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Collect deposits on quotes

Requiring a deposit at quote approval protects your time and materials on bigger jobs. Service Buddy can collect the deposit automatically the moment a client approves the proposal.

Before you start

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You’ll need BuddyPay set up. See Set up BuddyPay if you haven’t done this yet.

Add a deposit to a quote

Section titled “Add a deposit to a quote”
  1. Open the quote you’re preparing, or start a new one. See Create a quote.
  2. In the totals panel on the right, scroll to Required Deposit.
  3. Click + Add Required Deposit and choose how to calculate it:
    • Fixed amount — enter a dollar amount (for example, $500).
    • Percentage — enter a percentage of the quote total (for example, 25%).
  4. Click Save to keep the quote as a draft, or Notify Client to send it to the client immediately.

What your client sees

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When the client opens the proposal, they see:

  • The full quote breakdown
  • A clearly labeled Deposit Required amount
  • An Approve & Pay Deposit button

Clicking that button walks them through:

  1. Reviewing the proposal
  2. Adding an e-signature
  3. Entering payment details (credit or debit card, or ACH bank transfer)
  4. Confirming payment

What happens next

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  • The quote status moves to Approved by Client.
  • The deposit is captured and settled to your bank account on BuddyPay’s standard processor schedule.
  • A payment receipt is emailed to the client automatically.
  • When you convert the quote to a job and generate an invoice, the deposit is already applied — it reduces the remaining balance owed.

FAQ

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Should the deposit be a fixed amount or a percentage?

Either works. Percentages scale with the quote — a 25% deposit on a $4,000 living-room install means $1,000, and on a $20,000 whole-home hardwood or LVP job it’s $5,000. Fixed amounts are useful when you want a predictable floor (e.g., always $500 minimum) or for measure fees that don’t scale with the quote.

What’s a typical deposit amount for flooring?

Many retailers ask for 25–50% on jobs over a threshold (commonly $1,000). For special-order materials — custom-bound area rugs, mill-direct broadloom, specialty hardwood lots, special-order tile, custom stair runners — it’s common to require the full material cost upfront so you’re covered if the client cancels after you’ve ordered the goods.

Can the client approve without paying the deposit?

No — when Required Deposit is set, the proposal cannot be approved without paying. The button reads Approve & Pay Deposit and the client must complete the payment to mark the quote approved.

What happens to the deposit if I don’t end up doing the work?

Refund it from the quote with More Actions → Refund. BuddyPay refunds back to the original card or ACH within 120 days of the charge. After 120 days, refund manually (check or bank transfer) and record it in Service Buddy.

Does the deposit show up on the invoice automatically?

Yes. When you convert the quote to a job and then invoice from the job, the deposit is pre-applied as a credit and the invoice’s Balance Due reflects only the remainder. The client sees both the gross total and what they still owe.

Can I require a deposit on a quote without sending the proposal digitally?

You can add the deposit field — it’ll show on the quote PDF — but you can’t collect it automatically without the digital proposal flow. If the client wants to mail a check, record it manually after they pay. Digital proposals are the only way to capture a deposit at the moment of approval.

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