How do i use an open credit toward outstanding invoices for customers

SOURCE: My Accounts Receivable is recording

What software are you using? Quickbooks I'd assume? It sounds like the payment was received into the system but never correctly applied to the invoice. To verify this, go to where you can see the actual invoice, and double click on it, or search for it and then open it up. Once open, at the top of the invoice you have a "history" button. Click that and you should see the payment that was applied to the invoice, if it ever was, it would be listed right there. If there is nothing listed, then for sure it was never correctly applied.

The easiest way to fix this is to just go to Customers at the very top, then Receive Payments. Then hit the PREVIOUS button at the top left to go back through the payment. Do this until you come to the payment that was received for this invoice. It will tell you how it was applied to the invoice / invoices, if it ever was. It should be as simple as just clicking the check mark next to the invoice you want to pay, or tracking down what it in fact did pay. It's possible to receive a payment and never apply it to anything, which is what sounds like what has happened.

Thanks much, let me know if this doesn't get it fixed up. I will be glad to help more.

Tim