Reverse a Transaction (How to Void and Refund)

Modified on Mon, May 11 at 4:24 PM

When a transaction needs to be undone, DealerWorks handles it through the Reverse Transaction action. Depending on when the transaction was processed, DealerWorks will automatically apply it as a void or a refund. This article explains the difference, how to reverse a transaction, and what to expect afterward.

Void vs. Refund — What's the Difference?

You do not choose between a void and a refund — DealerWorks determines which applies based on when the transaction was processed:

Scenario	What Happens	Customer Impact
Transaction processed today (same day)	Void — the authorization is cancelled before it settles	The charge never posts to their statement
Transaction processed on a prior day	Refund — the settled amount is returned to the card	A credit appears on their statement in 5–10 business days

Note: The button in DealerWorks always reads Reverse Transaction — regardless of whether the result will be a void or a refund. DealerWorks makes that determination automatically based on the transaction date.

How to Reverse a Transaction

1 From the left navigation, go to Reporting → Transactions.
2 Locate the transaction you need to reverse. Use the search or date filters to find it.
3 Click the three-dot menu (⋮) on the transaction row.
4 Select Reverse Transaction.
5 Review the confirmation and confirm the reversal. The transaction status will update in DealerWorks.

What to Expect After a Reversal

Type	DealerWorks Status	When Customer Sees It
Void	Updates immediately	The charge typically drops off within 1–5 business days; it may never appear on their statement at all
Refund	Updates immediately	Credit appears on their card statement in 5–10 business days, depending on their bank

Important — do not reverse based on the customer's report alone. If a customer says they were charged twice, verify the transaction in DealerWorks before reversing. Duplicate charges on a card statement are often temporary authorization holds that clear on their own. Reversing a legitimate transaction creates a real refund that cannot be undone.

See the article Customer Says They Were Charged Twice for guidance on how to verify before acting.

Who Can Reverse a Transaction

The Reverse Transaction option is available to users whose role includes payment management permissions. This typically includes accounting staff, managers, and administrators. Service advisors and cashiers may not have this permission depending on how your dealership's roles are configured.

If the three-dot menu (⋮) does not appear on the transaction row, or if Reverse Transaction is missing from the menu, your user account does not have permission to perform reversals. Contact your dealership's DealerWorks administrator to have your permissions updated.

Note: If you have the correct permissions but the Reverse Transaction option is still missing, the transaction type itself may not support reversals — see the section below for cases where reversals are not available. If you believe a reversal should be possible and the option is still not appearing, contact DealerWorks support with the transaction ID and date.

When a Reversal Isn't Available

The Reverse Transaction option may not appear for all transactions. Reversals are not available for:

ACH payments — ACH refunds are handled case-by-case. Contact DealerWorks support.
Transactions already reversed — a transaction can only be reversed once.
Cash and check payments — these are recorded manually and not processed through the card network.

If the Reverse Transaction option is missing and you believe it should be available, contact DealerWorks support with the transaction ID and date.