Having to receive: how to treat it correctly

#To have to receive: how to treat it correctly

Updated March 2026 — The expression "account to receive" designates a common situation in business: you are waiting for a corrective document from a supplier following an invoicing error, a return of goods or a discount granted after issuance of the initial invoice. This subject seems trivial, but it directly affects accounting, the attribution of expenses to the correct financial year and the recovery of VAT. In 2026, with electronic invoicing becoming more widespread, the processing of assets becomes even more sensitive because each document must pass through dematerialization platforms.

Quick answer: a "credit note" does not exist for accounting purposes until the document is issued by the supplier. In the meantime, you can recognize a charge to be received if the right is certain and the amount can be reliably estimated. VAT can only be recovered upon receipt of the credit invoice in accordance with article 289 of the CGI. Attachment to the correct fiscal year is mandatory if the charge concerns the closed period.

In professional language, "account to receive" designates a situation where the company has a certain right to a price reduction, but has not yet received the formal document establishing it. This distinction is fundamental because it determines the applicable accounting and tax treatment.

Several situations generate this type of need:

• Return of goods: you return defective or non-compliant products and the supplier must establish a credit note
• Late discount or rebate: a commercial agreement is concluded after initial invoicing (end of year discount, volume rebate)
• Invoicing error: the supplier invoiced an incorrect price, quantity or VAT rate
• Partial cancellation of service: part of the service was not provided or was refused
• Commercial credit: commercial gesture granted by the supplier outside of any strict contractual obligation

In each of these cases, the common point is the same: you have a right, but not yet the document which officially establishes it.

This is where accounting rigor is essential. The General Accounting Plan distinguishes several situations according to the degree of certainty of the law.

If the right is certain and the amount estimable

You must note a charge to be received (account 4091 "Suppliers - Advances and deposits paid on orders" or 4098 "Suppliers - Receivables for packaging and materials to be returned"). This writing guarantees the attachment of the charge to the correct exercise, in accordance with the principle of independence of exercises (article 38 of the appendix to the CGI).

The typical writing is as follows:

• Debit: charge account concerns (class 6)
• Credit: account 4098 "Suppliers - Credits not yet received"

If the right is probable but uncertain

No entries are recorded. The subject can be mentioned in the appendix if it is significant, but no charge can be noted in advance.

If the right is certain but the amount cannot be determined

Prudence dictates not to count. Wait for receipt of credit to proceed with registration.

This is the most sensitive point fiscally. The rule is clear: VAT is only recoverable upon receipt of the compliant credit invoice.

Article 289 of the General Tax Code requires mandatory information on all credit invoices:

• reference of the initial invoice
• amount of price reduction
• VAT rate applied
• mention "credit invoice" or equivalent term

Without this document, no VAT correction is possible. The tax administration is particularly vigilant on this point during controls, because undocumented VAT corrections constitute a frequent reason for adjustment.

Special case: credit on VAT collected

If you are the supplier and you need to establish a credit, the VAT initially collected can be corrected under certain conditions. The correction must take place within two years following the initial invoicing (article 272 bis of the CGI). After the deadline, VAT remains due even if the credit note is issued.

During the closing period, assets receivable deserve special attention for several reasons:

Relation to the correct financial year — If the credit note concerns operations of the financial year which is closing, it must be taken into account in the result of this financial year, even if the document is not yet received.

Provisioning — If the right is certain but the amount cannot be estimated reliably, a provisioning may be considered for risks and charges.

Information in the appendix — Significant assets not yet received must be mentioned in the appendix to the annual accounts to give a true and fair view of the assets and financial situation.

In practice, delays in issuing credit notes are frequent and can disrupt the closing. Here are the best practices to limit these delays:

1. Formalize the request in writing: send a letter or email to the supplier specifying the nature of the dispute, the expected amount and the reference of the initial invoice
2. Set a deadline: specify a deadline for receiving the credit, especially if you are approaching the closing date
3. Relaunch systematically: if there is no response within 15 days, follow up by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt
4. Document the exchanges: keep all exchanges with the supplier, they will constitute supporting documents in the event of an inspection
5. Anticipate at the end of the financial year: identify pending assets from the month preceding the closing to adjust regularization entries

You can extend with different VAT rates on an invoice, bad debt: proof, VAT and accounting and electronic invoice 2026: obligations and deadlines.

Hayot Expertise Advice: the correct treatment of a credit to be received depends less on the internal vocabulary than on the available proof, the moment when the right is certain and the VAT treatment that is actually justifiable. In practice, we recommend documenting each pending credit with a tracking sheet: date of request, invoice reference, expected amount, status, reminder date.

We regularly identify the following errors during our missions:

• Recognizing VAT before receiving the credit: this is the most costly mistake in the event of a tax audit
• Forget the connection to the correct financial year: the charge is noted in the financial year of receipt of the credit instead of the financial year concerned
• Do not document the request: without a written trace, the right is difficult to prove
• Confuse credit with commercial discount: a discount granted during the billing cycle does not give rise to a credit but to adjusted invoicing
• Wait until closing to take stock: pending assets must be identified and monitored throughout the financial year

We recommend checking:

1. the exact cause of the asset and the legal basis of the right 2. the existence of a written confirmation from the supplier 3. the applicable VAT treatment and correction deadlines 4. the correct accounting record according to the date and certainty of law 5. the information in the appendix if the amounts are significant

We can help you reread your flows and avoid attachment or VAT errors.

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In 2026, a credit note to be received must be processed methodically: cause, proof, date, VAT and accounting. The right reflex is to align the commercial file and the accounting file, without waiting until the last minute to regularize the situation. With electronic invoicing, the traceability of assets becomes even more demanding: each document must be issued, transmitted and archived in accordance with the new rules.