Take a deposit when people book

A deposit is part of the price paid at booking. It holds the spot and cuts no-shows; the rest is paid on the invoice.

Before you start

• Connect Stripe or Square so customers can pay the deposit by card. See Connect Stripe or Connect Square.
• Only owners and admins can change these settings.

Steps

1. Go to Settings → Online booking.
2. Scroll to Deposits.
3. Pick Amount for a set dollar amount, or Percent for part of the price.
4. Type the deposit in the box next to it.
5. If you want the deposit paid before a request reaches you, turn on Customers pay the deposit to book. The time is held for 15 minutes while the customer pays.
6. Tap Save changes.

Times held for a deposit

• Jobs → Request shows the times held while customers pay, and when each hold ends.
• Unpaid holds never take more than half a day; one visitor holds at most 2 times. A hold over that still lets the customer pay, but the time stays open to others.

A different deposit for one service

A service's own deposit wins over the one in settings.

1. Go to Services and open the service.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Under Price and time, turn on Take a deposit when booked online.
4. Pick Amount or Percent and type the deposit.
5. Tap Save.

What happens to the money

• The deposit comes off the customer's invoice.
• If you decline a request, or don't answer in time, the deposit is refunded on its own.
• A deposit is never more than the job's total. Once it's paid, the job and its invoice can't go below it.
• If a customer pays the same deposit twice, you get a notice. Refund the second payment from your Stripe or Square dashboard.
• Without Stripe or Square connected, your booking page says the deposit is due when you confirm. You collect it on the first invoice.

Didn't work?

It says "Connect Stripe or Square to require deposits"

You turned on Customers pay the deposit to book without a payment account. Go to Settings → Connected apps and connect one.

Customers aren't asked to pay

Check that Deposits isn't set to No deposit, that you tapped Save changes, and that Stripe or Square is connected.

It says the total can't go below the deposit

You lowered a job or its invoice below the deposit already paid. Keep the price, or refund part of the deposit in Stripe or Square, then contact support to update the job.

A refund didn't go through

Home shows "Deposits to refund by hand" under Needs attention. Refund those from your Stripe or Square dashboard.