You can require a deposit instead of the full service fee when a client books online. Set a practice-wide default once, and every service inherits it, or override it on individual services.
The client pays the deposit at booking, receives a paid invoice for exactly that amount, and the remaining balance sits on the appointment ready to invoice whenever you choose.
Who this applies to: Available on Plus and Advanced plans with a connected Stripe account. Workspace admins configure payment settings. Deposits apply to one-to-one services only. Group events and programs are not supported.
Apply a deposit to all services at once
The workspace default is a percentage-only setting. Every service inherits it unless that service sets its own payment mode.
Go to Settings>Online booking>Payment settings.
Click Edit.
Select Require a deposit.
Enter a percentage between 1 and 99. The helper line shows what the deposit resolves to for a given service price.
Click Save. Every service set to Use workspace default now requires a deposit at booking.
Services with their own payment mode are not affected. Only services set to Use workspace default follow the practice-wide setting when it changes.
Set a different deposit on one service
Individual services support both a percentage and a fixed amount. Use a fixed amount when the deposit should be a specific dollar value regardless of the service price.
Go to Settings>Scheduling>Services.
Open the Online payment settings panel and click Edit.
Select Require a deposit, then choose Percentage or Fixed amount and enter the value.
Confirm the helper line shows the deposit you intended, then click Save.
To return a service to the workspace default: Select Use workspace default in the Online payment settings panel. The description names the mode it currently resolves to, for example, "Workspace default: 50% deposit".
The payment step and confirmation
At the payment step, the client sees a breakdown of the service total, the deposit charged now, and the balance due later. Their card is charged the deposit.
After payment, the confirmation shows Deposit paid and Balance due at your appointment. The practice receives one invoice for exactly the deposit amount, marked Paid.
Where the remaining balance goes
The deposit does not create a second invoice for the balance. Instead, the remainder appears on the appointment as an uninvoiced amount, in the same prompt staff already use for other uninvoiced charges.
The balance appears on the appointment: Visible as an uninvoiced amount in the appointment details.
Staff invoices it through the normal flow: Use the existing create-invoice prompt whenever the balance is ready to bill.
The deposit invoice always matches what was charged: The invoice amount is recorded at the time of booking, so it is always exactly what the client paid.
Frequently asked questions
Do existing services change when I set a workspace default?
Only services set to Use workspace default are affected. Services with their own payment mode keep it unchanged.
What invoice does the client receive?
One invoice for exactly the deposit amount, marked Paid. The balance is not invoiced at booking. It appears as an uninvoiced amount on the appointment for staff to bill later.
Can I set a fixed deposit on all services at once?
No. The workspace default is percentage-only. Fixed amounts are available on individual services only.
What happens if the client's slot is taken after they enter payment details?
Carepatron rechecks the resource and availability at the moment of payment. If the slot was taken in the meantime, the client is returned to the date and time step to choose another.
Can I refund a deposit through Carepatron?
Yes, through the normal payments flow. There is no automated refund path for deposits in this release. Refunding is a manual action.
Do I need to do anything to start using deposits?
Connect Stripe if it is not already connected, then set a payment mode under Settings, then Online booking, then Payment settings. Nothing changes on existing services until you choose a deposit mode.
Our team is here to help with any questions or concerns. Just open a conversation through the Help channel in your workspace.