# Create a debit memo

Operation ID: `createDebitMemo`

Group: Accounting › Debit Memos

[Open in the interactive reference](https://docs.api.lensing.ai/lensing/v1/endpoints/createDebitMemo)

`POST /accounting/debit-memos`

Retry-safe: A write that accepts Idempotency-Key: repeating a request with the same key replays the stored answer instead of executing twice.

Creates a debit memo to settle a source credit memo. The customer, legal entity, and currency come from the credit memo named by creditMemoId, not from the request. debitMemoType, billToAddressId, and soldToAddressId default to the credit memo's values when you leave them out.

By default, the debit memo is approved as it's created, and its journal entry is created in the general ledger in the same request. In a tenant where debit memos go through approval, it's created as a draft instead, with no journal entry.

The response contains the created debit memo, including its lines.

## Parameters

| Name | In | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `Api-Version` | header | string · v1 | yes | The API version this request targets, named by its public identifier. Required on every request; omitting it, or naming a version this company does not have, is answered with 400. This document describes version `v1`. |
| `Idempotency-Key` | header | string | no | An opaque caller-chosen string (1-255 characters) that makes this request safe to retry. Repeating the same key with an identical request body replays the original response instead of re-executing - but only once that original request succeeded; a failed attempt re-executes on retry. Repeating the key with a different body is answered with 422. A key still in flight is answered with 409 - as is a key whose original request was interrupted before it finished, for a few minutes afterwards, until that attempt is presumed dead. A completed response stays replayable for 24 hours. The key is scoped to the caller, not to the action: reusing it for a different action is answered with 409 or 422 rather than treated independently. On read actions this header is ignored. On write actions that cannot offer the guarantee it is answered with `400 IDEMPOTENCY_NOT_SUPPORTED` rather than silently ignored. |

## Request body

Required, `application/json`: createDebitMemoInput.

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `creditMemoId` | string | yes | The source credit memo this debit memo settles. Required: a standalone debit memo cannot be created over this API. The customer, legal entity and currency come from this credit memo, not the request. See id on GET accounting/credit-memos/:id. Example: `"5a0f3e6d-81b7-4c8e-9b21-9c2a6a107d34"`. |
| `debitMemoDate` | date | yes | The date the debit memo is issued. Use format YYYY-MM-DD. Must fall in an open accounting period unless isMigrated is true. Example: `"2026-08-01"`. |
| `paymentTerm` | string | yes | The payment-term key to apply. When dueDate is omitted, it is computed from debitMemoDate plus this term's days. See code on GET accounting/payment-terms. Example: `"net30"`. |
| `debitMemoType` | string | no | The reason key for the charge, for example 'orderEntryError'. Omit to inherit the source credit memo's reason key. When neither supplies one the call fails with MISSING_REQUIRED_FIELD. The accepted keys are configured per tenant. Example: `"orderEntryError"`. |
| `dueDate` | date | no | The date the debit memo falls due. Use format YYYY-MM-DD. Omit to compute it from debitMemoDate plus the payment term's days. |
| `taxDate` | date | no | The date to determine tax on. Use format YYYY-MM-DD. Omit to use debitMemoDate. |
| `billToAddressId` | string | no | The bill-to address for the document. Omit to inherit the source credit memo's. When neither supplies one the call fails with MISSING_REQUIRED_FIELD. There is no endpoint for it. |
| `soldToAddressId` | string | no | The sold-to address for the document. Omit to inherit the source credit memo's. When neither supplies one the call fails with MISSING_REQUIRED_FIELD. There is no endpoint for it. |
| `purchaseOrder` | string | no | The customer's own purchase-order reference to record on the document. Example: `"PO-88213"`. |
| `customerMessage` | string | no | A free-text message to show the customer on the document. |
| `debitGlAccountId` | string | no | The general ledger account the journal entry debits for the debit memo's full amount. Omit to use the entity's customer receivables account. See id on GET accounting/accounts/:id. |
| `isMigrated` | boolean | no | Whether the debit memo was loaded from a previous system. When true, it is excluded from dunning, its journal entries are auto-reversed, and the open-accounting-period check on debitMemoDate is skipped. Defaults to false. |
| `lines` | array<object> | yes | The lines of the debit memo. At least one is required, or the request fails with NO_LINES. Every amount is in the source credit memo's currency. Example: `[{"creditMemoLineId":"7d34c8e9-b21f-4a5c-9f3e-6d81b7d0aec3","description":"Re-debit of over-credited licence fee","quantity":"2","unitOfMeasure":"license","unitPrice":"250.00","totalPrice":"500.00"}]`. |
| `lines[].creditMemoLineId` | string | yes | The source credit memo line this line debits. Must be a line of the credit memo named by creditMemoId, or the request fails with CREDIT_MEMO_LINE_NOT_FOUND. The debit memo line inherits its tax-exclusion state from that source line. See lines[].id on GET accounting/credit-memos/:id. |
| `lines[].totalPrice` | decimal | yes | The line total excluding tax, in the source credit memo's currency. Must be greater than 0. |
| `lines[].description` | string | no | A free-text line description, shown to the customer. |
| `lines[].productId` | string | no | The product the line refers to. Omit on a free-text line. See id on GET accounting/products/:id. |
| `lines[].quantity` | decimal | no | The quantity debited. A count, not an amount, so it has no currency. |
| `lines[].unitOfMeasure` | string | no | The unit-of-measure key, for example 'each'. An unrecognized value fails with INVALID_ENUM_VALUE. |
| `lines[].unitPrice` | decimal | no | The price per unit, in the source credit memo's currency. |
| `lines[].adjustedUnitPrice` | decimal | no | The price per unit after adjustment, in the source credit memo's currency. |
| `lines[].taxAmount` | decimal | no | The tax on the line, in the source credit memo's currency. Omit to have the tax engine determine it. |
| `lines[].taxCode` | string | no | The tax code to apply to the line. |
| `lines[].taxDate` | date | no | The date to determine the line's tax on. Use format YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `lines[].taxMode` | any | no | How the line's prices are quoted for tax. One of: `"taxInclusive"`, `"taxExclusive"`. |
| `lines[].taxExemptCode` | string | no | The customer-level tax-exempt code to apply to the line. |
| `lines[].creditGlAccountId` | string | no | The line's credit general ledger account, the credit side of the journal entry. See id on GET accounting/accounts/:id. |
| `lines[].serviceStartDate` | date | no | The first day of the service period the line covers. Use format YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `lines[].serviceEndDate` | date | no | The last day of the service period the line covers, inclusive. Use format YYYY-MM-DD. |

```json
{
  "creditMemoId": "5a0f3e6d-81b7-4c8e-9b21-9c2a6a107d34",
  "debitMemoDate": "2026-08-01",
  "paymentTerm": "net30",
  "debitMemoType": "orderEntryError",
  "dueDate": "2026-01-15",
  "taxDate": "2026-01-15",
  "billToAddressId": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
  "soldToAddressId": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
  "purchaseOrder": "PO-88213",
  "customerMessage": "<customerMessage>",
  "debitGlAccountId": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
  "isMigrated": true,
  "lines": [
    {
      "creditMemoLineId": "7d34c8e9-b21f-4a5c-9f3e-6d81b7d0aec3",
      "description": "Re-debit of over-credited licence fee",
      "quantity": "2",
      "unitOfMeasure": "license",
      "unitPrice": "250.00",
      "totalPrice": "500.00"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Response

`200` Success

Under `data` (createDebitMemoOutput):

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `id` | string | yes | The unique identifier for the created debit memo. Example: `"3b7d5e9c-1a24-4f80-9c6d-2e8f70b13a45"`. |
| `debitMemoNumber` | string | no | The debit memo number, for example 'DM-1'. Absent while none has been assigned. Example: `"DM-1042"`. |
| `creditMemoId` | string | no | The source credit memo this debit memo settles. See id on GET accounting/credit-memos/:id. Example: `"5a0f3e6d-81b7-4c8e-9b21-9c2a6a107d34"`. |
| `creditMemoNumber` | string | no | The number of the source credit memo. Present whenever creditMemoId is. |
| `debitMemoDate` | date | yes | The date the debit memo was issued. Format YYYY-MM-DD. Example: `"2026-08-01"`. |
| `dueDate` | date | no | The date the debit memo falls due. Format YYYY-MM-DD. As supplied, or computed from debitMemoDate plus the payment term's days. Example: `"2026-08-31"`. |
| `taxDate` | date | no | The date the debit memo's tax was determined on. Format YYYY-MM-DD. Defaults to debitMemoDate. |
| `approvalStatus` | string | no | The approval status of the new debit memo. Possible values: 'approved', 'draft'. It's 'approved' unless debit memos in your tenant go through approval. Example: `"approved"`. |
| `debitMemoStatus` | string | no | The payment and credit coverage status. Possible values: 'unpaid', 'isOverdue', 'partiallyPaid', 'paidInFull', 'creditedInFull', 'disputed'. Absent before approval. |
| `debitMemoType` | string | yes | The reason key for the charge, as supplied or inherited from the source credit memo, for example 'orderEntryError'. Example: `"orderEntryError"`. |
| `currency` | string | yes | The currency of the debit memo, taken from the source credit memo. Format ISO 4217, for example 'USD'. It governs every amount on the record. Example: `"USD"`. |
| `customerId` | string | yes | The customer the debit memo is issued to, taken from the source credit memo. See id on GET accounting/customers/:id. Example: `"9c2a6a10-7d34-4c8e-9b21-5a0f3e6d81b7"`. |
| `customerName` | string | no | The display name of the customer. |
| `customerNumber` | string | no | The customer number. |
| `entityId` | string | yes | The legal entity that issued the debit memo, taken from the source credit memo. See id on GET base/entities. Example: `"1a24d5e9-3b7d-4f80-9c6d-2e8f70b13a45"`. |
| `entityName` | string | no | The name of the issuing legal entity. |
| `paymentTerm` | string | yes | The payment-term key applied to the debit memo. See code on GET accounting/payment-terms. Example: `"net30"`. |
| `purchaseOrder` | string | no | The customer's own purchase-order reference. |
| `customerMessage` | string | no | A free-text message shown to the customer on the document. |
| `externalDebitMemoId` | string | no | The identifier of this debit memo in an external source system. |
| `isMigrated` | boolean | no | Whether the debit memo was loaded from a previous system. When true, it is excluded from dunning and its journal entries are auto-reversed. |
| `debitGlAccountId` | string | no | The general ledger account the journal entry debits for the debit memo's full amount. Absent when you didn't send one. The journal entry then uses the entity's customer receivables account. See id on GET accounting/accounts/:id. |
| `billToAddressId` | string | yes | The bill-to address on the document. There is no endpoint for it. Example: `"9f3e6d81-b7d0-4aec-8c3f-2e8f70b13a45"`. |
| `soldToAddressId` | string | yes | The sold-to address on the document. There is no endpoint for it. Example: `"b7d0aec3-9f3e-4d81-8c3f-6d81b7d0aec3"`. |
| `subtotal` | decimal | no | The sum of the lines' pre-discount totals, in the debit memo currency. |
| `totalAmount` | decimal | no | The total including tax, in the debit memo currency. Example: `"500.00"`. |
| `totalTax` | decimal | no | The total tax across all lines, in the debit memo currency. |
| `totalAmountDebited` | decimal | no | The gross amount debited, in the debit memo currency. |
| `lineDiscounts` | decimal | no | The sum of the prorated discount amounts across all lines, in the debit memo currency. |
| `unappliedCreditAmount` | decimal | no | The credit still unapplied on the source credit memo, in the debit memo currency. Absent on a standalone debit memo. |
| `lastModifiedDate` | date-time | yes | The date and time the debit memo record last changed, in UTC. Format YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss.sssZ. Example: `"2026-08-01T09:12:44.000Z"`. |
| `lines` | array<object> | no | The lines of the created debit memo, each with its assigned id and line number. |
| `lines[].id` | string | yes | The unique identifier for the debit memo line. |
| `lines[].lineNumber` | string | no | The sequential line number within the debit memo. |
| `lines[].description` | string | no | A free-text line description, shown to the customer. |
| `lines[].productId` | string | no | The debited product. Absent on a free-text line. See id on GET accounting/products/:id. |
| `lines[].creditMemoLineId` | string | no | The source credit memo line this line debits. See lines[].id on GET accounting/credit-memos/:id. |
| `lines[].quantity` | decimal | no | The quantity debited. A count, not an amount, so it has no currency. |
| `lines[].unitOfMeasure` | string | no | The unit-of-measure key, for example 'each'. |
| `lines[].unitPrice` | decimal | no | The price per unit, in the debit memo currency. |
| `lines[].adjustedUnitPrice` | decimal | no | The price per unit after adjustment, in the debit memo currency. |
| `lines[].listPrice` | decimal | no | The list price per unit as it stood on the source credit memo line, in the debit memo currency. |
| `lines[].listPriceTotal` | decimal | no | The pre-discount line total, in the debit memo currency. |
| `lines[].discountAmount` | decimal | no | The discount from the source credit memo line, in the debit memo currency. |
| `lines[].discountPercentage` | decimal | no | The discount as a percentage of the list price. A percentage, not an amount, so it has no currency. |
| `lines[].totalPrice` | decimal | no | The line total excluding tax, in the debit memo currency. |
| `lines[].amountDebited` | decimal | no | The amount debited for the line, in the debit memo currency. |
| `lines[].totalAmountDue` | decimal | no | The amount of the source credit memo line still available to debit, in the debit memo currency. |
| `lines[].taxAmount` | decimal | no | The tax on the line, in the debit memo currency. |
| `lines[].taxCode` | string | no | The tax code applied to the line. |
| `lines[].taxDate` | date | no | The date the line's tax was determined on. Format YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `lines[].taxMode` | string | no | How the line's prices are quoted for tax. Possible values: 'TaxInclusive', 'TaxExclusive'. |
| `lines[].taxExemptCode` | string | no | The customer-level tax-exempt code applied to the line. |
| `lines[].creditGlAccountId` | string | no | The line's credit general ledger account, the credit side of the journal entry. See id on GET accounting/accounts/:id. |
| `lines[].serviceStartDate` | date | no | The first day of the service period the line covers. Format YYYY-MM-DD. |
| `lines[].serviceEndDate` | date | no | The last day of the service period the line covers, inclusive. Format YYYY-MM-DD. |

```json
{
  "data": {
    "id": "3b7d5e9c-1a24-4f80-9c6d-2e8f70b13a45",
    "debitMemoNumber": "DM-1042",
    "creditMemoId": "5a0f3e6d-81b7-4c8e-9b21-9c2a6a107d34",
    "creditMemoNumber": "<creditMemoNumber>",
    "debitMemoDate": "2026-08-01",
    "dueDate": "2026-08-31",
    "taxDate": "2026-01-15",
    "approvalStatus": "approved",
    "debitMemoStatus": "<debitMemoStatus>",
    "debitMemoType": "orderEntryError",
    "currency": "USD",
    "customerId": "9c2a6a10-7d34-4c8e-9b21-5a0f3e6d81b7",
    "customerName": "<customerName>",
    "customerNumber": "<customerNumber>",
    "entityId": "1a24d5e9-3b7d-4f80-9c6d-2e8f70b13a45",
    "entityName": "<entityName>",
    "paymentTerm": "net30",
    "purchaseOrder": "<purchaseOrder>",
    "customerMessage": "<customerMessage>",
    "externalDebitMemoId": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
    "isMigrated": true,
    "debitGlAccountId": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
    "billToAddressId": "9f3e6d81-b7d0-4aec-8c3f-2e8f70b13a45",
    "soldToAddressId": "b7d0aec3-9f3e-4d81-8c3f-6d81b7d0aec3",
    "subtotal": "19.99",
    "totalAmount": "500.00",
    "totalTax": "19.99",
    "totalAmountDebited": "19.99",
    "lineDiscounts": "19.99",
    "unappliedCreditAmount": "19.99",
    "lastModifiedDate": "2026-08-01T09:12:44.000Z",
    "lines": [
      {
        "id": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
        "lineNumber": "<lineNumber>",
        "description": "<description>",
        "productId": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
        "creditMemoLineId": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
        "quantity": "19.99",
        "unitOfMeasure": "<unitOfMeasure>",
        "unitPrice": "19.99",
        "adjustedUnitPrice": "19.99",
        "listPrice": "19.99",
        "listPriceTotal": "19.99",
        "discountAmount": "19.99",
        "discountPercentage": "19.99",
        "totalPrice": "19.99",
        "amountDebited": "19.99",
        "totalAmountDue": "19.99",
        "taxAmount": "19.99",
        "taxCode": "<taxCode>",
        "taxDate": "2026-01-15",
        "taxMode": "<taxMode>",
        "taxExemptCode": "<taxExemptCode>",
        "creditGlAccountId": "3fa85f64-5717-4562-b3fc-2c963f66afa6",
        "serviceStartDate": "2026-01-15",
        "serviceEndDate": "2026-01-15"
      }
    ]
  },
  "diagnostics": [
    {
      "code": "<code>",
      "message": "<message>",
      "severity": "error",
      "path": [
        "<path>"
      ],
      "details": "<details>"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Response headers

- `Idempotency-Replayed` — Present and `true` only when this response replays a previously stored one for the same Idempotency-Key, rather than reflecting a live execution. Absent on a live response - never sent as `false`.

## Errors

| Code | Status |
| --- | --- |
| `CREDIT_MEMO_NOT_FOUND` | 400 |
| `CREDIT_MEMO_LINE_NOT_FOUND` | 400 |
| `PRODUCT_NOT_FOUND` | 400 |
| `ACCOUNT_NOT_FOUND` | 400 |
| `ADDRESS_NOT_FOUND` | 400 |
| `INVALID_AMOUNT` | 400 |
| `INVALID_ENUM_VALUE` | 400 |
| `NO_LINES` | 400 |
| `MISSING_REQUIRED_FIELD` | 400 |
| `IDEMPOTENCY_KEY_CONFLICT` | 409 |
| `IDEMPOTENCY_PAYLOAD_MISMATCH` | 422 |

## Statuses

- `400` — Invalid request or business failure. Codes: CREDIT_MEMO_NOT_FOUND, CREDIT_MEMO_LINE_NOT_FOUND, PRODUCT_NOT_FOUND, ACCOUNT_NOT_FOUND, ADDRESS_NOT_FOUND, INVALID_AMOUNT, INVALID_ENUM_VALUE, NO_LINES, MISSING_REQUIRED_FIELD
- `401` — The request carries no valid access token.
- `403` — Not authorized
- `404` — Not found
- `409` — The Idempotency-Key is still being processed by another request.
- `422` — The Idempotency-Key was already used with a different request payload.
- `429` — Too many requests from this client address. The response has no body and no `Retry-After` header.
- `500` — Internal server error