David Swain (asker) Feb 27, 2014:

Hi John. The text is not an accounting text - it relates, in more general terms, to a car-finance scheme. Parts of it relate to accounting.

John Copestake (X) Feb 27, 2014:

Hi Guys, I worked as a Revenue professional, in the UK, for many years and the term W/O was only ever applied to just that: Values written off due to non-payment of debt (which instalments are), for various reasons. Maybe there is another use for the term that is specific to accounting practises but in my experience, mark as paid or maybe paid in full would seem to cover it; perhaps avoiding paid up - used in the insurance sector, which means something altogether different. If the context is indeed technical accounting, it would be interesting to know another use for the term W/O. Thanks.

David Swain (asker) Feb 27, 2014:

Thanks for your note Mario. I do not specialise in accounting (far from it), but I have looked into this a little and the meaning of "write-off" that I have repeatedly come across (The reduction or removal of an asset amount. For example, an account receivable will be removed or written off if the customer is not able to pay the amount owed to the company.) is quite different from what it means in this context (marking instalments as paid). Is there some other meaning of it? If so, can you point me to some sort of evidence to back that up? If so, I will try to have the glossary entry changed.

Mario Freitas Feb 25, 2014:

Sorry, Dave, But there is a technical term for "baixa", which is write-off, and for "parcela", which is installment. "Mark as paid" is not wrong, but is not technical, either. I'm an accontant, in addition to a translator, so I just wanted to make this note on your comment, if you don't mind.

Mario Freitas Feb 17, 2014:

Baixa, A baixa não é dada automaticamente na contabilidade mediante a quitação do título. A quitação (settlement) é uma operação bancária ou de caixa. A baixa (write-off) é uma operação contábil.