How To Post Down Payments From Customers in QuickBooks (2024)

When invoicing a customer in QuickBooks for a large job most folks will request a down payment for work to be done before the job begins, typically we see this at 50% of the cost
of the total invoice that was remitted. However, some jobs (such as building a house) are so large in scope that the person may not want to invoice a customer until all work is complete because they would rather it be a time & materials job (a job costing feature). In this case our client will bill out a set amount at the beginning of the job to begin work and apply this amount to the final invoice when they're finished.

The Scenario- Construction ABC has recently sold a job to build a home on an empty lot. The total amount of the job is estimated to be around $400,000 at completion but Construction ABC bills time & materials + 20% at completion and therefore won't be issuing a final invoice until the end of the job. Construction ABC bills $50,000 at the start of the job as a down payment to break ground and begin the foundation work. The customer gives $50,000 as a down payment to begin work. How should Construction ABC apply this in QuickBooks to show this amount correctly on the business's balance sheet?

How to Setup a Down Payment - To setup the down payment we'll add the customer first in customer center then create an invoice for which we can apply the down payment to. All this invoice will be doing is acting as a placeholder for which the down payment is received. When the invoice is open proceed to do the following to a create an item called 'Customer Down Payment':

  1. Put 'Customer Down Payment' in the item field
  2. Click 'Yes' to add it now
  3. Type is a 'Service' from the drop down
  4. Go to account bottom left and put in 'Customer Down Payments'
  5. Set Up as an 'Other Current Liability'
  6. Save and close
  7. Click 'Ok' to create the new item type

Now that we have the Customer Down Payment item
created we'll put $50,000 into theamount field and close the invoice. Next, right click the customer and clickreceive payment against the down payment invoice for the $50,000 that the customer has given to begin the job.

Explanation of the Liability Account - When we setup the Customer Down Paymentsaccount as an Other Current Liability we've told QuickBooks that this is money owed for work that has yet to be completed. It's a liability for the company because they haven't completed the work and the customer has full expectations to receive a final product that won't be delivered until the job is complete. When the final invoice is generated we'll back the payment out of the liability account as a payment against the final invoice because the final product has been delivered to the customer.

Applying the Down Payment - When the job has been finished ABC Construction will finally generate an invoice based on time & materials for the job detailing what was purchased for the job and showing how many hours were spent until completion. At the end of the invoice input the Customer Down Payment line item and enter the total of all down payments from this customer as a negative number. This will now $0 the Customers Down Payments in the liability account and properly show the income as billed from the invoice.


So, why go through all of this trouble? Why not just receive the payments for the customer and leave them as an open balance to be applied at a later date? If you take a $100,000 down payment on a job you've now thrown your accounts receivable $100,000 in the other direction, it'll be a negative balance, the horror!

Instead, if you setup a liability account it will properly reflect and give you a much cleaner understanding with what your liabilities are as a business (down payments that you owe for services yet to be fulfilled) and your accounts receivable will reflect as a positive number to show the total amount owed to the business for services that have been completed.

How To Post Down Payments From Customers in QuickBooks (1)

How To Post Down Payments From Customers in QuickBooks (2024)

FAQs

How To Post Down Payments From Customers in QuickBooks? ›

Select Receive Payment. Create a receive payment by select a customer using the dropdown arrow. Under the Account column, select the invoice, then enter the amount of payment received.

How to record down payment from customer in QuickBooks Online? ›

Select Receive Payment. Create a receive payment by select a customer using the dropdown arrow. Under the Account column, select the invoice, then enter the amount of payment received.

How do I record a customer down payment in QuickBooks desktop? ›

How To Post Down Payments From Customers in QuickBooks
  1. Put 'Customer Down Payment' in the item field.
  2. Click 'Yes' to add it now.
  3. Type is a 'Service' from the drop down.
  4. Go to account bottom left and put in 'Customer Down Payments'
  5. Set Up as an 'Other Current Liability'
  6. Save and close.
  7. Click 'Ok' to create the new item type.
Aug 23, 2013

How do I record a down payment? ›

Regardless of which inventory system you use, credit the amount of the down payment you made on the merchandise to the cash account. Do this in the same journal entry you started with either the purchases account or the inventory account. A credit decreases the cash account, which is an asset account.

How do I apply a down payment to an invoice in QuickBooks? ›

Go to Get paid & pay or Sales, then select Invoices (Take me there). Find the invoice you want to add a deposit to, then select Edit ✎. Enter the amount in the Deposit field. From the Deposit to ▼ dropdown menu, select Payments to deposit or Undeposited funds.

How do you record an advance payment from a customer? ›

Whenever an advance payment is made, the accounting entry is expressed as a debit to the asset Cash for the amount received. A credit also needs to be made to the liability account – something along the lines of Advance Payments, Unearned Revenue, or Customer Advances.

How do I record a down payment to a vendor in QuickBooks? ›

Apply the prepayment to a bill.
  1. Go to the Vendors menu, then select Pay Bills.
  2. Highlight the bill you want to associate with the prepayment.
  3. Select Set Credits.
  4. The prepayment will display in the Set Credits screen. Make sure it is checked, then select Done.
Jan 11, 2023

How do I record a customer advance payment in QuickBooks? ›

When you make an advance payment to a supplier
  1. Add the supplier to QuickBooks if you haven't already. ...
  2. Once you've added the supplier to QuickBooks, add a new expense. ...
  3. Under the Category column, select Account: Accounts Payable (A/P).
  4. Input the payment description and amount.
  5. Save the payment before you close out.
Feb 24, 2021

Where do I record customer payments in QuickBooks? ›

From the QuickBooks Home page or the Customers menu, select Receive Payment. In the Received From drop-down, select the customer's name. Enter the Amount received. Make sure the date is correct, then choose the Payment method.

How do I invoice a 50% deposit in QuickBooks? ›

50 % of Invoice on estimate
  1. Open your QBO account, then select Invoice from the (+) New icon.
  2. Pick the customer's name under the Customer drop-down.
  3. Look for the estimate transaction under Add to Invoice at the right section, then click Add.
  4. Enter the remaining estimate amount, then hit Copy to invoice.
  5. Tap Save.
Dec 15, 2020

What is the accounting entry for a customer down payment? ›

A down payment received before it is earned is recorded with a debit to the current asset account Cash and a credit to the current liability account Customer Deposits.

Is a down payment a business expense? ›

You are allowed to write off the down payment.

This expense is part of the basis of the property and is not deductible on your tax return.

Does a down payment count as an expense? ›

The down payment is part of the home price and not an expense to buy the home. A home buyer usually contributes a minimum amount of his own funds to finance a real estate purchase. The lender requires the borrower invest a specified amount to the transaction because it lowers its risk.

Do you send invoice for down payment? ›

A deposit invoice is a document used to request a deposit from a customer. This type of invoice is typically used by businesses that require a down payment for goods or services. In this piece, we do a deep dive into creating a deposit invoice step-by-step, what to include and when to use one.

What is invoice for down payment? ›

The A/R down payment invoice is an invoice that is cleared by an incoming payment. Unlike the A/R invoice, the A/R down payment invoice creates a posting in the accounting system but has no influence on inventory accounting values and quantities.

What is the difference between down payment and advance payment? ›

What is the difference between advance payment and down payment? Advance payment is more of a blanket term for payments received before work or products are received. A downpayment is a form of advance payment that's also referred to as partial payment in advance.

What is the difference between prepaid and advance payments? ›

Pre-paid is more related to amount paid for expenses incurred/services rendered but the benifits of which will continue to flow in next financial years. This is normaly arises in case of services. Here the Chances of getting the amount back is very less or remote. Advance is payment without receipts of Goods/Services.

What is the accounting treatment for advance payments? ›

Advance payments are recorded as a prepaid expense in accrual accounting for the entity issuing the advance. Advanced payments are recorded as assets on the balance sheet. As these assets are used they are expended and recorded on the income statement for the period in which they are incurred.

How to apply a vendor payment to a customer invoice in QuickBooks? ›

From the Customer menu, select Receive Payments. Select the invoice. Click Set Credits and select the credits to apply. Select Done.

How do I record a deposit to a vendor in QuickBooks desktop? ›

Record a Deposit of the vendor check:
  1. Go to the Banking menu, then select Make Deposits.
  2. If the Payments to Deposit window appears, select OK.
  3. In the Make Deposits window, select the Received from drop-down and choose the vendor who sent you the refund.
Jan 11, 2023

How to make a partial payment to a vendor in QuickBooks Desktop? ›

Here's how to make that happen:
  1. Enter your QuickBooks account.
  2. Select “vendors” then “pay bills.”
  3. Click to enable the “show all bills” option.
  4. Search for the specific bill you wish to make partial payments on.
  5. Enter the amount into the “amount due” column.
  6. Select the checkmark to choose “partial payment.”

How do you account advance received from customers? ›

When a company receives money in advance of earning it, the accounting entry is a debit to the asset Cash for the amount received and a credit to the liability account such as Customer Advances or Unearned Revenues.

What type of account is advances from customers? ›

Advance from customer is a liability account, in which is stored all payments from customers for goods or services that have not yet been delivered. Once the related goods or services have been delivered, the amount in this account is shifted to a revenue account.

How do I categorize customer payments in QuickBooks? ›

Categorize a transaction
  1. Go to the Transactions menu.
  2. Find a transaction on the list.
  3. Select Business if the transaction was for business, or select Personal for personal. ...
  4. Review the category in the Category column. ...
  5. If you need to change the category, select the category link. ...
  6. When you're done, select Save.
Jan 6, 2023

Which account is used to record payments received from customers? ›

Accounts receivable refer to the money a company's customers owe for goods or services they have received but not yet paid for. For example, when customers purchase products on credit, the amount owed gets added to the accounts receivable.

How do I set up customer payments in QuickBooks desktop? ›

Step 1: Connect your payments account
  1. In QuickBooks Desktop, go to the Customers menu.
  2. Select Link Payment Service to Company File. If you see a message about credit card protection, fill out the fields and select OK.
  3. Enter the user ID and password you used to sign up for QuickBooks Payments. ...
  4. Select Connect.
Feb 27, 2023

How do you invoice a customer for deposit? ›

A deposit invoice requests payment of a deposit from the client's bank and includes the names and addresses of the business and the client, as well as a description of the services rendered and the total deposit amount. The full cost will be included on a final invoice once the job is completed.

How do I record a deposit in Quickbooks without an invoice? ›

If you don't want to use an invoice you can use the sales receipt when your customer pays you on the spot for goods or services. This way, you'll record it once you have exact amount. Here's how to receive payment from the invoices you recorded: Click the + New button and select Receive Payment.

Which transaction will you use to post a down payment for a customer? ›

Advance receipts from customers need to be shown as liabilities on the balance sheet. In order to support this requirement down payments received are posted as special general ledger (G/L) transactions. An alternative reconciliation account is required to post such transactions.

Is a down payment received an asset or liability? ›

On the balance sheet, down payments made are displayed on the assets side and down payments received on the liabilities side.

What is down payment received from customer? ›

A down payment is a payment made or received before the physical exchange of goods and services. Upon receipt or delivery of the goods or services, the down payment is cleared against the final invoice.

What type of expense is a down payment? ›

Expense vs.

The down payment is indeed a cost. Unlike a tool that has a useful life of less than a year, the down payment is the cost of asset acquisition.

How do you depreciate a down payment? ›

No, you cannot deduct the down payment, but you can expense the cost of your property, (depreciate) which would include your down payment over 27.5 years for a rental property and 39 years for other commercial property.

Can a bed be a business expense? ›

Generally, you cannot deduct any personal, living, or family expenses for your business. These include (but are not limited to) your housing, clothing, everyday meals, personal care, personal cell phones, and utilities. Exceptions are made for items that are used partially for personal and partially for business.

Where does a down payment go on a financial statement? ›

Answer and Explanation: Down payments form part of the liabilities in the balance sheet.

What is down payment in financial accounting? ›

A down payment is paid upfront in a financial transaction, such as purchasing a home or car. Buyers often take out loans to finance the remainder of the purchase price. The higher the down payment, the less the buyer will need to borrow to complete the transaction and reduce the interest paid over the long term.

Are down payments capitalized? ›

A down payment serves as a capitalized cost reduction by lowering the total amount of principal financing a borrower needs. A down payment can greatly help to reduce the installment payment amount owed from a buyer on a monthly basis.

Are down payments non refundable? ›

A down payment is an initial non-refundable payment that is paid upfront for purchasing a high-priced item – such as a car or a house – and the remaining payment is paid by obtaining a loan from a bank or financial institution.

How do you write a 50% deposit invoice? ›

To write a 50% deposit invoice, simply create an initial invoice for half the total cost and subtract that amount from the final invoice. This will ensure the customer pays half the upfront payment and then covers the remaining balance with their payment.

How do you write payment options on an invoice? ›

Best Practices for Writing Invoice Terms and Conditions
  1. Use of simple, polite, and straightforward language.
  2. Mentioning the complete details of the firm and the client.
  3. Complete details of the product or service, including taxes or discounts.
  4. The reference number or invoice number.
  5. Mentioning the payment mode.

What is down payment made to vendor? ›

Down payments are sometimes also referred to as advance payments. A down payment is a payment made or received before the physical exchange of goods and services. Once the receipt or delivery of goods and services occurs, the down payment clears against the final invoice.

How to receive a payment for a credit from a vendor in QuickBooks? ›

Step 1: Enter a vendor credit
  1. Select + New.
  2. Select Vendor credit or Receive vendor credit.
  3. In the Vendor dropdown, select your vendor.
  4. Depending on how you record purchases with this vendor, enter the Category details or Item details. ...
  5. Select Save and close.

How do I match a deposit to an invoice in QuickBooks desktop? ›

Here's how:
  1. Select + New.
  2. Select Receive Payment.
  3. Select the Customer from the ▼ dropdown. ...
  4. In the Payment date field, enter the day you received the payment.
  5. In the Outstanding Transactions section, select the invoice you need to mark as paid.
  6. Under Credits, select the deposit.
  7. Select Save and Close.
Aug 16, 2021

How do I process customer payments in QuickBooks online? ›

  1. Select + New.
  2. Select Receive payment.
  3. From the Customer dropdown, select the name of the customer.
  4. From the Payment method dropdown, select the payment method (credit card, debit, PayPal, Venmo, or ACH bank transfer).
  5. From the Deposit to dropdown, select the account you put the payment into.
Apr 14, 2023

How do you account advance received from Customers? ›

When a company receives money in advance of earning it, the accounting entry is a debit to the asset Cash for the amount received and a credit to the liability account such as Customer Advances or Unearned Revenues.

How do I enter customer payments and deposits in QuickBooks? ›

On the Homepage, select Record Deposits / Make Deposits. In the Payments to Deposit window, select the payments you want to combine. Then select OK. In the Make Deposits window, select the account you want to put the deposit into from the Deposit to dropdown.

How do I show advance payments in QuickBooks? ›

Follow these steps to record the advance payment:
  1. First, make sure you have the supplier listed in Quickbooks Online. ...
  2. Create a new Supplier by filling out all the information, then select Save.
  3. Select + New.
  4. Select Expense.
  5. Create an expense to the Supplier by selecting a Payee and Payment account.
Dec 1, 2022

How can QuickBooks clients accept online payments from customers? ›

To create an invoice that offers payment options, click the plus sign at the top, and click Invoice. Enter all the required information, and choose the types of online payment you accept. To receive mobile payments, click the plus sign at the top, click Receive Payment, and click Enter Credit Card Details.

Does QuickBooks allow customers to pay online? ›

Turn on online payments for all customers
  1. Go to Edit ✎ and select Preferences.
  2. Select Payments and then the Company Preferences tab.
  3. In the Online Payments section, select the payment methods you want to make available to all customers. Then select OK.
  4. Select Apply to existing customers.
Feb 27, 2023

How can your QuickBooks Online clients accept online payments from customers? ›

QuickBooks Payments allows you to add links to invoices so customers can pay online. Customers can pay with PayPal, Venmo, credit card, or ACH bank transfer. All they have to do is follow the link in the email. You can also process payments in person or over the phone.

Can a customer make a partial payment on a QuickBooks invoice? ›

Yes, your customers can partially pay their invoices in QuickBooks Online, @elizabeth-sainz. Your customers can follow the steps below so they can pay you partially: Go to the Payment Amount line and select the Pencil icon. Enter the amount you wish to pay.

Which type of invoicing requires partial payment? ›

Interim invoices are partial invoices that contain only a portion of the final invoice's fee to help fund the project and cover the operational expenses. Interim invoices are also used for larger, more expensive projects because the total amount can be broken down into smaller invoices to make it more affordable.

Where do customer payments go in QuickBooks? ›

After you process payments, QuickBooks puts the money into your bank account. It uses the bank account you picked when you signed up for QuickBooks Payments. Deposit speeds depend on your product and the type of payment. Get more info about deposit times for QuickBooks Payments.

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