> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://ordersplitpro-co.gitbook.io/ordersplitpro/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://ordersplitpro-co.gitbook.io/ordersplitpro/extra-information/how-to-refund-split-orders.md).

# How to refund split orders

## Refunding and Cancelling Split Orders

This document explains how refunds work after OrderSplit Pro has split an order, and the correct steps to process one.

### The one rule to remember

The original order always holds the real payment. The customer paid once, at checkout, on the original order. The transactions you see on split orders are bookkeeping entries created by the app (they appear under a gateway name such as Store Credit) so the split orders can display the correct paid status. They are not real charges.

This means:

* Any refund that should return money to the customer must be processed on the ORIGINAL order.
* Refunding a split order directly never moves real money.

### How to find the original order

* Split orders are named after the original with a suffix: order 1234 produces split orders 1234-A, 1234-B, and so on. Searching the original order number in Shopify admin shows the whole family.
* Each split order shows "Split from parent order 1234" in the Additional details section of the order page.

### How to refund after a split

The correct workflow is to revert the split first, then refund from the original order.

1. Open OrderSplit Pro and go to the Order history page. Find the order and click Revert.

   Revert does three things automatically: it cancels the split orders (restocking their items, without emailing the customer), it adds the split products back onto the original order with their original pricing and discounts, and it marks the order as Reverted in the app.
2. Check the original order in Shopify admin. The products should be back on it. If any product was not restored (for example an item that was already fulfilled), add it back yourself with Shopify's Edit order feature.
3. Process the refund on the original order as normal. Because the products are back on the order, they appear in the refund screen as regular line items, so quantities, taxes, shipping, and restocking are all handled by Shopify's standard refund flow - no custom amounts needed.

### Inventory notes

* When a split order is created, it decrements inventory for its items (the removal from the original order restocks them, so overall inventory stays correct).
* Revert cancels the split orders with restock enabled, and adding the products back to the original order takes that inventory again, so the numbers stay correct through the whole cycle.
* The refund on the original order is where you choose whether returned items go back into inventory.

### Reporting notes

* Refunds processed on the original order reduce the original order's net sales, which is where the real sale is recorded.
* Reverting cancels the split orders, which keeps reports that include split orders consistent.
* If you exclude split orders from reports by tag or name suffix, only the original-order refund matters for your numbers.

### Quick reference

| What you want                 | What to do                                                 |
| ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Refund anything after a split | Revert in the app first, then refund on the original order |
| Give the customer money back  | Original order, standard refund screen after revert        |
| Restock returned items        | Handled by the standard refund on the original order       |

### Common mistakes

* Refunding only the split order: the customer receives nothing, because the split order's transaction is not a real payment.
* Refunding the original order with a custom amount without reverting: the split orders stay open, so the warehouse may still ship the items, and inventory is not restocked.
* Trying to refund the split items on the original order without reverting first: they will not appear in the refund screen, because the lines were removed during the split. Revert puts them back.