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Startup Accounting

Credit Memos, Write-Offs, and Revenue Adjustments Done Right

Written by Harry Prabandham

Curated by Rubric Financial

Last updated

1 / 5

Three Adjustments That Get Confused

  • Credit memos, write-offs, and revenue adjustments are distinct transactions that founders often blur together in the books.
  • A credit memo reduces what a customer owes, usually for a billing correction, discount, or service issue.
  • A write-off recognizes that a receivable you still believe is valid will simply never be collected.
  • A revenue adjustment changes the amount of revenue you recognize, and treating one as another distorts both revenue and receivables.

About the author

Harry Prabandham

Founder & CEO

Founder and CEO of StartupCFO. MBA from Wharton, MS in Computer Science, and decades of experience building and advising venture-backed startups.

More articles by Harry

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