Returns without a bill

Sometimes a customer brings a book back without the bill: a gift, a lost receipt, a purchase from long ago. When the bill can be found, take the return against it, which refunds exactly what was paid (see Returns, reprints and A4 invoices). When it cannot, Return without a bill takes the items back at today's price. It is a return document of its own, with its own number, on the Returns page like any other.

Before you start

• Who may take it. Returns need the returns permission, which owners and managers have. A cashier can start one too; before it is saved, a manager approves that exact return with their PIN. See PIN sign-in and manager approval.
• An open shift on this counter, as for any return: the refund goes through a counted drawer.
• A reason, always.
• The item must have been in the shop before. A copy goes back into stock at the item's cost, so an item that was never bought or counted in here cannot come back this way: "… has never been bought or counted in here, so it has no cost to go back at. It cannot be returned without a bill."

How to take a return without a bill

1. Open Returns (under Sales) and choose Return without a bill.
2. In Add an item, type the title, ISBN or SKU and choose the item. Add every item coming back.
3. For each line, check the Unit (a single pencil from a box, for example) and the Qty.
4. The Price is filled in with the unit's price today, shown as Today Rs … under the title. To refund a different price, type it and write why under Why another price, for example bought in last month's sale. Without a reason a different price is refused.
5. Tick Damaged for a copy that cannot be sold again. It is kept apart as damaged stock instead of going back on the shelf.
6. Choose the Customer only to refund to their khata or advance; otherwise leave Walk-in (no customer).
7. Choose Refund by and type the Reason (required), for example gift returned, no receipt.
8. Choose Take the return. A cashier sees Ask a manager and refund: the manager chooses their name and types their PIN, and the return is saved.

BooksPOS shows, for example, "MAIN-C1-R000007: refunded Rs 315.00 (Cash) without a bill." If receipts print automatically, the return receipt prints; it says Original bill: None (without a bill). The return then opens on its own page.

A return without a bill. Items come back at today's price with a reason; an item never bought or counted in here is refused. Screenshot of the current build (28 Sep 2026), synthetic demo data.

What is refunded and where the copies go

• The price. Today's price of that unit is the standard selling price for a walk-in customer, without promotions. A price you type instead needs a reason, which is kept on the return's line.
• Tax. An item with a tax rate refunds its tax on top of the price, at the item's rate today, as a sale would charge it. For example 3 copies at Rs 100 with 5% tax refund Rs 315.00. The tax goes back out of Sales tax payable, never out of your sales.
• Stock. Copies go back to the shop floor as sellable, or as damaged, through the stock ledger. They go back at the item's average cost today, or its last known cost when none is on hand, so your stock value stays true.
• The books. Like any return: sales returns and the tax refunded against the refund's route, and the copies' cost back from cost of goods sold. The day's figures, the shift's Z report and the Returns page all include it.

On the Returns page and with FBR

On Returns the row says Without a bill where a return against a bill shows the bill's number, and the search finds it by its number or its customer. Its own page shows the badge Without a bill, the price reasons, and who approved it when a manager did.

When FBR POS integration is on, FBR gets a credit note for it with an empty RefUSIN, because there is no invoice to refer to. Each item goes with its own tax rate and PCT code. It is sent straight after saving and waits for nothing else. See FBR POS integration.

Common questions

When should I use a return without a bill instead of finding the bill?

Only when the bill really cannot be found. Search Sales by the customer's name or the day first: a return against the bill refunds exactly what was paid, discounts included.

Can I refund more than today's price?

You can type any price above zero with a reason, and the reason is kept on the return. The owner sees it on the return's page and in the audit log.

Why was an item refused with "no cost to go back at"?

The shop has never bought, received or counted that item, so BooksPOS cannot value the copy coming back. Check the item is the right edition.

Does a cashier's approval stay for the next return?

No. The manager approves one return, with those items, prices and refund. The next one needs its own approval.

Related guides

• Returns, reprints and A4 invoices
• PIN sign-in and manager approval
• Khata: customers, credit limits and recoveries
• Shifts and closing the day