Orders & Customers · 6 min
How to Track Deposits and Remaining Order Balances
Keep the quoted total, payments, refunds, and balance on one auditable timeline.
Keep four numbers separate
Record the quoted total, required deposit, payments received, and refunds. The remaining balance equals total minus net payments, not the deposit target.
Worked example
Educational example: a $240 order requires a 40% deposit, or $96. If the customer pays $100, the deposit is satisfied and $140 remains.
Record evidence
For each entry keep date, amount, method, provider reference when available, and a note. Never treat a browser return page as proof that a provider settled the money.
Avoid rewriting history
A refund should be a new negative ledger entry linked to the payment, not deletion of the original receipt. Block refunds above the verified net paid amount.
Use your own verified receipts and label every example as an estimate.
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