Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
In ContactsLaw, the bad debt write off (transaction number prefix BW) is used to record a bad debt on a file. This type of transaction credits the debtors controlled account and debits the bad debts controlled account. It extends the behaviour of the general journal by including receipt allocation logic. Once posted, a bad debt write off has the effect of lowering the debtors balance and allocating the bad debt to one or more bills.
 
The bad debt write off activity can be started in a number of ways:
  • Conventionally, from the activities ribbon or the 'add transaction' button on the debtors ledger
  • Interactively, from the file archival activity
  • Non-interactively, from file archival or by right-clicking a bill on the debtors ledger and selecting the 'Write off' command
Much like the debtor receipt and trust transfer activities, the bad debt write off presents the user with the debtor balance on the file and allows some (or all) of the outstanding amount to be written off as a bad debt.
 
By clicking the 'review' button, you can exercise granular control over which bill items are written off. (For example, you may wish to allocate the bad debt to a particular member, for performance reasons.)
 
Once written off as a bad debt, the affected bill(s) can no longer be paid using the conventional receipting methods. You must use the bad debt recovery if funds are subsequently recovered.