Exchanging an Item on a Sale

4 min readPublished June 27, 2026

What an Exchange Does

An exchange swaps an item on a paid sale for a different item without you having to manually edit the sale, the invoice, and the stock count one by one. Fixmo performs the whole swap as a single, all-or-nothing operation so your books can never end up half-updated.

  • Returns the original item — restocks it and reverses its serial number.
  • Adds the replacement item — deducts stock and assigns its serial number.
  • Settles the price difference — collects extra or refunds the balance.
  • Keeps the original sale and invoice untouched as the historical record.
  • Links a credit note (returned) and a new invoice (replacement) to the original sale.

How to Exchange an Item

Start an exchange from the detail page of the sale you want to change.

  1. 1Open the sale, then click 'Exchange'.
  2. 2Tick the item(s) being returned and set the condition (Restock by default).
  3. 3Add the replacement item(s). If a replacement is serial-tracked, select or scan the exact unit being handed over.
  4. 4Review the net difference Fixmo calculates — money to collect from, or refund to, the customer.
  5. 5Choose how the difference is settled (cash, card, bank transfer, or online).
  6. 6Confirm. If you are an Admin or Manager the exchange completes immediately; if you are a Cashier it is sent for approval.

Cheaper, Pricier, or Same Price

The returned item becomes a credit; the replacement becomes a charge. Fixmo records both in full and settles only the net amount at the counter.

  • Replacement costs more — collect the extra difference from the customer.
  • Replacement costs less — refund the difference back to the customer.
  • Same price — nothing to collect or refund.
Note

Tax is recalculated for each item on both sides, so the net difference is always correct even when the two items have different tax rates.

Choosing the Returned Item's Condition

By default the returned item is restocked as good, sellable inventory. If it cannot be resold, change the condition when building the exchange.

  • Restock — returns the item to sellable stock; a serial number goes back to In Stock.
  • Damaged — records the return without adding it back to sellable stock.
  • Defective — flags the unit (and its serial) for inspection.
  • No-Restock — records the exchange with no inventory change.

Documents and the Exchange Receipt

Internally, every exchange keeps a credit note for the returned item and a new invoice for the replacement, both linked to the original sale for a complete audit trail. For the customer, Fixmo produces a single combined Exchange Receipt showing what was returned, what was added, and the net amount paid or refunded.

Tip

Open the exchange from the sale to view its full timeline — who performed it, what was swapped, the amounts, and who approved it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an exchange in Fixmo?+
An exchange swaps one or more items on an already-paid sale for different items. Fixmo returns the original item to stock, adds the replacement, and settles the price difference — all in one action. The original sale and invoice are never edited; instead, Fixmo creates a linked credit note for the returned item and a new invoice for the replacement.
Does an exchange change my original sale or invoice?+
No. The original sale and its invoice stay exactly as they were, as a permanent record of what was first sold and paid. The exchange links a credit note (for the returned item) and a new invoice (for the replacement) back to that original sale, so the full history is traceable.
How is the price difference handled?+
Fixmo calculates the net difference automatically. If the replacement costs more, you collect the extra from the customer. If it costs less, you refund the difference. If the prices match, no money changes hands. You choose how to settle the difference (cash, card, bank transfer, or online), defaulting to cash.
Does the returned item go back into stock?+
Yes. By default the returned item is restocked and, if it is serial-tracked, its serial number is set back to In Stock. If the returned item is opened or damaged, you can instead mark it Damaged, Defective, or No-Restock so it does not re-enter sellable inventory.
Do exchanges count as refunds in my reports?+
No. The return side of an exchange is tagged separately and excluded from your refund analytics, so your refund rate is not inflated. Exchanges are tracked as their own activity.
Who can perform an exchange?+
Admins and Managers can complete an exchange instantly. Cashiers can start an exchange, but it stays Pending until an Admin or Manager approves it — either from their own account or by entering their security PIN on the cashier's screen.

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