This article is for scenarios where you are looking to process partial refunds for a cancelled class or activity for all. If you are looking to just withdraw and refund a single registrant see [[Withdraw Registration with Refund]].
## **Refund Scenarios**
There are multiple ways to handle refunds based on the situation. The examples below assume that payment and refunds are processed via credit card.
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### **Scenario 1: Partial Refund While Keeping Registration Active**
If your class has already started but will continue after a temporary shutdown, you may need to **issue a partial refund** while keeping the registration intact.
#### **Steps to Process a Partial Refund:**
1. **Locate the Original Transaction**
- Go to the student’s (or parent’s) account.
- Find the **original registration transaction**.
- Click the **REFUND** button.
2. **Adjust the Refund Amount**
- A refund item will appear in the cart, defaulting to the full transaction amount.
- Enter the **partial refund amount** and click **Update**.
- The **Register Tape** should now display the updated (negative) amount.
3. **Assign the Refund to a GL Account (Optional)**
- GL accounts can be configured in **Financial Setup > Admin > GL Account Setup**.
- Select an account and ensure the **Discounts** checkbox is checked.
- Any accounts marked as **Discount accounts** will be available in the Refund item dropdown.
4. **Complete the Refund**
- Proceed to **Checkout**.
- The system will **automatically select the credit card** used in the original transaction (you **cannot** manually enter a new card).
- Click **Submit** to process the refund.
✅ **Important Notes for Partial Refunds:**
- **Process only ONE partial refund at a time** to ensure proper tracking.
- **Refunding a transaction does not affect the registration status.** If you need to remove a student, you must manually drop the class.
- **This method does not replace voiding/canceling donations, memberships, or purchases.**
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### **Scenario 2: Cancel Remaining Sessions & Drop Registration**
If the class has already started but remaining sessions are canceled, you may decide to **drop students and refund tuition for canceled sessions**.
#### **Steps to Drop a Registration and Process a Refund:**
1. **Locate the Student's Registration**
- Go to the **Purchase History** tab.
- Find the class under **Registration History**.
- Click **Drop**.
2. **Adjust the Refund Amount**
- A **withdrawal item** will be added to the cart.
- Enter the amount you **are NOT refunding** into the **Withdrawal Fee** field.
- The remaining balance will be refunded automatically.
3. **Checkout to Process the Refund**
- Follow the **same checkout process** as in Scenario 1.
🔹 **Alternative Option:** You can also follow **Scenario 1** if you prefer to keep the registration record intact.
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### **Scenario 3: Canceling a Class Before It Starts**
If a class **has not yet started**, and you need to **cancel all sessions and issue full refunds**, follow these steps.
#### **Steps to Process Full Class Cancellations:**
1. **Drop All Students**
- Navigate to **Purchase History**.
- Locate the class under **Registration History**.
- Click **Drop**.
2. **Set the Withdrawal Fee to Zero**
- If your withdrawal fees are **automatically calculated**, override it by setting it to **$0**.
3. **Proceed with Checkout**
- Follow the same steps as in previous scenarios to complete the refund.
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## **General Refund Guidelines**
Regardless of the scenario, keep these key points in mind:
### **Batch Processing & Same-Day Refunds**
- **For processors using batch processing** (e.g., **Authorize.net, Heartland, Payeezy**), issuing a **partial refund on the same day as the original transaction** may **void the entire payment**.
- **PayPal does not have this issue.**
### **Refund Limits & Transaction Rules**
- **You cannot refund more than the original transaction amount.** This is an anti-fraud measure enforced by payment providers.
- **If a student has multiple registrations processed in separate transactions**, drop and refund each transaction separately.
### **Handling Partial Refunds Across Multiple Transactions**
- You can **combine multiple partial refunds into a single transaction**.
- Example:
- Two transactions of **$200 each**
- Refund **$75 per class** (total: **$150**)
- Since either transaction is large enough, you can refund **$150 from one transaction** instead of **$75 from each**.
- ⚠ **However, this may affect reporting**, as the refund will only be linked to one transaction.
### **System Warnings**
- If you try to refund **more than the remaining balance of a transaction**, the payment gateway will reject it.
### **Marking Classes as Canceled**
- If a class is **completely canceled** or **all remaining sessions are canceled**, mark it as **Canceled** in Canvas.
- This allows you to generate a report of affected students later.
- Use **Class Publishing in Admin** to cancel classes in bulk instead of editing them one by one.