---
title: "Refund a Payment"
description: "Processing Refunds. Sometimes a fundraiser refund is needed if a guest is accidentally charged twice, enters the wrong amount, changes their mind about a bid or purchase, or if an item or package end…"
url: "https://help.aesauctions.com/article/hs1omnrnld-processing-refunds"
category: "Payments & Refunds"
updated_at: "2026-10-30T00:40:53Z"
---

# Refund a Payment

### Processing Refunds

Sometimes a fundraiser refund is needed if a guest is accidentally charged twice, enters the wrong amount, changes their mind about a bid or purchase, or if an item or package ends up being unavailable. It’s simply a way to make things right and keep the experience positive for everyone.

1. **Locate the contributor.**
   
   1. In your attendee/contributor list, locate the person who needs a refund.
2. **Open the contributor’s profile by moving to the far right** and **clicking the pencil (Edit) icon** to open their record or **double clicking on their record**
3. In the edit view, select the **third tab at the top:** ***Activity***.
4. Inside the Activity tab, find **Payments** and **click the plus (+) icon** to expand the section and view all recorded payments.
5. In the list of payments, locate the specific transaction you want to refund.
6. **Click the Edit icon** (a square with a pencil) to the far right of that payment.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767914312640/image.png)
   
   A credit card payment shows the Edit icon only after it settles with the processor. For Datacap, that’s 30 minutes after the charge is approved.
7. Deselect the checkmark(s) in the *Pay* column within the package row(s) you intend to refund.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767914582485/deselect.gif)

Ensure the checkmark is removed for each package that needs to be refunded.

1. **Click Continue.**
   
   A pop-up will ask you to confirm. Click **Yes** to continue.
2. Once the refund is complete, a **new record will appear in the Payments section labeled “Refund.”**
3. The Delete icon, red 'X', will now appear to the right of the Purchase or Auction Bid associated with that refund
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767977809965/image.png)
   
   1. To Delete the Purchase, Click the red 'X'. You will be prompted to type the word 'DELETE', then click the Delete button to confirm.
      
      ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767977853351/image.png)

Be sure to **remove the bid or purchase tied to the refund** so that the contributor’s card is not charged again for the same item.

Deleting a winning auction bid moves the item to the next-highest bidder’s record, if there is one, which can leave that record out of balance. Review the next-highest bidder’s record after deleting.

If a cash or check payment is refunded, the payment will be deleted and no longer appear.

### Partial Refund

There are a few reasons someone may need a partial refund, especially in event and auction settings where registrations, add-ons, sponsorships, or packages may change after payment is processed.

#### Partial Refund due to change in price of a package

1. A new package will need to be created first by [duplicating the original package](https://help.aesauctions.com/article/qwpvi3ab7g-how-to-enter-auction-packages#duplicating_existing_packages)
   
   1. Edit the price or minimum bid
   
   All packages with a type of Donation, Fixed Price, Registration Extras, Multi-Unit, Sponsorship, or Tickets and Admission will require a *Price* change.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767994918646/image.png)

Silent and Live Auction Packages will require a *Minimum Price* change

![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767995195385/image.png)

1. Locate the Contributor in the Contributor grid
2. Under the Activity tab, click the (+) icon next to Purchases, then click Add a Purchase
3. Navigate to the duplicated package and click Save
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767996194446/image.png)
4. Click the (+) icon next to Payments
5. To the far right of the payment you intend to partially refund, click the Edit icon.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767998164445/image.png)
6. Deselect the checkbox next to the original package **and** select the checkbox next to the duplicated package
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1768410640675/partial-newpk.gif)

A warning of an auto refund for the difference between the 2 sales will pop up.

1. *Clicking Continue, then Yes initiates and completes the partial refund.*
2. Click the (+) icon next to Purchases
3. A red 'X' will now appear to the far right of the purchase you removed from the payment in the previous steps. Click the red 'X' to delete the package.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767998639667/image.png)
4. A pop-up will appear asking you to type the word 'DELETE' then confirm.

#### Partial Refund due to removal of package

1. Click the (+) icon next to Payments
2. To the far right of the payment you intend to partially refund, click the Edit icon.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767998164445/image.png)
3. Deselect the checkbox next to the original package. A warning about an automatic refund will pop up.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767998477565/partial.gif)
4. Save. *This completes the partial refund.*
5. Click the (+) icon next to Purchases
6. A red 'X' will now appear to the far right of the purchase you removed from the payment in the previous steps. Click the red 'X' to delete the package.
   
   ![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1767998639667/image.png)
7. A pop-up will appear asking you to type the word 'DELETE' then confirm.

### **Tips**

- If the **pencil (Edit) icon** isn’t visible, right click on the header row and ensure "Actions" is selected under "Choose Columns"

![](https://files.helpdocs.io/va4glpkhhk/articles/hs1omnrnld/1782321352711/image.png)

### **Troubleshooting**

- **Edit icon not showing on a payment?** A recent credit card payment won’t show it until the payment settles (see the note in step 6). Otherwise, make sure the Actions column is turned on (see Tips).
- **Partial refund not processing?** Make sure you deselected the original package (and, for a price change, selected the duplicated package) before you continue or save.
- **Accidental duplicate charge?** Refund only the extra payment. If the purchase was also entered twice, delete the duplicate purchase and keep the original.