Client — Maya R.
Each commission for this client with scope, price, deposit, and balance status.
Creator finance · Commissions
Commission records for digital artists
Taking commissions means juggling many small projects at once — a character piece here, a half-paid deposit there, a usage agreement you'll need if the client reposts. Without one place to record each commission's scope, price, and payment status, it's easy to start work before a deposit clears or lose track of who still owes a balance. Cash Workspace gives you a workspace to record every commission and attach its agreement, grouped by client.
The problem
Why commission records slip
Commissions arrive through DMs and forms, often half-paid up front. Without a record per project, scope and money drift apart fast.
- A deposit cleared but you can't remember what the agreed final price was.
- Several commissions are 'in progress' with no clear list of what's owed.
- Usage and licensing terms were discussed in chat and never saved anywhere.
- You start a piece before confirming the deposit landed.
- At year-end, commission income is scattered across platforms and DMs.
The workflow
Record each commission from brief to balance
Open a record when a commission is agreed, track its deposit and balance, and attach the terms so scope and money stay clear.
- 1
Open a commission record
When a client commits, record the client, the scope (e.g. full-body character, two revisions), and the agreed price.
- 2
Record the deposit
Note the deposit amount and date received, and only start once it's recorded as in.
- 3
Attach the agreement
Attach the commission agreement or usage terms so licensing and scope are saved with the project.
- 4
Track the balance
Record the remaining balance and mark it as outstanding until the final payment lands.
- 5
Group by client
File each commission under its client so repeat clients' projects stay together.
Record structure
What to record for each commission
A consistent record per commission keeps scope, money, and rights in one place.
- Client
- Who commissioned the piece, kept as a consistent record for repeat work.
- Scope
- What's agreed — subject, complexity, number of characters, revision count.
- Agreed price
- The full commission price, with currency.
- Deposit
- The up-front amount and the date it was received.
- Balance status
- Whether the remaining balance is outstanding or paid.
- Delivery date
- When the final art is due or was delivered.
- Usage terms
- Personal vs commercial use and any reposting permissions agreed.
- Agreement attached
- The commission agreement or terms attached to the record.
Example setup
An example commission setup
One way to organize commissions by client inside the workspace.
Client — studio projects
Larger or commercial commissions grouped under the commissioning studio.
Agreements and usage terms
Commission agreements and usage-rights documents attached to their projects.
2026 commission income
Recorded deposits and final payments for the fiscal year.
Common mistakes
Mistakes to avoid
- Starting work before recording that the deposit actually cleared.
- Never writing down the agreed scope, so revision requests creep endlessly.
- Keeping usage terms only in chat instead of attaching a saved agreement.
- Losing track of which balances are still outstanding across many commissions.
- Filing every commission in one pile instead of grouping by client.
How it helps
How Cash Workspace helps
A record per commission
Record client, scope, agreed price, deposit, and balance so every project's status is clear.
Agreements attached
Attach the commission agreement and usage terms so rights and scope sit beside the money.
Grouped by client
File commissions under each client so repeat work and history stay together.
Related
Related creator finance workflows
Commission invoices
Track invoice statuses by milestone for each commission.
Deposit and final invoices
Keep linked deposit and balance invoices reconciled per project.
Contract organizer
Keep signed agreements filed beside the work they cover.
Income by source
Group income across commission and other sources.
All finance workflows
Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.
FAQ
Commission records FAQ
- Does Cash Workspace collect the deposit for me?
- No. You collect deposits through your own payment method and record them here. Cash Workspace organizes the commission records, balances, and agreements; it does not process payments.
- How do I keep track of outstanding balances?
- Record each commission's deposit and remaining balance, and mark the balance outstanding until paid. You can then see at a glance which clients still owe.
- Where do usage terms go?
- Attach the commission agreement or usage-terms document to the commission record, so the licensing you agreed stays with that specific project.
Organizing help — not tax, accounting, or legal guidance
Cash Workspace is a free workspace for organizing invoices, expenses, receipts, clients, and documents. This page is organizing guidance only — not tax, accounting, legal, or bookkeeping guidance. Cash Workspace does not connect to your bank, does not scan or read your receipts for you, and does not move or collect payments. Whether an expense is deductible depends on your situation, so confirm it with a qualified accountant or tax professional.
Keep every commission organized
Start a free workspace and record each commission's scope, price, deposit, and balance with its agreement attached and grouped by client.