Keep the sale price and the deposit separate
If you agree to sell a car for £8,995 and receive a £500 deposit, the vehicle selling price stays £8,995. The deposit is a payment towards that price. Entering a reduced selling price of £8,495 and also adding a £500 deposit would reduce the balance twice.
Start with the full agreed vehicle price in Price. Record the deposit in Payment → Payments received, with a description such as “Deposit” and the actual payment method. Check receipt amounts against your own bank, card or cash records.
Example: a deposit and a later balance payment
Illustrative sale. No extras, part exchange or finance.
| After the deposit arrives | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vehicle selling price | £8,995.00 |
| Deposit received | £500.00 |
| Balance to collect | £8,495.00 |
When the remaining £8,495 arrives, keep the original deposit line and add a second line labelled “Final balance”. Do not add £8,995 as the second payment: that amount already includes the deposit.
| After the final payment arrives | Amount |
|---|---|
| Deposit · Bank transfer | £500.00 |
| Final balance · Bank transfer | £8,495.00 |
| Total payments recorded | £8,995.00 |
| Balance to collect | £0.00 |
Make the deposit receipt in DealerSlip
- Identify the deal. Complete Vehicle and Buyer, including the registration and buyer address. Enter the full agreed selling price and any separately charged extras.
- Add the payment. In Payment, choose Add payment. Enter “Deposit”, the confirmed amount and the method used.
- Check the reference and date. Open Invoice details & notes. Use the invoice number and invoice date you intend to issue.
- Review Payment receipt. Check the buyer, vehicle, payment lines and remaining balance. The receipt reflects all payment lines currently entered against this deal.
- Download and keep a copy. Download the document pack and share the receipt through your usual process. Keep the original deposit-stage PDF if you need a record of what was issued then.
- Update the same deal later. Save the draft. When further money arrives, add the new payment and download an updated pack after reviewing it.
Record the payment date in your own records
DealerSlip currently has an invoice date and payment descriptions, amounts and methods. It does not have a separate date field for each payment. You can make a description more specific, such as “Deposit received 06/09/2026”, and keep the dated bank or payment-provider record alongside the PDF.
Changing the invoice date is not a substitute for keeping the original payment history. The updated receipt is a view of the payments currently entered, rather than an immutable transaction ledger.
What if there is also finance or a part exchange?
Use the separate finance contribution and part-exchange fields for those amounts. A £500 deposit belongs in Payments received. The incoming vehicle allowance belongs in Part exchange. Putting the same credit in both places makes the displayed balance too low.
A finance contribution reduces the calculated amount to collect, but DealerSlip does not check whether the lender has paid. Confirm that separately before treating the deal as settled.
Common questions
Should I record a promised deposit?
Only enter it as a received payment after you have confirmed receipt through your payment records. A customer's payment screenshot or promise is not something DealerSlip can verify.
Can I record a deposit refund?
The current payment editor accepts amounts of zero or more and does not provide a refund or credit-note workflow. Keep refund evidence in your own records. Do not enter a negative payment or use an unrelated line to disguise a refund.
Does the receipt decide whether a deposit is refundable?
No. This guide explains how to record an amount received. DealerSlip does not decide cancellation or refund terms for your sale.