What the workbook does
The workbook contains separate English and Polish sheets with the same layout. Each row is one supplier, one approved return and one currency. Enter the approved amount, the total of related credit notes and the amount applied to those notes. Two formula columns show the signed differences. Sample rows are explicitly fictional; replace them before using the tracker. Empty inputs do not silently become zero.
How to enter a case
Use a stable supplier code and return reference. Confirm that the supplier approved a financial credit rather than a repair or replacement. Add together distinct credit notes linked to that return, then total their confirmed applications. Enter 0 only when you have checked the complete source and the amount is genuinely zero. A blank means the input is not yet available. Keep your source documents separately.
Do not count the same credit twice
If one credit note covers multiple returns, allocate its value using a documented rule before entering separate rows. Do the same for applications. The workbook does not automatically match raw document lines or detect repeated business references. Do not repeat the full credit value under each return; that would overstate issued credits and could hide a missing amount.
Use the two differences correctly
Approved minus issued tests the credit value. Issued minus applied tests the application balance. A negative value stays visible and calls for a source check, such as a duplicate or an allocation error. Do not convert it to a positive recovery claim. A positive balance can also be legitimate when the credit is waiting for an agreed settlement date.
When to move beyond this tracker
A workbook can be enough for a small, well-owned process. Consider a shared review workflow when several people need evidence, history and consistent status handling. Compare preparation time and false positives before introducing another system. VendorCredits currently works with an agreed data format; the free workbook is not an ERP integration or a file that can be uploaded unchanged to the pilot.
Fictional example, one currency
| Stage | Amount in EUR | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Approved return | 1,000.00 | Supplier approval |
| Credits issued | 800.00 | Related credit notes |
| Applied | 500.00 | AP application records |
| Credit-value difference | 200.00 | Check with supplier owner |
| Application balance | 300.00 | Check with finance |
Your action checklist
- One row represents one approved return and currency.
- Amounts use the same net/gross basis.
- Split credits and applications are counted once.
- Record a review owner and next action.
Practical questions
Is this a free download?
Yes. No account, email gate, macros or subscription are required.
Can I combine EUR and PLN?
Not in a monetary total. Keep currencies separate; the tracker does not perform exchange-rate conversion.
Is the spreadsheet uploaded to VendorCredits?
No. Download it and use it locally. Sharing it elsewhere is your decision.
All examples are fictional. Educational material, not accounting, tax or legal advice. Verify findings against the underlying records.