How do I take the deposit and refund or deduct from it?

In this business the deposit does two jobs: it proves the customer is serious, and it covers any damage on the day. It is money you hold in trust, not income.

At booking time

1. Enter the deposit amount on the booking form; it appears in the deposit box on the booking page — Figure 1.
2. Record its receipt, and the remaining stays visible until you settle it.

After the event

1. Inspect the venue, then choose the deposit action: full refund, partial deduction, or forfeit.
2. For a deduction, enter the deduction amount and its reason clearly.
3. For a forfeit, write the forfeit reason — usually a late cancellation against the cancellation policy.
4. Set the refund method when returning the money to the customer.

Tracking every deposit

Open Halls & Chalets → Deposits — Figure 2 — and filter by deposit status, venue and period to see what you are holding and what is waiting to be returned.

Notes

• Never mix the deposit with a booking payment; the first is held in trust and returned, the second is income you have earned.
• Photograph the venue before and after the event; that is your evidence when you deduct.
• A deduction with no written reason is a deferred argument with the customer.
• Return the deposit quickly after the event; this is what people talk about most when they talk about halls, for better or worse.