Taking deposits and a card on file

A deposit holds a booking and cuts no-shows. In FullColumn a deposit is account credit: it's the client's money on their account, not tied to one appointment. It comes off the bill when you press Use credit at checkout, stays on their account if they cancel or don't come, and is refunded only if they ask.

Taking deposits by card, online or by link, needs Stripe set up. Deposits in cash, EFTPOS or bank transfer work without it.

#Asking for a deposit when clients book online

1. Open Settings → Payments → Online booking payments.

2. Choose what online bookings ask for:

   Option	What clients do
   Nothing	Book without paying.
   Deposit	Pay a Fixed amount or a Percentage of the booking.
   Pay in full	Pay the whole price when booking.
   Card on file	Save a card without being charged, so you can charge a no-show fee later.

3. Under Who pays upfront, choose Everyone or New clients only (clients who've never come in).

4. Set Only for bookings worth at least, or leave it at 0 to ask for every booking.

5. Press Save.

Add your cancellation policy under No-shows & late cancellations: it's shown on the Stripe page where clients pay. Changing these settings needs the Connect Stripe and SMS, and change payment settings permission.

#How online deposits are worked out

• On the price clients see, with tax, after any promo code. Paying in full online covers the whole bill.
• At least 50c, and never more than the booking.
• Whether a deposit is needed at all goes by the price before a promo code, so a code never takes away your no-show protection. If a code makes the booking (nearly) free, the client saves a card instead.

A returning client whose account credit already covers the deposit isn't asked for another. FullColumn only does this when it's sure it's them, and sets aside credit their other upcoming appointments would need. The appointment's history says "no deposit asked".

Clients aren't asked to pay anything until Stripe has finished setting up your account.

#What happens while a client pays online

1. The client picks their time and goes to Stripe's secure page to pay or save their card.
2. Their time is held for 30 minutes. The appointment shows "Waiting for online payment", and its Payments panel says the time is released if they don't pay.
3. When they pay, the booking is confirmed, the confirmation goes out and the team is alerted. The deposit goes on their account credit.
4. If they don't pay within 30 minutes, the time is released.

If a client pays after their time was released, they're refunded in full automatically. It never becomes account credit.

If your salon approves online bookings first, a paid booking becomes a request. Its deposit goes on their account when you approve it, and is refunded in full if you decline it.

#Taking a deposit for a phone booking

When you make an appointment with a client, turn on Take a deposit next before saving. It's on by default when your online bookings ask for a deposit. The deposit window opens as soon as the appointment is saved.

For an existing appointment, open it and press Take deposit in its Payments panel. This works for appointments still going ahead that have a client.

The Deposit amount starts at your deposit setting, worked out on this appointment, and never more than it costs. Change it if you like. Then choose how to take it:

• Text a payment link or Email a payment link: see deposit requests.
• Charge saved card · Visa ••4242: charged straight away. It names the card it charges: one saved with this appointment ("(saved with this appointment)") first, otherwise their card on file. Needs Charge saved cards and no-show fees.
• Card reader or QR code: they tap their card, or pay on their phone. You can also record it as EFTPOS from there.
• Cash, EFTPOS / card terminal, Bank transfer or your own payment types: money you've already taken.

Except for the card reader, a Check the deposit screen shows the amount, client, appointment and how, before anything is sent, charged or recorded. Only record money you've actually taken.

Taking a deposit needs no special permission, and works on a Front desk device. Charging a saved card there asks for your password first.

#Sending a deposit request by text or email

A deposit request sends the client a link to pay on their phone.

• The appointment shows Deposit requested until it's paid. It stays booked either way: a deposit request is never released by itself.
• The link keeps working until it's paid or you withdraw it.
• In the Payments panel, Send again resends it by text or email, and Withdraw stops the link working. If it was paid just before, FullColumn tells you, and it's on their account credit.
• One request can wait on an appointment at a time.

The client's page shows the amount, the appointment, and that it stays as credit on their account and comes off their bill. Change the message under Deposit request in your message wording.

#Saving a card on file without charging it

A card on file lets you charge a no-show or late cancellation fee later, or charge a bill at checkout.

• Online: choose Card on file under Online booking payments. Clients save a card when they book and aren't charged.
• For phone bookings: on an upcoming appointment, press Request card in its Payments panel and choose Send by text or Send by email. It shows when the client has no card on file yet.

See how clients save a card.

#Seeing deposits on the calendar and the appointment

Appointments on the calendar show a small icon for:

• Deposit paid · $20.00, or Paid in full · $95.00
• Deposit of $20.00 requested – not paid yet
• Card saved online
• Waiting for online payment

Hover over the appointment to see these with the client's account credit.

The appointment's Payments panel lists each deposit with how and when it was paid, and where it's up to: On account, $10.00 left, Used or Refunded. It also shows the client's credit with View account, and their card on file. Refund gives back a card deposit: see refunds.

#What happens to a deposit when the client cancels or doesn't come

The deposit stays on their account credit for next time. You can:

• keep some or all of it as a no-show or late cancellation fee
• refund it from their account when they ask.

When a client cancels from their booking link, they're told their payment stays as credit with you for next time.

#Common questions

#Does the deposit come off the bill by itself?

No. At checkout, press Use credit. It's never used without you choosing to.

#Can I change the deposit for one appointment?

Yes, when you take it from the appointment. Online deposits always follow your settings.

#The client has no mobile or email. Can I still take a deposit?

Yes: charge their saved card, use the card reader, or record cash, EFTPOS or a bank transfer.

#I recorded a deposit by mistake. How do I undo it?

A cash, EFTPOS, bank or other deposit that hasn't been used can be removed from the client's account: see removing a deposit entered by mistake. A card deposit through Stripe is refunded instead.