Free SEO Specialist Credit Note Template
Create credit notes for SEO retainer cancellations, campaign adjustments, and service billing corrections. Free PDF.
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When does an SEO specialist issue a credit note?
An SEO specialist issues a credit note when a billed retainer is cancelled mid-month or work is dropped after invoicing, such as remaining days of a month or a technical audit descoped. The note references the original invoice, names the work credited, and reduces what the client owes.
Typical line items
- Original invoice number and date
- Retainer cancellation credit, twelve remaining days
- Technical audit descoped after invoice
- Reason for the credit
- Credited amount
- Adjusted balance due
- Tax adjusted accordingly
How the work is charged
Credit a cancelled retainer by prorating the unworked days of the month from the original invoice. A descoped audit is credited at its agreed line value when the work was not carried out.
Payment terms and deposits
Set the credit against the next invoice or refund it to the original payment method, referencing the original invoice number. Show the revised balance so the client can reconcile.
Tax and compliance
Where the original invoice carried VAT or sales tax, a credit note usually reverses that tax in proportion to the amount credited. Cross-border services can change how tax applies, so confirm what applies to you.
Frequently asked questions
A client cancelled their retainer mid-month. How do I work out the credit amount?
Divide your monthly retainer fee by the number of working days in the month, then multiply by the days remaining when the cancellation was made. Issue a credit note for that amount. If your contract specifies a notice period, only credit days after the notice period ends, not from the cancellation date itself.
If I invoiced for a deliverable that is no longer needed before I started work, must I issue a credit note?
Yes, if the client has already paid. Issue a credit note for the full deliverable value with a note that work had not commenced. If work had started but not been completed, credit only the portion not yet delivered based on your estimate of work done. Document this honestly.
Can I apply a credit note as a discount on next month's retainer instead of making a bank transfer?
Yes. Note on the credit note that it will be applied against the next invoice and specify the expected invoice date. When you raise the next invoice, reference the credit note number and deduct the amount from the total. Keep a copy of both documents linked together for clear reconciliation.
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Read the complete credit note guide to see when to issue one and how it adjusts an invoice already sent.
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