Adding, Tracking, and Refunding Security Deposits
This guide covers how to manage multi-date block bookings, apply bulk or individual cost codes using Line View, itemize invoices by month, and issue partial deposit refunds where a portion is retained as income.
Part 1: Invoicing Block Bookings with Line View
When dealing with a block booking spanning multiple dates, you can use the Line View to manage how each booking line is coded.
- Initiate the Invoice: Select your block booking and click Send to Accounts.
- Fill in Basic Information: Enter the required details:
- Invoice Date
- Receiving Bank Account
- Brief Description
- Due Date
- Invoice Footer
- Assign Cost Codes & VAT (Line View):
- Apply to All: If all bookings share the same cost center, cost code, and VAT type, select them at the top of the menu and click Apply to All.
- Override for Deposits: If there is a security deposit line item at the bottom, manually change its specific cost code to link it to your dedicated tracking reserve (e.g., "Booking's Deposit").
- Advanced Option: Itemize by Month:
- By default, the system itemizes the invoice per individual booking date.
- If you prefer to group and itemize the invoice by calendar month instead, open the Advanced Menu and select the monthly itemization option before generating the invoice.
- Generate the Invoice: Click to send it to accounts. You can view the completed invoice anytime by clicking the Picture/Invoice Icon.
Once the invoice is generated, converting it into a receipt automatically updates your reserve ledger.
- Open the Invoice: Locate the invoice in your accounts.
- Convert to Receipt: Click the three vertical dots on the right-hand side and select Convert into a receipt.
- Confirm Receipt: This logs the individual paid items.
- Verify Reserves: If your security deposit line is correctly linked to a reserve code, your Reserves Balance Sheet will automatically increase by the deposit amount (e.g., your Bookings Deposit balance increases from £70 to £100).
If you need to return a deposit but want to withhold a portion of it (for example, keeping £10 for booking fees/damages and refunding only £20 of a £30 deposit), follow these steps:
- Locate the Original Invoice: Go to the sales invoice associated with the booking.
- Open Refund Menu: Click the three vertical dots on the right-hand side and select Refund.
- Adjust the Refund Amount (Partial Refund):
- The system will display the deposit line item.
- To issue a partial refund, manually change the refund amount to the specific figure you wish to return to the customer (e.g., change it to £20).
- The remaining unrefunded balance will automatically be allocated back into your hire/booking income.
- Process: Click Refund. The system will generate a negative receipt for the specified refund amount.
- Check Updated Balances: Head back to your Reserves Balance Sheet. You will see that your security deposit reserve has successfully decreased by the exact amount refunded (e.g., automatically dropping from £100 down to £80).