# Allocate and Reallocate

Allocation is the forgiving part of this module.

Moving a payment from the wrong bill to the right one leaves the payment itself untouched, so your cash never wobbles while you correct the matching.

![The Vendor Payments table with columns for Payment Date, Payment Number, Vendor, Bill Number, Payment Mode, Amount and Status, and Amount Allocated and Unused Amount running on beyond the right edge. Payment modes read Bank Transfer, BACS, Credit Card, Cash, Direct Debit and Cheque.](https://www.sorviai.com/help/vendor-payments/vendor-payment-list.png)

*Reallocating moves value between these two columns. The Amount column never changes.*

## Allocate an existing payment

- **Open the payment**

  From the vendor payments list, or the vendor's transactions tab.
- **Tick the bills it settles**

  Open bills are listed oldest first, with their outstanding balances.
- **Split the amount if it does not fit**

  Type a partial amount against a bill. The remainder stays available.
- **Save**

  Any bill reaching zero moves to Paid. Anything left over sits as a prepayment.

> **Note:**
>
> **Allocating posts nothing new**
>
> The money already left and already posted. Allocation only decides which payable it clears, which is why it is safe to change.

## Fixing a mistake

| Problem | Fix |
| --- | --- |
| Allocated to the wrong bill | Edit the allocation. The payment stays as it is. |
| Amount recorded wrongly | Edit the payment, then re-check the allocation. |
| Paid more than the bills | Leave the excess as a prepayment for next time. |
| Allocated to the wrong vendor | Delete and re-record. Allocation cannot cross vendors. |
| Payment never cleared | Delete it. The bills return to unpaid. |

> **Warning:**
>
> **Deleting a payment reopens its bills**
>
> They return to unpaid and resume ageing from their original due date, so a bill can jump straight back into overdue. Correct, and a surprise on a supplier statement.