Cancelling a document allows you to invalidate it without deleting it.

This preserves your audit trail while clearly marking the document as no longer active.

📌 When Should You Cancel a Document?

You should cancel a document when:

• An invoice was issued incorrectly
• A quote was withdrawn
• A job was voided
• A document was created in error but already sent

Cancellation is the recommended alternative to deletion in most cases.

▶ How to Cancel a Document

1. Go to My Business → File Archive
2. Locate the document
3. Click Delete

Depending on your workflow and permissions, the document will:

• Either be marked as Cancelled
• Or moved to Trash

(Behaviour may vary based on document state and RBAC settings.)

🔄 What Happens When a Document Is Cancelled?

When cancelled:

• Status changes to Cancelled
• Editing is permanently restricted
• The document remains visible in File Archive
• The audit trail remains intact

Cancelled documents:

• Cannot be sent
• Cannot be marked as paid
• Cannot be converted
• Cannot be modified

They exist purely for historical reference.

🗑️ Cancelled vs Trashed — Important Difference

These are not the same.

Cancelled

• Still part of your permanent archive
• Visible in history
• Protected for audit purposes
• Maintains document ID and references

Trashed

• Moved to Trash section
• Can be restored
• Can potentially be permanently deleted

Cancellation preserves financial history.
Trash is a staging area for deletion.

🔐 Locking Behaviour

Cancelled documents are:

• Automatically locked
• Protected from editing
• Preserved for reporting integrity

This prevents:

• Retroactive removal of issued invoices
• Audit gaps
• Financial inconsistencies

📊 Reporting Impact

Cancelled documents:

• Remain visible in filters
• Appear in Cancelled summaries
• Do NOT count as unpaid
• Do NOT count as paid revenue

This ensures reporting remains accurate while preserving historical context.

💡 Best Practice Recommendation

For most businesses:

✔ Cancel incorrect invoices instead of deleting
✔ Issue a corrected replacement invoice
✔ Restrict permanent deletion via RBAC
✔ Preserve your document trail

Deletion should be rare.
Cancellation should be standard practice.