What Is a Partial Payment?

A partial payment is a payment that covers only part of an invoice's total. The invoice stays open, and the remaining balance stays due until it is paid. A deposit paid before work starts is the most common kind, but clients also pay in instalments or pay what they can on an overdue bill.

Partial payments are common in trades, creative work and any job big enough that the client wants to spread the cost, or that you want a commitment before buying materials. They also happen by accident, when a client short-pays after deducting a bank fee or disputing a line.

Record each partial payment against the invoice with its date, amount and method, and send the client the updated balance. The invoice moves from unpaid to partially paid to paid. Without that record, it is easy to chase a client for money they already sent, or to lose track of a balance that never arrives.

In SolidInvoice, you record deposits and partial payments against the invoice, including manual payments such as a check or ACH transfer. The invoice's pay link then charges only the remaining balance.