> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.datalyr.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Refunds

> See how full and partial refunds change net revenue.

Refunds come from the connected revenue source. They can arrive days or months after the original payment.

## What changes

For Shopify and Stripe, **Net revenue** is gross revenue minus the recorded refunded amount. A partial refund reduces net revenue by the partial amount; it does not remove the original order.

A cancellation is not automatically a refund. Canceling a subscription stops future billing, while a refund returns money from a completed payment.

## Verify a refund

<Steps>
  <Step title="Complete it in the source">
    Confirm the refund is final in Shopify, Stripe, or the billing provider—not merely requested or pending.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Keep the identifiers">
    Record the original transaction ID, refund ID, amount, currency, and completion time.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Find it in Events">
    Locate the refund and confirm it refers to the expected customer and original transaction.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Compare reporting">
    Use the same timezone, currency, and date range. Compare gross revenue, refunded amount, and net revenue separately.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Reporting dates

Refund activity occurs when the source reports it. Depending on the report and date grouping, the refund may be visible in the period it was processed rather than the period of the original sale. Always inspect the individual transaction before assuming a totals problem.

## Common failures

* **Refund is missing:** it is still pending, the wrong source account is connected, or the source connection needs attention.
* **Refund amount differs:** compare partial versus full refund amounts and currency conversion.
* **Revenue still looks high:** the selected metric is gross revenue rather than net revenue.
* **A cancellation did not reduce revenue:** no completed payment was refunded.

<Warning>
  Do not send a refund as a new negative purchase. Let the authoritative revenue source report it so the original transaction relationship stays intact.
</Warning>