To track work on retainer using an order

If you haven’t already read the Sales Overview, see Tracking work on retainer for more information.

Record the retainer amount as an order

The Sales window should be displayed.

  1. Click the arrow in the upper left corner of the Sales window and select Order.
  2. Enter the name of the customer who has paid you a retainer amount in the Customer field.
  3. Without entering any line items, enter the retainer amount in the Paid Today field.
  4. Click Record. A message will appear asking if you want to record a transaction with so little information.
  5. Click OK.
Add line items to the order and change it to an invoice
  1. When you’re ready to bill the customer for activities you’ve performed, open the Sales window and enter the customer’s name in the Customer field. The Select From List window appears, displaying all the quotes and orders for this customer.
  2. Highlight the order you created in steps 1 through 6 and click Use Selected Sale. The order you selected will appear in the Sales window.
  3. Prepare line items for the order just as you normally would.

If you’re using a Time Billing order, click the Work in Progress button to open the Prepare Time Billing Invoice window. Prepare line items for the invoice just as you normally would and click Prepare Invoice. See To enter line items on a service or professional sale for more information. The line items you prepared appear on the order in the Sales window.

  1. Click the Change to Invoice button. The order has been converted to an invoice.
  2. Click Record.

If you didn’t bill the customer for the entire retainer amount, the invoice is recorded as paid in full and the remaining amount from the retainer is recorded on a credit invoice. You can apply the credit to other invoices in the Settle Returns and Credits window.

If you’ve exceeded the retainer amount on the invoice, you can apply payments to the balance of the invoice in the Customer Payments window.

To track sales on retainer using an order