## TL;DR

A customer_balance_transaction adds a goodwill credit to the customer's Stripe balance, which automatically applies to their next invoice. Always include a clear description and metadata (reason, approver, ticket) because 'goodwill' with no context is an audit finding waiting to happen. Set an internal approval threshold: small credits self-serve, large ones need a manager. The transaction history on the customer is the audit trail, so never adjust balances by hand-editing; every credit is its own transaction record.

## The query

```text
Stripe "customer_balance_transaction" for goodwill credits: keeping the audit trail
```

## Use this when

- Granting courtesy credits for service issues
- Goodwill credits that apply to the next invoice
- Audit-proof credit issuance in Stripe

## Not for

- Refunding a specific paid invoice (use credit notes)
- Discounting the current invoice only (use coupons)

## Steps

1. Confirm the credit amount and the business reason with the ticket or incident.
   Expected output: The credit is justified and sized.
2. Create the customer_balance_transaction with a descriptive reason and metadata.
   Expected output: The audit trail records who, why, and how much.
3. Get approval per your threshold policy for larger amounts.
   Expected output: Big credits have a second pair of eyes.
4. Confirm the next invoice picks up the credit via starting_balance.
   Expected output: The customer actually benefits on the next bill.
5. Report credits monthly: total, reasons, approvers.
   Expected output: Finance sees the pattern, not just the entries.

## Variant phrasings

### Stripe customer balance transaction goodwill credit

### courtesy credit Stripe audit trail

### add credit to customer balance Stripe

## Root cause

The balance transaction is append-only history, which is exactly what auditors want: every credit is an immutable record with a reason, unlike editing a balance field which erases the story. Treat credits like cash disbursements in your controls.

## Edge cases

- Credits apply to the next invoice automatically; they cannot be earmarked for a specific future invoice
- Negative balances from over-crediting carry forward; review them quarterly

## Provenance

Resolved from the public thread: https://vectle.com/posts/pst_cBwlBF6Ewrcej17KWszwcg