Manage vendor deposits
A vendor deposit is money paid to a supplier before the goods — a proforma-invoice prepayment, a production milestone, a container deposit. Orders → Vendor Deposits tracks every prepayment and how it's later applied against what the supplier invoices you.
Create a deposit
- Click New Deposit (also available from the supplier's Payables → Deposits tab).
- Pick the Supplier and optionally link the Purchase Order; set the Currency, FX Rate, and Amount, plus the Deposit Date, Due Date, and the supplier's Reference (PI #).
- Attach the Proforma Invoice so the payer sees what they're paying, and add the Payee Bank Details.
- Save as Draft, or Save & Request Payment to push it into the payment-approval flow. With no payment approver configured, submitting auto-approves — the dialog warns you.
A supplier can also auto-apply its available deposits when landed costs are created.
The deposit views
The module is more than a list — its tabs slice the same prepayments by question:
| Tab | Answers |
|---|---|
| Deposits | Every deposit with its status, amount, applied, and available balance. |
| Cash Due Schedule | What deposit payments are due, when. |
| Cash Flow Forecast | The forward view of deposit cash going out. |
| Expected Milestones | Production/payment milestones tied to deposits. |
| Upcoming Liability | What you'll owe as milestones land. |
| Supplier Exposure | How much cash each supplier is holding. |
| Reminders & Exceptions | Deposits needing attention. |
| PO by Shipping Stage | Deposits mapped to where their POs are physically. |
| Aging Report / Supplier Statement / Write-Off Report | Reconciliation and cleanup views. |
Tiles track Open Deposit Docs, Total Open, Available Balance, and Overdue, and Connect Google Calendar pushes deposit due dates to your calendar.
Next steps
- Vendor deposits from a PO — the PO-side flow.
- Track a supplier's payables — deposits in the supplier's net position.
Video transcript
Vendor deposits track money paid before the goods — every prepayment, and how it's later applied. The tabs slice them by cash flow, milestones, and supplier exposure. A deposit carries the currency, amount, dates, and the supplier's proforma invoice — save it as a draft, or request payment straight away.