When creating a credit, it automatically applies it to the associated invoice, so the users have to remember to go uncheck that box before they save it, they don't want it applied immediately (note the auto apply checkbox isn't what I'm talking about). is there a way to prevent it from automatically doing that?

Does creating a standalone credit memo work for your company? (Not attached to any Invoice)

I believe so, that would be the only way to prevent the credit from being applied to an invoice automatically?

You could most probably add a client script to uncheck it

thought about that but at a certain point can't users just remember stuff? ha. it's only two people entering them so i just wondered if i could change that default behavior. doesn't seem so.