Can I backdate, edit, or delete a transaction?

[AC]

The title of this post has been edited from the original:  Can you delete a transaction?

How do you delete a completed "Cash" transaction? I ran it just as a test.

[AC]

The title of this post has been edited from the original:  Can you delete a transaction?

[#3]

Hi @TheGlencafe,

Right now we have no plans to add the ability to backdate, delete or manipulate transaction information after a sale is complete. 

For context, the ability to manipulate transactions can cause issues for reporting and chargebacks. Also, it would make it easier for fraudsters and scammers to commit crimes using Square Point of Sale. 

If you have test cash transactions in your transaction history, you can always refund these payments to balance your books. See our help article on how to refund a payment.

Hopefully this has provided some transparency on this request, and why it's not available. 

[#4]

Hello @alexaiezza, welcome to the Seller Community! 

Currently adding the ability to delete a transaction is not on our road map. The reasoning behind this is we use this information to submit 1099-K's to the IRS. I'm not saying you would do this, but it would be easy to cook your books if this ability was available. 

Another request on this thread is to be able to void transactions so they don't show on reports. Currently we are in the process of collecting feedback for this request. I don't have a timeline on when it might be available. 

If you have any other questions please let me know! 

[#5]

@TomTr

I appreciate your feedback in regards to this. I know you've probably read this multiple times within the Seller Community, but we really do send customer feedback over to our Product Teams, and advocate for changes for you.

I absolutely agree that a void feature would help with training and testing, and also make reporting look a lot cleaner as well. You make a great point that with test payments, or payments made by mistake, nothing is ever actually sold, so your gross sales report shouldn't reflect a sale (which is what results when issuing a refund).

As you've alluded to in your previous post, there are two different requests within this thread. Some folks are looking for the ability to completely remove or delete a transaction, which isn't possible at this time. We don’t have any new information around whether or not this will ever become available.

The other option that folks are looking for, having an option to mark payments that have been completed as voided/cancelled rather than refunded, would help sellers a ton and we’ll continue to reiterate that to the team on your behalf.

We know this request is important to you, so as soon as there are updates that we’re able to share publicly, we will.

I hope this provides more clarity, and thank you all, again, for your feedback!

[#6]

Maybe the Square team can find a way to mark the transactions as Void, so that they do not affect sales totals, but neither are the transactions erased.

From an accounting standpoint, I can see why they would not let a transaction just be deleted. There has to be a documentation trail.

When I have to make test transactions, when I refund the transaction I make note that it was a test transaction and that is why it was refunded. There is also the "Accidental Charge" notation available.

Then when I download my sales reports, I sort the test transactions out and make a note in my saved spreadsheet.

[Russell]

Hey there @Pkeegs & @aram - 

Thanks for posting to the community. 

I moved your posts to this thread. As you can see - a lot of sellers want to ability to delete transaction history. 

Before my time at Square, I spent many years managing retail stores and have tried many point of sale software programs. I know first hand how complicated trying to fix a transaction error or accidental transaction can be and have wished for this feature myself, however, I have never seen the option to delete transaction history on any program.

Still, I will be sure let our Product Team know that both of you are looking for this feature for your businesses. 👍 

[RussEdworthyArt]

Adding my voice to the crowd. This is a vital feature, required for training, or simply if you made an error. Please prioritize it for development soon!

[RussEdworthyArt]

Exactly, MTSU! We're just doing as we're told, and we're being led astray!

Regardless of other complexities, it should be easy to fix the intro instructions and add a warning! Good call 🙂

[Russell]

Hey @RussEdworthyArt - thanks for chiming in! 

I'll be sure to let our Product Team know that you're looking for a training mode on Point of Sale. 

[KatM]

Maybe the Square team can find a way to mark the transactions as Void, so that they do not affect sales totals, but neither are the transactions erased.

From an accounting standpoint, I can see why they would not let a transaction just be deleted. There has to be a documentation trail.

When I have to make test transactions, when I refund the transaction I make note that it was a test transaction and that is why it was refunded. There is also the "Accidental Charge" notation available.

Then when I download my sales reports, I sort the test transactions out and make a note in my saved spreadsheet.

[Russell]

@KatM - thanks 💯 for sharing - you are right on with this advice! 

[DrewJohnston]

I totally agree with this, keep a record of it just remove it from sales totals, it's very annoying to reconcile your books otherwise.

[creatorofstuff]

To add to that, if you void a transaction, or create a refund, it would be nice to be able to actually return the product, so your inventory reflects the change. That was my biggest gripe. Having to remember which "sold" items were actually test transactions for which I created a refund. 

[Russell]

Hey @creatorofstuff - 

The current version of Point of Sale for iOS (stay tuned for Android) now offers itemized refunds. This should resolve the issue with reporting. 👍

[myersbw]

That's my whole point...VOID the transaction as most any cash register would.  I don't really care if it is "in the system".  But, there should be no inventory change (or, it's auto-corrected) and we shouldn't see improper totals because we can't void properly.  A void is not a refund.  Refunding is not the way to correct a mistake.  If this company is making as much as it is from international sales efforts by all users...it ought to have a void feature from day one.  If not, Square is improperly reporting everyone's tax records that do refunds where a void should occur.