BiasDocs

Credit notes

Credit notes reduce the amount owed on an invoice. Use them to record partial or full credits—for example, when refunding a portion of a bill or correcting an overcharge.

Each credit note is tied to a single invoice and includes one or more line items that describe what is being credited. Creating, updating, or voiding a credit note recalculates the invoice’s amount_due. If a credit note brings an open invoice’s balance to zero, the invoice is marked as paid automatically.

Credit notes can only be created for invoices in draft or open status. When a credit note is created against an open invoice, Bias emails the customer automatically.

The CreditNote object

Name
object
Type
"credit_note",
Description
Literal representing the object’s type.
Name
id
Type
string,
Description
Unique identifier for the object.
Name
live
Type
boolean,
Description
Has the value true if the object exists in a production environment or the value false if the object exists in a sandbox environment.
Name
created_at
Type
integer,
Description
Time at which the object was created. Measured in milliseconds since the Unix epoch.
Name
invoice
Type
string or Invoice,
Description
Expandable. The invoice this credit note credits.
Name
line_items
Type
array of object or null,
Description
Expandable. The line items included in this credit note.
Properties
Name
memo
Type
string or null,
Description
An optional memo describing the credit note.
Name
metadata
Type
object,
Description
A key-value store that is attached to the object. Useful for storing miscellaneous structured data for your integration’s internal use.
Name
status
Type
enum,
Description
The status of the credit note.
Name
subtotal
Type
integer,
Description
The sum of the credit note line item pre-tax amounts.
Name
total
Type
integer,
Description
The total amount credited to the invoice, including taxes.
Name
total_taxes
Type
integer,
Description
The total amount of taxes on the credit note.
Name
updated_at
Type
integer,
Description
Time at which the object was last updated. Measured in milliseconds since the Unix epoch.

The CreditNote object

{
  "object": "credit_note",
  "live": false,
  "id": "cn_hxUznDJdC6eOs4OcqeVP83",
  "created_at": 1750000000000,
  "updated_at": 1750000000000,
  "invoice": "inv_2bA3FSNtE8Qmpg2ufwPmC2",
  "status": "issued",
  "line_items": [],
  "subtotal": 10000,
  "total_taxes": 875,
  "total": 10875,
  "memo": null,
  "metadata": {}
}

The CreditNoteLineItem object

Credit note line items describe individual amounts being credited. They are managed through the Credit notes API—include them when creating or updating a credit note.

Name
object
Type
"credit_note_line_item",
Description
Literal representing the object’s type.
Name
id
Type
string,
Description
Unique identifier for the object.
Name
description
Type
string or null,
Description
Optional descriptive text for this credit note line item.
Name
name
Type
string,
Description
The display name for this credit note line item.
Name
quantity
Type
number, at most 9999,
Description
The quantity being credited.
Name
subtotal
Type
integer,
Description
The pre-tax subtotal in cents (unit_amount × quantity).
Name
taxes
Type
array of objects,
Description
The taxes applied to this credit note line item.
Properties
Name
total
Type
integer,
Description
The total in cents after applying taxes.
Name
unit_amount
Type
integer,
Description
The pre-tax unit amount in cents being credited. Always positive.

The CreditNoteLineItem object

{
  "object": "credit_note_line_item",
  "id": "cnli_GHkHeA2p80fum3yG9mbpc3",
  "name": "Refund: consulting",
  "description": null,
  "unit_amount": 10000,
  "quantity": 1,
  "taxes": [
    {
      "percentage": 8.75,
      "display_name": "CA Sales Tax"
    }
  ],
  "subtotal": 10000,
  "total": 10875
}

Get a credit note

Retrieve a credit note by its ID.

Optional parameters

Name
expand
Type
object,
Properties

Returns

Returns the credit note object.

Get a credit note

const creditNote = await bias.creditNotes.get("id");

Response example

{
  "object": "credit_note",
  "live": false,
  "id": "cn_hxUznDJdC6eOs4OcqeVP83",
  "created_at": 1750000000000,
  "updated_at": 1750000000000,
  "invoice": "inv_2bA3FSNtE8Qmpg2ufwPmC2",
  "status": "issued",
  "line_items": [],
  "subtotal": 10000,
  "total_taxes": 875,
  "total": 10875,
  "memo": null,
  "metadata": {}
}

List all credit notes

Retrieve a paginated list of credit notes.

Optional parameters

Name
expand
Type
object,
Properties
Name
ending_before
Type
string,
Description
A cursor for use in pagination. ending_before is an object ID that results will end before. Used to move backward through the list.
Name
starting_after
Type
string,
Description
A cursor for use in pagination. starting_after is an object ID that results will start after. Used to move forward through the list.
Name
limit
Type
number, at least 1, at most 1000, default is 50
Description
Maximum number of objects to return.
Name
filters
Type
object, object, or object,
Description
Filters to apply to the list. Combine multiple conditions with and and or.
Properties

Returns

Returns a list of credit note objects.

List all credit notes

const creditNote = await bias.creditNotes.list();

Response example

{
  "object": "list",
  "items": {
    "object": "credit_note",
    "live": false,
    "id": "cn_hxUznDJdC6eOs4OcqeVP83",
    "created_at": 1750000000000,
    "updated_at": 1750000000000,
    "invoice": "inv_2bA3FSNtE8Qmpg2ufwPmC2",
    "status": "issued",
    "line_items": [],
    "subtotal": 10000,
    "total_taxes": 875,
    "total": 10875,
    "memo": null,
    "metadata": {}
  },
  "has_more": false
}

Create a credit note

Create a credit note against a draft or open invoice. The credit note is created in issued status and the invoice’s amount_due is updated immediately.

Required parameters

Name
invoice
Type
string,
Description
The invoice this credit note credits.
Name
line_items
Type
array of objects,
Description
The line items for this credit note.
Properties

Optional parameters

Name
expand
Type
object,
Properties
Name
default_taxes
Type
array of objects,
Description
Default taxes to apply to all line items that don't specify their own taxes.
Properties
Name
memo
Type
string or null,
Description
An optional memo describing the credit note.
Name
metadata
Type
object or null,
Description
A key-value store that is attached to the object. Useful for storing miscellaneous structured data for your integration’s internal use.

Returns

Returns the credit note object.

Create a credit note

const creditNote = await bias.creditNotes.create({
  invoice: "inv_abc123",
  line_items: [
    {
      name: "Refund: consulting",
      unit_amount: 10000,
      quantity: 1,
      taxes: [
        {
          percentage: 8.75,
          display_name: "CA Sales Tax"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
});

Response example

{
  "object": "credit_note",
  "live": false,
  "id": "cn_hxUznDJdC6eOs4OcqeVP83",
  "created_at": 1750000000000,
  "updated_at": 1750000000000,
  "invoice": "inv_2bA3FSNtE8Qmpg2ufwPmC2",
  "status": "issued",
  "line_items": [],
  "subtotal": 10000,
  "total_taxes": 875,
  "total": 10875,
  "memo": null,
  "metadata": {}
}

Update a credit note

Update an issued credit note’s line items, memo, or metadata. The parent invoice must still be in draft or open status.

Optional parameters

Name
expand
Type
object,
Properties
Name
line_items
Type
array of objects,
Description
The line items for this credit note. Replaces all existing line items.
Properties
Name
default_taxes
Type
array of objects,
Description
Default taxes to apply to all line items that don't specify their own taxes.
Properties
Name
memo
Type
string or null,
Description
An optional memo describing the credit note.
Name
metadata
Type
object or null,
Description
A key-value store that is attached to the object. Useful for storing miscellaneous structured data for your integration’s internal use.

Returns

Returns the credit note object.

Update a credit note

const creditNote = await bias.creditNotes.update("id", {
  memo: "Updated credit note memo"
});

Response example

{
  "object": "credit_note",
  "live": false,
  "id": "cn_hxUznDJdC6eOs4OcqeVP83",
  "created_at": 1750000000000,
  "updated_at": 1750000000000,
  "invoice": "inv_2bA3FSNtE8Qmpg2ufwPmC2",
  "status": "issued",
  "line_items": [],
  "subtotal": 10000,
  "total_taxes": 875,
  "total": 10875,
  "memo": null,
  "metadata": {}
}

Void a credit note

Void an issued credit note so it no longer reduces the invoice balance. Only credit notes in issued status can be voided.

Returns

Returns the credit note object.

Void a credit note

const creditNote = await bias.creditNotes.void("id");

Response example

{
  "object": "credit_note",
  "live": false,
  "id": "cn_hxUznDJdC6eOs4OcqeVP83",
  "created_at": 1750000000000,
  "updated_at": 1750000000000,
  "invoice": "inv_2bA3FSNtE8Qmpg2ufwPmC2",
  "status": "issued",
  "line_items": [],
  "subtotal": 10000,
  "total_taxes": 875,
  "total": 10875,
  "memo": null,
  "metadata": {}
}
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Created by Bias in California