> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.kneadapp.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Deposits and Partial Payments

> Require a deposit upfront and collect the balance later.

## Overview

Deposits let you collect a portion of the invoice total upfront. Your customer pays the deposit when they receive the invoice, and you collect the remaining balance closer to the delivery or pickup date. This protects you from cancellations and helps cover ingredient costs.

## Setting a Deposit on an Invoice

1. Create an invoice from an order on The Counter.
2. Before sending, look for the **Deposit** section on the invoice editor.
3. Choose how to set the deposit:
   * **Percentage** — Enter a percentage of the total (e.g., 50%).
   * **Fixed amount** — Enter a specific dollar amount (e.g., \$25.00).
4. Knead calculates the deposit and remaining balance automatically.

<Tip>Pro tip: A 50% deposit is a common choice for custom cake orders. For smaller orders, a fixed \$10-\$20 deposit works well.</Tip>

## What Your Customer Sees

When your customer opens the invoice email, they see:

* The full order total
* The deposit amount due now
* The remaining balance due later
* A **Pay Deposit** button (if Stripe is connected)

Your customer pays the deposit amount. The invoice status changes to **Deposit Paid** so you can track it at a glance.

<Note>Good to know: Customers without Stripe can still see the deposit breakdown. You can collect the deposit through another method and record it as paid manually.</Note>

## Deposits Are Credited Automatically When You Invoice

If you collect a deposit on an order first and then create the invoice later, you don't have to do any math. Knead **credits the deposit automatically**: the invoice bills only the remaining balance, and the deposit already shows up as a recorded payment on it. You'll never accidentally charge a customer twice for the same money. See [Creating and Sending Invoices](/invoicing-and-payments/creating-and-sending-invoices) for how invoices are created.

## Tracking Partial Payments

Knead tracks every payment against an invoice. After a deposit is paid, the invoice shows:

* **Amount paid** — The deposit collected so far.
* **Balance remaining** — What the customer still owes.
* **Status** — "Deposit Paid" or "Partially Paid" depending on the payment.

You can see all invoice statuses from The Counter. Filter by **Deposit Paid** to see which orders still have an outstanding balance.

## Collecting the Remaining Balance

When you are ready to collect the rest — typically at pickup or delivery — you have two options:

### Option 1: Send a Balance-Due Reminder

1. Open the invoice from The Counter.
2. Tap **Request Balance**.
3. Knead emails the customer with the remaining amount and a payment link.

### Option 2: Record the Payment Manually

If the customer pays the balance in cash or through another method:

1. Open the invoice.
2. Tap **Record Payment**.
3. Enter the amount received.
4. The invoice status updates to **Paid** once the full total is collected.

## Tips for Using Deposits

* **Set expectations early.** Mention your deposit policy on The Board so customers know before they order. You can configure default deposit amounts in your [prepayment settings](/integrations-and-setup/prepayment-settings).
* **Use deposits for custom or large orders.** They protect your time and ingredient costs.
* **Keep the balance collection simple.** Requesting the balance through Knead keeps a clear payment record.

## Related Articles

* [Creating and Sending Invoices](/invoicing-and-payments/creating-and-sending-invoices)
* [Setting Up Stripe (Payment Processing)](/invoicing-and-payments/connecting-stripe)
* [Payment Reminders](/invoicing-and-payments/payment-reminders)

***

*Still need help? [Contact us](mailto:hello@kneadapp.co)*