Editing or deleting a receipt¶
In short: Open the receipt and click Edit to change its details, or VOID RECEIPT (top-left) to delete it with a reason. Once a Section 18A certificate has been issued for a receipt, its amount and donation date lock, and the receipt can't be voided until the certificate is removed.
Overview¶
You can change the details of a receipt or remove (void) one captured in error. There are important restrictions once a receipt has a Section 18A certificate attached, because changing or deleting it could invalidate a tax certificate. Voiding is ActiveDonor's term for deleting a receipt — it keeps a record and is shown as REVOKED.
Before you start¶
You'll need:
- The Manage Receipts permission.
- A receipt that isn't for a deceased donor (you can't edit those).
Editing a receipt¶
Step 1: Open the receipt¶
Open it from the Receipts list (click the receipt), or from the donor's page.
Step 2: Click Edit¶
In the receipt pop-up, click Edit in the footer.
Step 3: Change the fields¶
Change what you need: amount, donation date, receipt method, allocations, the Section 18A toggle, or the extra fields. See Receipt fields and the Section 18A toggle for what each field does.
Step 4: Keep allocations balanced¶
Make sure the project allocation amounts still total the receipt amount, or saving fails with "The total allocations amount must equal receipt amount entered above."
Step 5: Save¶
Save. A confirmation appears that the receipt has been updated.
Editing a receipt after a Section 18A certificate has been issued¶
If a Section 18A certificate has already been issued for the receipt, only the amount and donation date are locked. Every other field stays editable — receipt method, allocations, type, the Section 18A toggle and the extra fields.
If you try to change the amount or date, the save is rejected with one of:
- "Error editing reciept amount. This receipt has a certificate issued.", or
- "Error editing reciept date. This receipt has a certificate issued."
(The wording above — "reciept" — is exactly as the app shows it.)
To change a locked amount or date, first remove the certificate, then edit the receipt, then re-issue the certificate. See Regenerating certificates after changing details.
📌 Note: Only the amount and date are blocked after a certificate is issued. You don't need to remove the certificate just to change the receipt method, allocations or notes.
Voiding (deleting) a receipt¶
Step 1: Open the receipt¶
Open it from the Receipts list or the donor's page.
Step 2: Click VOID RECEIPT¶
In the top-left of the pop-up, click VOID RECEIPT.
Step 3: Enter a reason¶
Enter a reason for voiding when prompted — a reason is required, or you'll see "Please enter a reason to void this receipt."
Step 4: Confirm¶
Confirm. The receipt is voided and a confirmation appears ("Receipt has been voided successfully.").
A voided receipt shows as REVOKED, with the reason and the date it was voided. It stays visible — tick Show Revoked Receipts on the Receipts page to see it — but no longer counts as an active donation.
When you cannot void a receipt¶
A receipt cannot be voided while it has a Section 18A certificate issued. The VOID RECEIPT button is disabled, with the note "Cannot void receipt that has a certificate issued. Delete 18A certificate, then void this receipt." Remove the certificate first, then void the receipt. If you reach the action another way, the server replies "This receipt can not be voided since it has a certificate issued."
Receipts created via CSV upload¶
Receipts imported from a CSV/bank file are edited and voided the same way as any other receipt. The Batch Uploads history doesn't delete receipt imports in bulk — void individual receipts as needed. See Reviewing CSV upload history.
Common issues & solutions¶
| What you see | What it means | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| "Error editing reciept amount. This receipt has a certificate issued." | A Section 18A certificate is issued for this receipt, so the amount is locked. | Remove the certificate, edit the amount, then re-issue. See Regenerating certificates after changing details. |
| "Error editing reciept date. This receipt has a certificate issued." | A certificate is issued, so the donation date is locked. | Remove the certificate, edit the date, then re-issue. |
| "The total allocations amount must equal receipt amount entered above." | The project allocations don't total the receipt amount. | Adjust the allocation amounts to total the amount exactly. |
| "Cannot void receipt that has a certificate issued. Delete 18A certificate, then void this receipt." (VOID button disabled) | The receipt has a Section 18A certificate. | Remove the certificate first, then void the receipt. |
| "This receipt can not be voided since it has a certificate issued." | Same — voiding was blocked because a certificate exists. | Remove the certificate first, then void. |
| "Please enter a reason to void this receipt." | You confirmed the void without a reason. | Enter a reason, then confirm. |
FAQ¶
Can I edit a receipt after a certificate has been issued? Partly. Once a Section 18A certificate is issued, the amount and donation date are locked, but you can still edit the method, allocations, type, notes and the Section 18A toggle. To change the amount or date, remove the certificate, edit, then re-issue.
How do I change the amount or date on a receipt that has a certificate? Remove the certificate first, then edit the receipt, then re-issue the certificate — see How do I change a receipt's amount or date after a certificate has been issued? for the steps.
How do I delete a receipt? Open it and click VOID RECEIPT (top-left), then enter a reason. Voiding keeps a record (shown as REVOKED) rather than erasing it.
Why is the VOID RECEIPT button greyed out? The receipt has a Section 18A certificate issued. Remove the certificate, then void the receipt.
Can I un-void a receipt? Voided receipts stay on record as REVOKED for audit purposes. Contact ActiveDonor support if a receipt was voided in error.
Related¶
- How do I change a receipt's amount or date after a certificate has been issued?
- Creating a receipt
- Receipt fields and the Section 18A toggle
- Regenerating certificates after changing details
- Searching and filtering receipts
- Reviewing CSV upload history
Need a hand?¶
If you can't edit or void a receipt and the fixes above don't help, contact ActiveDonor support with the receipt number.