Hi there, Jeremy.
Thank you for reaching out with your query on managing down payments in QuickBooks Online (QBO). I'd be glad to assist you with the best and quickest way to handle client deposits before initiating a project.
You can create an invoice for your customers and receive a partial payment only as their downpayment. Here's how:
- On the left menu, click the + New button and select Invoice.
- Enter the necessary details to invoice your customer and select Save.
- Click the + New button again and select Receive Payment.
- Select the customer and select the outstanding transaction by ticking the checkbox.
- Change the value of the payment amount in the Payment column to the amount your customer has initially paid.
- Click Save and Close.
Now that you have received the initial payment from your customer, you can repeat the same steps above if your customer pays in full amount in the future.
Moreover, you can also consider using progress invoicing if you want to invoice your customers in an interval process.
Let me know if you need additional help with handling customer down payments in QuickBooks Online. I'm always here to help.