Refunds, Voids & Comps: Fix Mistakes Without Breaking the Books

Every sale goes wrong sometimes — wrong item, changed mind, kitchen mistake. The difference between a smooth recovery and a reconciliation nightmare is whether your POS treats the fix as a first-class transaction.

Void before it settles, refund after

• Void the line or the whole ticket while it's still open — nothing hits the ledger, and the audit log records who voided and why.
• Once payment settles, issue a refund against the original transaction instead of editing history — the paper trail stays intact.
• Keep partial refunds simple: return one item from a five-item sale without touching the other four.

Comps are marketing, not mistakes

• Comp the dessert for the anniversary table or the remake for the kitchen error — but tag the reason so comps don't hide inside discounts.
• Require a manager reason code on comps above your threshold so generosity stays intentional.
• Review comp reasons weekly; a spike in "kitchen error" comps is an operations signal, not just a cost.

Reconcile every fix at close

1. Match every void, refund, and comp against its original ticket before closing the day.
2. Confirm refunded payments actually returned to the guest's card — issued is not the same as settled.
3. Export the day's adjustment log with your sales so accountants see fixes alongside revenue, not as a surprise.

Use Swagger UI or OpenAPI for the current refund, void, and adjustment request shapes.