--- title: "Keep issued invoices unchanged" description: "Lock invoices once they're issued, so later order changes in Shopify don't alter them." url: https://help.invoicefalcon.com/lock-issued-invoices/ section: "International and compliance" last_updated: 2026-10-28 --- # Keep issued invoices unchanged > Lock invoices once they're issued, so later order changes in Shopify don't alter them. Use this guide if your tax rules say an invoice can't change after it's issued, as in Austria. By the end, refunds, cancellations and order edits in Shopify no longer change an invoice that already exists. You record those changes with a credit note instead. This setting used to be called Austrian mode. ## Before you begin - The setting is on every plan and is off by default. - It applies from the moment you turn it on. Invoices that already changed before that are not put back. - The first invoice for an order is always built from the order as it is at that moment, even if the order was already refunded or edited. - Ask your accountant if you're not sure you need this. ## Choose your setup | Setting | What happens when an order changes in Shopify | |---|---| | Off (default) | The invoice updates to match the order, for example to show a refund. | | **Lock invoices once they're issued** on | The invoice stays as it was first issued. You create a credit note for the change. | ## What stays locked, and what doesn't When the lock is on: - Refunds, cancellations and order edits in Shopify don't change an invoice that's already issued. - Printing, downloading and emailing a locked invoice, one at a time or in bulk, doesn't update it either. - If you send invoices automatically, the invoice isn't emailed again when the order changes. Two actions you take yourself still change a locked invoice. The app doesn't warn you first: - **Regenerate** rebuilds the invoice from the current order in Shopify. Use it only when you mean to replace the issued invoice. See [Regenerate an invoice](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/regenerate-an-invoice/). - **Edit invoice** still lets you change fields and save them. See [Edit an invoice](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/edit-an-invoice/). ## Set it up 1. Open your Shopify admin and click **Invoice Falcon** in the left menu. 2. Click **Settings** in the app's menu. 3. Click the **Compliance** tab. 4. In the **Invoice locking** section, next to **Lock invoices once they're issued**, click **Turn on**. The badge changes to **On**. 5. Click **Save** in the bar at the top of the page. ## Record a refund or cancellation With the lock on, create a credit note for the change: 1. Click **Orders** in the app's menu and open the order. 2. Click **Other** at the top of the page. 3. Click **Create credit note**. See [Create credit notes](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/create-credit-notes/). To create them for every refund without doing it by hand, see [Create credit notes automatically for refunds](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/create-credit-notes-automatically/). ## Check your setup 1. Open an order that already has an invoice and note its total. 2. In Shopify, refund part of that order. 3. Back in Invoice Falcon, open the order again. The invoice still shows the original total. 4. Create a credit note for the refund from **Other** > **Create credit note**. ## Troubleshooting ### A locked invoice changed after I clicked Regenerate That's expected. **Regenerate** always rebuilds the invoice from the current order, even with the lock on. With the lock on, record changes with a credit note instead of regenerating. ### An invoice still shows a refund that happened before I turned the lock on The lock only stops changes from the moment it's on. Invoices updated before that keep the update. The first invoice for an order is also built from the order as it is, refunds included. ### A refunded order's invoice still shows the full amount That's what the lock is for. The invoice keeps its original amounts. Create a credit note to record the refund. ## FAQ ### Does turning this on change my existing invoices? No. Existing invoices stay as they are now, and from then on they stop following changes to the order. ### Will my customer get a new invoice email when I refund an order? No. With the lock on, a changed order doesn't send the invoice again. If you create a credit note, you can email it to the customer from its page. ### Can I still edit a locked invoice by hand? Yes, on the Pro plan. **Edit invoice** works the same with the lock on, so only use it where your rules allow a correction. ### Does the lock stop template changes from showing on old invoices? No. The lock keeps the order details as issued, such as products, prices and totals. The invoice is still drawn with your template, so design and label changes you save later show the next time the PDF is created. ### Can I turn the lock off again? Yes. Click **Turn off** in **Settings** > **Compliance** and save. Invoices go back to updating when the order changes in Shopify. ## Related guides - [Create credit notes](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/create-credit-notes/), to record refunds on locked invoices. - [Create credit notes automatically for refunds](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/create-credit-notes-automatically/), to do it for every refund. - [Regenerate an invoice](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/regenerate-an-invoice/), and why it overrides the lock. - [Create German e-invoices (ZUGFeRD)](https://help.invoicefalcon.com/german-e-invoices/), for other compliance needs.