# Correct or cancel an issued invoice

> Issued invoices are locked. Learn when to edit, delete, or issue a credit or debit note instead.

Source: /help/en/invoices/correct-or-cancel-an-invoice

Once an invoice has been submitted to Taxilla it is locked: the database refuses changes to its lines, amounts and parties. Corrections are made with a separate document that references the original.

What to do depends on the status:

| Status | How to correct |
|---|---|
| Draft or Validated | Open it and edit directly, or delete it from the list menu |
| Rejected | Editable again. Fix the issue, click **Validate & save**, then **Submit to Taxilla** |
| Submitted, Delivered or Reported | Issue a credit note or debit note |

To cancel or reduce an issued invoice:

1. Go to **Invoices**, open the row menu (**⋯**) and choose **Create credit note**.
2. The editor opens as a **Tax credit note** with the original invoice, preceding reference and lines pre-filled.
3. To cancel the invoice in full, keep all lines. To correct part of it, remove or reduce lines until the note covers only the difference.
4. Enter a **Reason for credit**, click **Validate & save**, then **Submit to Taxilla**.

To increase an issued invoice, choose **Create debit note** instead and enter only the additional amount.

Good to know:

- The locked banner on an issued invoice reminds you of these options. Preview, PDF, Duplicate and Send by email still work.
- Housekeeping is allowed on locked invoices: category, archive, payments and custom fields.
- A credit note cannot exceed the remaining creditable balance of the original (original total plus issued debit notes minus issued credit notes).
- Instead of correcting a wrong invoice, you can also credit it in full and issue a new invoice. **Duplicate** copies the original into a fresh draft.
- In **Test (simulated)** mode nothing was sent, so **Reset test submission** on the **E-invoicing Submissions** card returns the invoice to Validated for editing.
- Delete is only offered for Draft and Rejected invoices, and only to owners, admins or members with the "delete invoices" permission. A rejected invoice that was sent in UAT or Live mode cannot be deleted, because its submission is kept as a legal record; fix it and submit again instead.

Related:

- [Credit notes and debit notes](/help/en/invoices/credit-and-debit-notes)
- [Invoice statuses explained](/help/en/invoices/invoice-statuses)
- [Test documents and the simulated ASP](/help/en/invoices/test-documents)