ACME — Brand Refresh
The project entry noting the $4,000 agreed total and the 50/50 split.
Freelance finance · Split billing
Keep deposit and final invoices reconciled per project
Billing 50% upfront and 50% on delivery means two invoices for one job — and that's exactly where balances slip. A deposit gets paid, the final invoice gets forgotten, or the math between them stops adding up. Cash Workspace lets you record the deposit and the final balance under one project tag, each with its own number, status, and due date, so the pair always reconciles to the agreed total.
The problem
Why split-billed projects lose their balances
When two invoices cover one engagement, the link between them lives only in your head. Without recording both under one project, the deposit and the balance drift apart.
- The deposit is paid and the project ships, but the final 50% invoice never goes out.
- Deposit plus final don't add up to the quoted total and you can't see why.
- You can't tell whether a client owes the balance or already cleared it.
- A second deposit on a follow-on project gets confused with the first project's balance.
- At year-end you can't match each project's deposit to its final payment.
The workflow
Record a deposit and balance as one linked pair
Tag both invoices to the same project, record the agreed total, and reconcile when the balance is sent.
- 1
Create the project tag
Open a project entry (client + job name) and note the agreed total, e.g. $4,000 split 50/50.
- 2
Record the deposit invoice
Add the deposit invoice (e.g. $2,000) under the project, with its number, due date, and status.
- 3
Mark the deposit paid
When the upfront payment lands, set the deposit invoice to paid and note the date.
- 4
Record the final invoice on delivery
When you deliver, add the balance invoice (e.g. $2,000) under the same project tag with its own due date.
- 5
Reconcile the pair
Confirm deposit + final equals the agreed total, then close the project when both read paid.
Record structure
What to record for each deposit/final pair
Recording both invoices against one project keeps the split visible and the balance honest.
- Project tag
- The client + job name both invoices share, e.g. ACME — Brand Refresh.
- Agreed total
- The full quoted amount the two invoices must add up to.
- Deposit invoice number
- The upfront invoice's number and recorded amount.
- Final invoice number
- The balance invoice's number and amount, issued on delivery.
- Each invoice's status
- Separate draft / sent / paid status for the deposit and the final.
- Each due date
- Deposit due before work starts; balance due on or after delivery.
- Outstanding balance
- Agreed total minus what's been recorded as paid, so the remaining amount is clear.
- Attached PDFs
- Both sent invoices attached under the project so the pair stays together.
Example setup
An example project folder
One way to organize a 50/50 engagement inside your workspace.
Deposit invoice
2026-ACME-011 for $2,000, due before kickoff, marked paid with its date.
Final invoice
2026-ACME-018 for $2,000, due on delivery, with its own status.
Balance note
A short line confirming deposit + final = $4,000 and what's still outstanding.
Common mistakes
Mistakes to avoid
- Recording only the deposit and trusting memory to send the balance later.
- Letting deposit and final live under different clients or loose tags so they never reconcile.
- Forgetting to note the agreed total, so you can't tell if the two invoices add up.
- Marking the whole project paid when only the deposit landed.
- Mixing a new project's deposit with an old project's outstanding balance.
How it helps
How Cash Workspace helps
Both invoices under one tag
Record the deposit and final invoice under the same project tag so the pair always stays linked.
Separate statuses
Keep an independent draft/sent/paid status on each invoice so you know exactly which half is settled.
Agreed total on record
Note the full quoted amount so deposit plus final can be reconciled by review.
PDFs filed together
Attach both sent invoices under the project so the whole engagement is in one place.
Related
Related split-billing workflows
Milestone invoice records
Bill fixed-scope work in staged invoices.
Partial payment records
Track balances when an invoice pays in pieces.
Deposit and prepayment records
Organize money received before work is delivered.
Deposit invoice folder
A dedicated home for upfront deposit invoices.
All finance workflows
Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.
FAQ
Deposit and final invoice FAQ
- Should a deposit and final invoice share a number?
- No — give each its own invoice number from your scheme, then link them by recording both under the same project tag. That keeps your numbering clean while the pair stays connected.
- How do I know the two invoices add up?
- Record the agreed total on the project, then check that the deposit amount plus the final amount equals it. You reconcile by reviewing the figures; the workspace keeps them side by side.
- Does Cash Workspace calculate the remaining balance for me?
- You record the agreed total and what's been paid so the outstanding amount is easy to see by review. Cash Workspace organizes the records rather than computing balances or profit.
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 deposit and balance reconciled
Start a free workspace and record each deposit and final invoice under one project so split-billed work always adds up to the agreed total.