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

# Close an account

> Stop billing an account, settle what it owes or holds, and reopen or delete it later.

Close an account when you're done billing it: a family that left, a finished school contract. Closing settles its money in one step and keeps every invoice and payment on record.

## Before you start

* **Close** is offered on accounts with financial history. An account with none is deleted instead; see [Delete an account](#delete-an-account).
* A bank payment that's still processing blocks Close until it settles, usually within a few business days. So does an open dispute; respond to it in Stripe first.

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Close account">
    Open the account's **⋯** menu (on its row in **Finances → Accounts**, or beside its name on its page) and choose **Close account**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Read what closing will do">
    The dialog states what the account has and what closing will do, for example: *This account owes $100.00. Closing will apply $20.00 of credit and write off the remaining \$80.00. Mia will need a new payer.*

    Below it, a receipt adds it up: **Owed on the account**, then **Unapplied payments** and **Studio credit applied**, then **Written off**. When the account paid more than it owes, the receipt ends in **Left over** instead.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm">
    The button names what happens:

    | Button | When |
    | - | - |
    | **Write off and close** | Something is still owed after payments and credit |
    | **Cancel and close** | Only unused credit is left; closing cancels it |
    | **Close account** | Nothing is owed or left over |
    | **Refund and close** | Money is left over and goes back to the family |
    | **Keep and close** | Money is left over and the studio keeps it |

    **Refund and close** returns card payments to the card. Money that came in by cash, check, or transfer asks for a **Return method**: how you'll hand it back. Click **Don't close** to leave everything as it was.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Reopening doesn't undo a Close. The write-off, cancelled credit, refunds, removed billing rules and ended recurring charges all stay.
</Warning>

## What closing does

* Applies payments and credit to what's owed, then writes off the rest. The write-off shows as **Written off** on the invoice and as **Uncollected** in your [reports](/docs/accounting/reports). Charges dated after today that the family was never sent are voided instead.
* Refunds or keeps any money left over, and cancels unused credit.
* Discards unsent drafts and ends every recurring charge.
* Removes every billing rule that names the account. Those students need a new payer; see [Billing rules](/docs/billing/billing-rules).
* Keeps the Bill-to's name, email and address as typed details, and removes the account's other people.

A closed account moves to the **Closed** tab with a **Closed** badge. Its page is a read-only record. Its invoices read **Closed**, and the family still sees them in the portal, marked **Closed**, with nothing to pay.

If money reaches a closed account later, it first pays off the write-off. Anything beyond that shows as a **Money on a closed account** warning with **Refund**. **Issue refund** works without reopening.

## Reopen an account

Open the closed account and choose **Reopen account** from its **⋯** menu. It moves back to **Open**, and nothing is billed for the time it was closed. To bill a person again rather than the typed details, choose **Edit account** and pick them under **Bill to details**. Add [billing rules](/docs/billing/billing-rules) and [recurring charges](/docs/billing/recurring-charges) again as needed.

## Delete an account

An account with no financial history can be deleted outright: **⋯ → Delete account**. This cannot be undone. Its people stay in your contacts.

If any student's billing rules still name the account, Harness lists them under **Change billing rules first**. Click a student to open their Billing tab, change the rule, then delete.

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Should I close or delete?">
    The account decides: one with history can only be closed, so its invoices and payments stay on record. One with none can only be deleted.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="When should I choose Keep and close?">
    Only when the family asked you to keep the overpayment. Harness records it as an overpayment kept at close, and nothing goes back to them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why can't I close right now?">
    A bank payment is still processing, or a dispute is open. Close again once the payment settles or the dispute is resolved.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>


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