Billings Pro Help
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# Using Retainers

A retainer is a fee paid in advance in order to secure your services. It may also be called a down payment, a prepayment, or an upfront fee. In Billings Pro, retainers are grouped by clients; if you receive money from a client as a prepayment for services you will render, you can deposit it into the retainer, and later apply that retainer as payment against an invoice.

## To add a retainer

1. Choose Client > Add Retainer.

   The Retainer window opens.

2. Enter an amount.
3. Specify a date for adding the retainer.
4. Select a method of payment.
5. Enter comments, if necessary.
6. Click OK.

If you want to use a retainer as a source of payment, you have two options. The first is to have Billings Pro automatically deduct the retainer amount from an invoice as you create it. The invoice will show all line items normally, and will indicate that all or a portion of the retainer was used as a prepayment, so that the total due is the balance remaining after the retainer has been used. The second is to send an invoice as usual, and to choose Retainer as the payment method.

Generally, the first method is the best way to show a client that you are using the retainer fee that they supplied in advance, and to indicate the balance due for services or products you have offered.

## To use the retainer as a prepayment when sending an invoice

1. In the Working Slips tab, select the slip(s) you want to send on the invoice.
2. Choose Slips > Send Invoice.

   An invoice creation window opens.

3. Click the Invoice tab.
4. Select the "Apply retainer of" checkbox.

When you create the invoice, Billings Pro will automatically deduct as much of the retainer as possible, and correctly update the balance due.

## To add payment using a retainer

1. Choose Client > Add Payment.
2. In the Payment window, do the following:
   - Enter an amount for the payment.
   - Select a date when you wish to make the payment.
   - Choose Retainer as the Method of payment.
   - Select an invoice(s) for which a payment is being made.
3. Click OK.

If for some reason you need to return retainer fees to a client, you can remove money from the retainer.

## To delete a retainer

1. Select a client.
2. Choose View > Account.
3. Select a retainer.
4. Choose Edit > Delete retainer.

   Billings Pro shows an alert "Are you sure you want to delete the selected items?"

5. Click Delete.

## See also

About Retainers

Sending an invoice

Adding a payment