Correct a Vendor Bill Paid Twice
If a vendor bill was paid twice, verify that there are two real payments rather than two copies of one entry. A genuine duplicate payment may create a vendor credit or an amount to recover. Recording it as another purchase would generally overstate the expense.
Confirm the money actually left twice
Compare the bank or card statements with the bill and payment references. Two software entries do not prove two payments occurred. A manually entered payment and a downloaded transaction may represent the same bank withdrawal. If there was only one withdrawal, the repair is a duplicate record correction, not a request for money back.
Keep a real overpayment separate from the bill
If both payments cleared, leave the original bill settled and identify the excess with the vendor. Confirm whether a refund will be issued or a credit applied to a future valid bill. Preserve the vendor’s response and the relevant payment references so the balance can be followed until it is resolved.
Record the refund or credit without another distortion
When a refund arrives, match it to the recorded overpayment rather than treating it automatically as new sales income. When a credit is used, document which later bill it reduces. The original cost should remain traceable to the actual purchase. Reviewing vendor statements and matching bills before payment helps reveal repeats earlier and keeps payables reports useful for deciding what still needs payment.