Wallet and retainer invoices

Billing managers, firm owners, and accounting administrators can use client wallets and retainer invoices to collect advance deposits, hold client funds, and automatically apply wallet credits against recurring or one-time invoices.

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Retainer deposits vs standard invoices

Understanding how retainer deposits differ from standard service invoices:

• Retainer (Deposit) Invoice: Issued before work begins to collect advance funds from a client. Retainer invoices carry no tax; when paid by the client, the full payment amount is credited directly to the client’s wallet balance.
• Standard Invoice: Issued after work is completed or as part of a recurring billing template. Standard invoices list billable items, calculate applicable taxes (such as HST/GST), and can be paid directly from the client’s available wallet balance.

[ Retainer Deposit Invoice ] ──► [ Client Payment ] ──► [ Client Wallet Balance ]
                                                               │
[ Completed Job / Service ]  ──► [ Standard Invoice ] ◄────────┘
                                  (Paid via Wallet)

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Create a retainer deposit invoice

1. Open Accounting > Invoices and select Create Invoice (or select Add Invoice on a client record).
2. Select the Client.
3. Check the box labeled This is a retainer (deposit) invoice.
   • The form displays the notification: Retainer invoices have no tax. Funds are added to client wallet when paid.
4. Enter the deposit Amount, payment term, and optional notes.
5. Select Save.

When the client pays the retainer invoice (via credit card, bank transfer, or offline check), Assisterp automatically creates a Credit transaction in the client’s wallet for the paid amount.

Note: The Wallet payment option is disabled on retainer invoices because a retainer invoice is designed to deposit fresh funds into the wallet.

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Pay invoices using client wallet funds

Once a client maintains an active wallet balance, you can apply wallet funds toward standard invoices.

Full wallet payment

1. Open an unpaid standard invoice under Accounting > Invoices.
2. Select Record Payment.
3. In Payment Method, select Wallet.
4. Assisterp verifies the client’s available wallet balance and records a Debit transaction against the wallet, marking the invoice as Paid.

Partial wallet payment

If the client’s available wallet balance is less than the total invoice amount:

1. Select Record Payment on the invoice.
2. Select Wallet as the payment method.
3. Enter the available wallet amount.
4. Select Save. Assisterp debits the remaining wallet balance and updates the invoice status to Partially Paid. The remaining invoice balance can then be collected via credit card, check, or online client portal payment.

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Wallet transaction types and balance rules

To view client wallet activity, open Accounting > Wallet (or open the Wallet tab on a client profile). Each wallet displays the total available balance and an immutable audit table.

When adding a transaction via Add Wallet, select from five transaction types:

Transaction Type	Balance Impact	Description
Credit	Increases Balance	Records incoming retainer deposit payments or direct client credit additions.
Debit	Decreases Balance	Deducts funds to pay an invoice. Entry is blocked if available balance is insufficient.
Refund	Increases Balance	Adjusts wallet balance when adding back refunded monies or retainer returns.
Adjustment Credit	Increases Balance	Manual balance increase for goodwill credits, fee waivers, or promotional adjustments.
Adjustment Debit	Decreases Balance	Manual balance deduction for correction adjustments. Blocked if balance is insufficient.

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Audit logging and transaction immutability

To preserve strict accounting compliance, saved wallet transactions are immutable — transaction rows cannot be edited or deleted once created.

How to reverse or correct a wallet entry

If a transaction was entered in error, record a balancing transaction using the matching opposite type:

• To reverse an incorrect Adjustment Credit of $150, record an Adjustment Debit of $150 with a reference note pointing to the original transaction ID.
• To adjust an overcredited deposit, record an Adjustment Debit for the difference.

Every wallet row records the transaction date, reference string, transaction type, amount, ending running balance, and the staff user account that created the entry.

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Manage retainer refunds and invoice deletions

Refund unused retainer funds

When closing a client account or returning an unused retainer:

1. Open the client’s Wallet tab.
2. Verify the remaining balance.
3. Record an offline refund payment (check or bank transfer) to the client.
4. In the client wallet, select Add Wallet, choose Adjustment Debit, enter the refund amount, and reference the refund check or transfer number.

Impact of deleting wallet-funded invoices

Deleting a standard invoice that was paid using wallet funds does not automatically restore the wallet balance. The original Debit entry remains in the audit log. To return the funds to the client’s wallet, manually create a balancing Adjustment Credit transaction for the invoice amount.

Similarly, deleting a paid retainer invoice does not remove the credited wallet balance; manual adjustment entries must be posted if a deposit is canceled.

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Retainer top-up monitoring and low-balance alerts

To prevent workflow interruptions on retainer-based engagements:

1. Monitor client balances regularly under Accounting > Wallet.
2. Filter the wallet list by balance threshold to identify clients with low or exhausted retainer balances.
3. Generate a new Retainer Invoice (This is a retainer deposit invoice) and email a top-up request to the client prior to launching upcoming project phases.