Payment reversals (refunds)
You can't directly delete a payment on Schoolwati. Mistakes (duplicate payment, wrong amount, wrong student) and refunds go through a request → approve flow. This catches errors and keeps the audit trail clean.
When to use this
- Parent paid twice (online + cash, or two online payments).
- Payment got recorded against the wrong student.
- Amount entered was wrong.
- Genuine refund (student left mid-term).
The flow
Step 1: Request
An Accountant opens the payment and clicks Reverse. They pick a reason and optionally upload supporting documents. Status: Pending Approval.
Step 2: Review
An Institution Admin or Branch Admin reviews from Finance → Income → Reversal Requests. They can leave a comment, then approve or reject.
Step 3: Execute
On approval, the original payment is voided. The invoice goes back to unpaid (or partially paid). If the original was Razorpay, a refund request is initiated — you confirm it on the Razorpay dashboard.
Step 4: Receipt
A reversal receipt PDF is generated and emailed to the parent.
Why two people have to sign off
Single-person refunds are the most common way money gets stolen in school finance. Requiring two distinct users to sign off — and logging everything — closes that door.
Tracking reversal requests
Finance → Income → Reversal Requests lists every reversal with its status. Filter by date or status.
Audit trail
Every step is logged: who requested, who approved, the original payment, the reason, the refund reference. You can reconstruct any reversal months later.