**, enter the amount, check the currency and select **Continue**.
4. On **Select refund source**, search for the merchant and select it. If it isn't found, select **Add merchant manually**.
5. Check **From** and **To**, then select **Save**.
The Android app doesn't have **Refund** yet. Record the refund on the web or in the iOS app.
1. On **Dashboard** or **Transactions**, tap **+**, then **Refund**.
2. Tap **Skip and enter manually**.
3. On **Select refund source**, tap the merchant. To find it, type its name in the search field. If you don't know the merchant, tap **Skip**.
4. On **Refund amount**, enter the amount, check the currency and tap **Continue**.
5. Check **From** and **To**, then tap **Save**.
The refund appears in **Transactions** like a refund of a recorded purchase, for example **Starbucks** **+\$4.80**.
When a refund comes from your bank
If your bank is connected, the refund arrives on its own as money coming into your account. Don't record it again with **Refund**: fix the bank's transaction instead.
finerd doesn't link a bank refund to your purchase. Check its category: if it's an income category, such as **Uncategorized Income** (in the iOS app, **Choose category**), change **From** to the purchase's category, for example **Long-Distance Travel** for a cancelled flight. The refund then lowers your spending in that category instead of adding income. The bank's account, amount and date stay as they are.
1. Open the refund in **Transactions**. To find it, type the merchant in **Search**.
2. Select the category under **From**.
3. In the list that opens, open **Expense categories** or type the category in **Search**, then select the purchase's category.
4. Select **Save**.
1. Open the refund in **Transactions**.
2. Tap the category under **From**.
3. Under **Expense categories**, tap the purchase's category.
4. Tap **Save**.
1. Open the refund in **Transactions**.
2. Under **From**, tap **Choose category** or the category shown.
3. Tap **Categories** or type the category in **Search**, then tap the purchase's category.
4. Tap **Save**.
How a refund is counted
A refund lowers your spending in its category; it isn't counted as income. Which month it lowers depends on the date setting of the [**Expenses** report](/reports/customize-report#date-basis):
| Report setting | Where the refund counts | Example: \$40 paid on Sep 15, refunded on Oct 5 |
| - | - | - |
| **Accrual month** (the default) | In the purchase's month: the refund keeps its accrual month | September's spending in the category drops by \$40; October doesn't change |
| **Transaction date** | In the month you record the refund | September keeps the $40; October drops by $40 and can show a negative amount |
A refund you enter without the purchase counts in the month you record it.
finerd doesn't link a refund to the purchase and doesn't stop you from refunding the same purchase twice. If a refund is in your records twice, for example you recorded it and the bank sent it too, [delete your own copy](/transactions/add-transaction#delete).
To switch the report between the two settings:
Open **Reports** → **Expenses**, select **Accrual month** at the top and choose **Transaction date**. Choose **Accrual month** to switch back.
Open **Reports** → **Expenses**, tap the period at the top, then choose **By transaction date** or **By accrual month** in the period's menu.
Open **Reports** → **Expenses** and tap the period at the top. Tap **Accrual month** to switch it to **Transaction date**, then tap **Apply**.
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