> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.payreque.st/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Refund Requests

> How customers can request refunds for paid invoices through the customer portal

## Overview

Customers can request refunds for paid invoices directly from their customer portal. Instead of needing to contact you through a generic support form, they get a dedicated, streamlined refund request page linked to the specific invoice they want refunded.

<Info>
  Refund requests don't process refunds automatically. They create a support ticket of type "Refund Request" for you to review and act on. You remain in full control of whether to approve or decline the refund.
</Info>

## How It Works

### Customer Experience

When a customer views a **paid** invoice in their customer portal, they see a **"Request Refund"** button next to the "Download PDF" button in the invoice actions area.

<Steps>
  <Step title="View Paid Invoice">
    Customer navigates to their invoice detail page in the customer portal and sees the "Request Refund" button alongside other actions
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review Invoice Summary">
    After clicking the button, a dedicated refund request page loads showing the full invoice summary: invoice number, date, amount, and line items
  </Step>

  <Step title="Provide Reason">
    Customer fills in a subject (pre-filled with the invoice number) and writes a reason for their refund request using a rich text editor
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit Request">
    Customer submits the form. A support ticket is created with type "Refund Request", linked directly to the invoice, and the customer is redirected back to the invoice detail page with a success message
  </Step>
</Steps>

### What Gets Created

When a customer submits a refund request, a **Support Request** record is created with:

| Field              | Value                                                  |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Type**           | Refund Request                                         |
| **Priority**       | Medium                                                 |
| **Related Record** | The specific invoice (automatically linked)            |
| **Subject**        | Pre-filled with "Refund request for invoice \[number]" |
| **Message**        | Customer's reason for the refund                       |
| **Status**         | Open                                                   |

### Duplicate Prevention

The system prevents customers from submitting multiple refund requests for the same invoice:

* If an **open or in-review** refund request already exists for that invoice, the "Request Refund" button on the invoice detail page changes to a disabled **"Refund Requested"** button
* If the customer navigates directly to the refund request page, they see a callout informing them that a request has already been submitted, with a link to view their existing ticket

## Managing Refund Requests

### Viewing Requests

Refund requests appear in your **Support Requests** section alongside all other customer requests. You can filter by type "Refund Request" to see only refund-related tickets.

Each refund request is automatically linked to the relevant invoice, so you can quickly see:

* Which invoice the customer wants refunded
* The invoice amount and items
* The customer's stated reason

### Processing a Refund

<Steps>
  <Step title="Review the Request">
    Open the refund request from your Support Requests page. Review the customer's reason and the linked invoice details
  </Step>

  <Step title="Decide on the Refund">
    Determine whether to approve a full refund, partial refund, or decline the request based on your business policies
  </Step>

  <Step title="Process via Mollie">
    If approved, process the refund through your Mollie dashboard or via the invoice's refund functionality in PayRequest
  </Step>

  <Step title="Update the Ticket">
    Respond to the customer through the support ticket and mark it as Resolved (or Rejected if declined)
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Respond to refund requests promptly. Quick, clear communication builds customer trust even when you need to decline a refund.
</Tip>

## Where Customers Find It

The "Request Refund" button appears in two locations, depending on your shop setup:

* **Standard shop URL**: `yourshop.payrequest.shop/customer/invoices/{id}`
* **Custom domain**: `shop.yourbusiness.com/customer/invoices/{id}`

The refund request page is accessible at:

* **Standard**: `/shop/{storename}/customer/invoices/{id}/refund`
* **Custom domain**: `/customer/invoices/{id}/refund`

<Warning>
  The "Request Refund" button only appears for invoices with a **paid** status. Unpaid, pending, or canceled invoices do not show the refund option.
</Warning>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Customer Portal" icon="user" href="/customer-management/customer-portal">
    Learn more about the full customer portal experience
  </Card>

  <Card title="Handling Chargebacks" icon="shield" href="/payment-processing/handling-chargebacks">
    Understand the difference between refund requests and chargebacks
  </Card>

  <Card title="Invoice Payment Links" icon="link" href="/invoices/invoice-payment-links">
    Share payment links with customers for unpaid invoices
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment Reminders" icon="bell" href="/invoices/payment-reminders">
    Set up automated reminders for unpaid invoices
  </Card>
</CardGroup>