Resetting and voiding: when it's allowed, what it leaves behind

What is this page about: How to undo or correct a posted accounting document in Light: which action each document type offers, what it leaves on the ledger, who can use it, and why a closed period blocks it.

# On this page

• Correct, reset or close out
• Actions by document type
• Editing a posted document
• Resetting a posted invoice
• Voiding a posted journal entry
• What each action leaves on the ledger
• Closed and locked periods
• Who can reset or close out a document
• FAQ and troubleshooting
• Related articles

# Correct, reset or close out

There are three ways to deal with a posted document that's wrong:

• Edit changes a limited set of fields while the document stays Posted. Amounts aren't among them.
• Reset (on journal entries, Modify) reverses the document's postings and returns it to Draft, so you can correct it and post it again.
• Close out with Archive or Void reverses the postings and ends the document. Some types can be restored afterwards.

# Actions by document type

A few rules sit on top of the table:

• Journal entries: Modify returns the same entry to Draft and keeps its sequence number. With a published journal entry approval workflow, reposting shows Submit for approval, so the corrected entry goes through approval again.
• Bills: Reset isn't offered once a bill is partly or fully paid. Reset and Archive are both blocked while a posted credit entry is linked to the bill. Resetting a bill restarts its approval.
• Sales invoices: Reverse and reissue posts a customer credit that reverses the invoice, marks it Reversed, and creates a new draft copy to correct.
• Credit entries: once posted, a credit entry offers Archive only, and not after it's been applied to a bill.
• Bills in bulk: Discard Bill(s) on the Bills list closes out up to 25 bills at once. They appear on the Discarded tab.

# Editing a posted document

Edit on a posted document keeps it Posted and only opens certain fields:

• Sales invoice: the PO number, the additional text, and each line's custom and country properties.
• Customer credit: the description, document date and PO number, and each line's description, ledger account and tax code.
• Bill: a limited set of fields, while the bill is unpaid, scheduled or completed.

To change an amount, reset the document instead.

# Resetting a posted invoice

1. Open the posted invoice.
2. Open the ⋮ menu and choose Reset.
3. Confirm. The invoice returns to Draft.
4. Correct it and post it again.

For German entities, Reset is grayed out once the invoice has been emailed, or its e-invoice is processing, delivered or approved. A rejected e-invoice can still be reset. Use Reverse and reissue instead, which the tooltip points to.

# Voiding a posted journal entry

1. Open the posted journal entry.
2. Open the ⋮ menu and choose Void.
3. Confirm. The entry's status becomes Void.

To find it again later, add Void to the Status filter in the document register. See The document register: finding any document and its history.

# What each action leaves on the ledger

Nothing is deleted. Every action that undoes a posting adds reversing postings, so the full history stays on the ledger:

• Reset and Modify reverse the original postings and return the document to Draft. Posting the corrected document adds a new set.
• Archive and Void reverse the postings and end the document.

Posting is all-or-nothing: either everything posts or nothing does. A document's sequence number, in the format TYPE/ENTITY CODE/NUMBER (for example AP/<entity code>/000000123), is assigned on first posting and kept through Reset and Modify.

# Closed and locked periods

Reversing postings are dated the document's original posting date, not today. If that period is closed, the action fails with "Accounting period is closed". If it's locked, the message is "Accounting period is locked", or "Accounting period is locked for this entity". Light doesn't move the reversal to the next open period.

To go ahead, either reopen the original period and retry, or leave the period closed and post a correcting entry in the current open period. Reopening a period also reopens every later one, so close them again when you're done. See Closing Periods and Month-End Close.

# Who can reset or close out a document

Editing a posted bill also sits with AP clerk and AP preparation.

# FAQ and troubleshooting

Why isn't there a Reset option on this document?

Check the table above. Journal entries use Modify instead, intercompany journal entries can only be voided, and bills can't be reset once paid or while a posted credit entry is linked. For German entities, a sent invoice uses Reverse and reissue instead.

Why does Reset or Void fail with a period error?

The reversal is dated the original posting date, and that period is closed or locked. Reopen it and retry, or post a correction in the current period.

Can a voided document come back?

Sales invoices and customer credits can be restored to Draft with Restore. Journal entries, bills and credit entries can't.

Does Reset or Void delete anything?

No. Both add reversing postings, and the original document and postings stay in the audit trail.

# Related articles

• Accounting Document Types and Lifecycle
• The document register: finding any document and its history
• Immutable Ledger and Audit Trail
• Closing Periods and Month-End Close
• Invoice Generation

Also searched as: reset a posted invoice, void a journal entry, modify a posted journal entry, undo a posted document, archive a bill, cancelled bill, restore a voided invoice, reverse and reissue.