Quick answer
Keep one record for each claim with the original invoice, disputed lines, promised remedy, supplier reference, owner and next follow-up date. Close it only when the agreed credit or replacement is verified. If the supplier says it has issued a credit, ask for the document and check which invoice or account it was applied to.
Separate the stages instead of writing “sorted”
A driver acknowledging a damaged case, a sales representative agreeing a credit and the accounts team issuing it are separate events. If you collapse them into one “done” status, the person checking the statement cannot see what remains missing. A small shop can manage this with a spreadsheet or a page in its existing delivery log.
Use plain stages such as reported, acknowledged, remedy agreed, document received and account checked. Record an expected date only when someone has agreed it, or clearly label your own date as a reminder. This avoids presenting your follow-up target as a supplier commitment.
Track the outstanding amount, not the original complaint
Imagine a gift shop reports six damaged mugs at an illustrative wholesale price of £4 each: £24 before tax. The supplier agrees to credit four and asks for more photographs of two. The outstanding question is now £8, while £16 is awaiting its credit document. A single £24 total hides that distinction.
Record partial outcomes by line. If the supplier sends replacements, note their arrival and condition rather than expecting a credit as well. If a credit is less than expected, check unit price, quantity and applicable tax with the supplier or bookkeeper before assuming deliberate underpayment.
| Record | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Original invoice and affected line | Connects the claim to the charge |
| Claim reference and agreed remedy | Preserves what was actually agreed |
| Amount or quantity still open | Handles partial resolutions |
| Named owner and next action date | Prevents a shared task becoming nobody’s task |
| Credit number or replacement receipt | Evidence of the outcome |
Chase the missing step
If no remedy has been agreed, ask for a decision on the claim. If it has been agreed but no document has arrived, contact the team that issues credits. If the document exists but the statement is wrong, send the credit number to accounts. Repeating the full original complaint to everyone wastes time and can create duplicate cases.
Hello [name], following up claim [reference] against invoice [number]. On [date], you confirmed a credit for [items/amount]. We have not yet received the credit note. Please send it to [accounts email] and confirm how it will appear on our account. If further information is needed, please identify the missing item so we can supply it.
Check what the credit actually does
HMRC describes credit notes as documents that amend invoices. A credit note does not by itself mean cash has returned to your bank account: the agreed outcome may be an account offset, a refund or another arrangement. Ask the supplier and tell your bookkeeper which one applies.
Review open claims alongside supplier statements at an interval that fits your payment cycle. Keep the original invoice and credit together, and make sure a second manager has not already received the document. Where you dispute a balance, follow the contract and obtain advice if needed; do not treat this tracking method as permission to withhold all payment.
Further reading: HMRC: purpose of a credit note
Unpickle keeps the shortage or damage record with the delivery. Use that evidence in your supplier follow-up, and keep formal credit allocation in your accounting records. Record the delivery issue in Unpickle.