Check the Invoice Status First
Start by identifying the invoice number, vendor or customer, invoice date, amount, and module where the transaction was entered. Sage 100 workflows differ for accounts payable invoices, accounts receivable invoices, and invoices associated with orders or other operational records. Open the relevant inquiry or entry screen and confirm whether the invoice is still an unposted entry or has already updated the general ledger.
Also review whether the invoice has been selected for payment, included in a batch, matched to a purchase order or receipt, or associated with a cash receipt. These details determine which actions are available and what related records may need attention. If the invoice has already been posted, do not assume that deleting a visible entry will reverse its accounting impact.
How to Delete an Unposted Invoice
For an invoice that remains unposted, use the relevant Sage 100 invoice-entry screen and follow the available record-maintenance options. Menu names and controls may vary by module, version, and configuration, so confirm the steps against your installed release.
- Open the appropriate Accounts Payable or Accounts Receivable invoice-entry task.
- Locate the invoice using its invoice number, vendor or customer, and transaction date.
- Verify the displayed amount and supporting details to ensure you selected the intended record.
- Use the available delete or remove command if Sage 100 permits deletion in the invoice's current status.
- Confirm the action when prompted, then search again to verify the record is no longer present in the entry batch.
Before deleting an invoice linked to procurement activity, check the purchase order and receipt records. The invoice may be part of a wider invoice processing workflow, where keeping the supporting documents aligned helps maintain reliable purchasing and accounting records.
What to Do With a Posted Invoice
A posted invoice may already have affected vendor balances, customer balances, general ledger accounts, tax reporting, and period-end totals. In these cases, a documented reversal, credit memo, or other approved adjustment is often more appropriate than attempting to remove the original transaction. Follow your organization's accounting policy and the functions supported by your Sage 100 configuration.
For example, if a posted vendor invoice records an expense of $2,400 that should not have been charged, finance should verify the source document and use the approved correction method. The adjustment should address the original expense and liability while preserving a clear link to the original invoice. Review the resulting account balances and transaction history before closing the issue.
Consistent AP Automation Software workflows can support invoice validation, coding, and approval before posting, while appropriate controls help ensure that later corrections are authorized and documented.
Review Related Transactions and Accounting Effects
Deleting or correcting an invoice should not be treated as an isolated screen action. Review the vendor or customer balance, general ledger impact, payment status, and any connected purchasing records. If a payment has already been issued, confirm whether it must be voided, unapplied, or otherwise handled through the appropriate Sage 100 process. Review payments carefully so the invoice correction does not leave an inaccurate open balance or payment application.
At period end, consider whether the invoice affects expense recognition or accruals. If goods or services were received in the accounting period but the invoice is removed because it was entered incorrectly, the underlying expense may still need to be recognized using the company's established close procedures.
For transactions originating from procurement, check whether the purchase order, receipt, and invoice remain consistent after the correction. This helps purchasing and finance teams maintain a dependable record of what was ordered, received, billed, and paid.
Controls and Prevention Best Practices
Use a consistent review process before deleting an invoice. Confirm the transaction identity, posting status, supporting documents, approval history, and any related payment or receipt. Restrict deletion rights to authorized roles, and retain evidence of the reason for the action according to your organization's record-retention policy.
Automation can also improve upstream checks. invoice capture helps bring invoice information into a workflow for extraction and validation, while invoice automation can support matching, general ledger coding, approvals, and posting. Resources such as How Vendor Portals Improve Invoice Transparency and the Invoice.com™ Guide 2025: Streamline US Invoice Workflows discuss ways invoice information and workflow status can be made clearer throughout processing.
Where applicable, Invoice Matching compares invoice details with purchase orders or receipts. Accounts Payable Matching Approval supports the review of invoice matches before an accounts payable transaction proceeds, while Payment Matching Approval helps ensure payment records correspond to the intended obligations.
Summary
To delete an invoice in Sage 100, first identify the correct record and verify its module, status, and related transactions. An eligible unposted invoice may be removable through its entry screen; a posted invoice generally requires the appropriate correction or reversal process to preserve accurate accounting records. Always review the resulting balances, retain supporting evidence, and follow your organization's approval controls before considering the task complete.