How do you record a partial payment on an invoice and leave a remaining balance?

• A. Void the invoice and issue a new one for the partial amount.
• B. Use Receive Payment to apply the partial amount to the invoice; the remaining balance remains as due amount.
• C. Apply a credit memo for the full amount and ignore balance.
• D. Create a separate invoice for the balance and leave the original unpaid.

Answer: (B)

Recording a partial payment against an existing invoice keeps the original sales record intact while reflecting what the customer has paid and what remains due. Using the payment-receipt function to apply only part of the invoiced amount reduces the invoice balance accordingly and leaves the remaining balance on the same invoice, so accounts receivable and aging stay accurate. This approach preserves the customer’s payment history and the original invoice details for future reference.

Voiding the invoice and issuing a new one would disrupt the actual transaction history and complicate reconciliation. A credit memo for the full amount would negate the entire sale and erase the partial payment record, not what happened. Creating a separate invoice for the balance duplicates billing and fragments the customer’s outstanding balance.