1. Confirm the expected credit
Find the approval and its agreed value. Check that the record represents a supplier-approved financial adjustment rather than a return request, shipping notification or estimated claim. If the supplier has not accepted the amount, record it as an unresolved commercial discussion. Do not present it as a confirmed missing credit.
2. Check the matching fields
Compare the supplier identifier, expected reference and currency. A supplier name written differently in two exports can break an exact match. A credit note may carry a supplier RMA number while your returns log contains an internal reference. Normalize the relationship with the finance owner’s approval; do not silently guess that similar-looking strings are the same document.
3. Check dates and the snapshot
Agree the cutoff and the review window. A note issued after the snapshot will correctly be absent from that snapshot but may already exist today. VendorCredits currently uses a seven-day missing-credit review window by default. That is a software setting, not a contractual payment deadline. Check the applicable commercial agreement before deciding a supplier is late.
4. Search for split notes and exclusions
One approved return can be covered by several notes. Sum valid notes against that expectation before deciding whether the credit is missing or partial. If a note covers several returns, an agreed allocation may be needed before import. Duplicate references and overcredits should be held for review, not turned into larger recovery estimates.
5. Build a small evidence handoff
Record the approved amount, supplier code, reference, approval date, snapshot date, notes found and remaining difference. Add the original approval location and a clear question for the person responsible. Keep sensitive attachments in the approved client system rather than pasting them into an initial enquiry or unrestricted email thread.
6. Record what actually resolves the item
A supplier response can explain timing, confirm a note number or challenge the approved value. Update the review notes and verify the new evidence. Marking “resolved” in a workflow is different from checking that the note was issued and ultimately applied. Those later stages deserve their own confirmation.
Use this as a repeatable control
Keep a small sample of correctly credited returns alongside the exceptions. It helps reveal mapping mistakes and incomplete exports before you chase suppliers. VendorCredits’ fictional demo shows the evidence view and review history; real-data findings must be checked by the finance team before external action.
A missing match can have several explanations
| Observation | Check before escalation |
|---|---|
| No document found | Correct scope and alternate reference |
| Only part of the value found | Split notes and agreed deduction |
| Document after cutoff | Timing, not the earlier snapshot |
| Credit exists but balance remains | AP application, not another note |
Your action checklist
- Find the supplier approval and amount.
- Confirm the export contains the agreed population.
- Match supplier, RMA and currency.
- Look for partial notes and different references.
- Check the agreed timing and name the next owner.
Practical questions
How long should I wait?
Use the agreed supplier terms and issue date. A software grace period is not a universal legal deadline.
What should I ask the supplier?
Ask for the document reference, expected issue date or explanation of the specific difference. See the email examples.
All examples are fictional. Educational material, not accounting, tax or legal advice. Verify findings against the underlying records.