A deposit is a commercial stage, a money movement and sometimes a tax event requiring documentation. Treat it neither as a discount nor as an improvised negative line on the final invoice. Start from the accepted quote, record payment, determine the document and VAT timing with the accountant, then link the balance to the original transaction.
The chain in eight checks
- Retain the quote, version and acceptance.
- Write deposit amount or percentage and due date.
- Calculate from an explicitly defined base.
- Record payment separately from invoiced revenue.
- Validate when invoice and VAT become due.
- Reference the deposit in the balance document.
- Deduct payment only once.
- Retain quote, evidence, delivery, invoices and customer statement.
1. Commitment, payment and invoice
The quote describes the promise; payment proves money received; the invoice records the transaction under the applicable process. All can carry related amounts without being interchangeable.
| Object | Question | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Quote | What, how much, deadline, terms? | Accepted version |
| Deposit request | Amount and expected date? | Commercial term |
| Payment | How much, when, method? | Bank/till reference |
| Tax document | Which document at which date? | Validated treatment |
| Delivery/service | What was completed? | Delivery note/approval |
| Balance | What remains after allocations? | Statement and lineage |
The current Tax Code and your regime determine the tax treatment, including VAT timing. Confirm the case before issue; a blog cannot decide that every service, goods or contract deposit follows one rule.
2. Example: 30% of MAD 12,000
Assume a contractual gross price of MAD 12,000 and a 30% commercial deposit. This illustrates amount tracking; it does not set a VAT rate or tax point.
| Stage | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Agreed price | Example gross base | MAD 12,000 |
| Deposit requested | 12,000 × 30% | MAD 3,600 |
| Deposit received | Recorded payment | MAD 3,600 |
| Commercial balance | 12,000 − 3,600 | MAD 8,400 |
| Accepted change | + MAD 1,200 | New total MAD 13,200 |
| Balance after change | 13,200 − 3,600 | MAD 9,600 |
Where the quote states net prices, the calculation and tax document must break out VAT under the validated treatment. Always say whether the percentage applies to net or gross. “30%” without a base invites a dispute.
3. Link without subtracting twice
Double deduction happens when a deposit already lowers an intermediate document, then is entered again as a discount and finally as payment. Choose one movement ledger.
- Assign a reference to the accepted quote.
- Record the deposit request under the validated process.
- Enter payment with date, method and reference.
- Do not change the quote price to simulate payment.
- Document every accepted change.
- Issue the required tax document at the right time.
- Link delivery and invoice to the same job.
- Allocate the deposit only once in the balance.
- Show paid and due separately from sale total.
- Give the customer an understandable statement.
Our paid, partially paid or unpaid guide covers the customer ledger. The BelloPOS commercial chain retains quotes, orders, delivery notes, invoices and credits.
BelloPOS has no specialist deposit-invoice workflow
BelloPOS retains the Pro quote, terms, payments and customer balance, then links the final invoice to the chain. It should not currently be presented as a standalone module that automatically calculates and issues every deposit invoice under its tax treatment. Validate the process and use the appropriate tool for any required intermediate document.
4. Change, cancellation and refund
A quote can change after a deposit. Retain the old version and accepted amendment; do not silently replace 12,000 with 13,200. The new balance is the new total less allocated payments.
On cancellation, distinguish cash refund, contractual retention and tax correction. They may require different evidence and documents. A Pro credit reduces debt when issued and linked; it does not alone decide the right to retain a deposit.
Keep messages, acceptance, transfer evidence, receipt, delivery note, invoices, credit and refund. The customer statement should recompose the balance without a hand-edited total.
5. BelloPOS coverage
Pro builds quote→order→delivery→invoice→credit. Go adds the customer ledger, partial payments and PDF statement; Pro includes these and the accounting bridge.
| Need | Coverage | Boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Quote and terms | Pro | Validate clause |
| Partial payment | Go/Pro | Not automatically a deposit invoice |
| Customer balance | Go/Pro | Derived from movements |
| Final invoice | Go from sale / Pro chain | Check tax treatment |
| Credit | Pro | Validate reason and right |
| Accounting entry | Pro | Does not replace accountant |
Go and Pro are one-time purchases. Choose Pro for document lineage, not to claim an absent deposit workflow exists.
Mistakes to avoid
- Confusing deposit and discount.
- Omitting whether 30% is net or gross.
- Recording payment twice.
- Overwriting the accepted quote.
- Issuing a balance without reference.
- Deciding VAT timing alone.
- Refunding without a trail.
- Promising a nonexistent specialist deposit module.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a 30% deposit?
Multiply the agreed base by 30%. State whether it is net or gross and validate tax treatment.
Is a deposit a discount?
No. It is payment allocated against the amount due; it does not lower the price of goods or services.
Is a deposit invoice required?
The document and its date depend on the transaction and the regime. BelloPOS can issue it as a numbered invoice since version 3.0; have the process and the VAT timing confirmed by your accountant.
How should the balance be shown?
Show the transaction total, payments allocated once and amount due, with references.
Does BelloPOS handle deposit invoices?
Since version 3.0 the deposit is a numbered invoice attached to the quote or order, and the final invoice deducts it net and tax apart. The tax qualification still has to be validated.
Which plan should I choose?
Pro for quotes and commercial lineage; Go/Pro for customer ledger, payments and statements.
What to take away
Link accepted quote, payment, delivery, tax document and balance around one job. Payment reduces amount due, not price; tax and the intermediate document require validation.
Sources
The figures and rules quoted above come from these pages, read on the date given in the article.
- Moroccan General Tax Code 2026, DGI, read 29 August 2026
- BelloPOS numbered PDF invoices and fields, read 29 August 2026
- BelloPOS quotes, orders, deliveries, invoices and credit notes, read 29 August 2026
- BelloPOS customer credit, payments and statements, read 30 August 2026
- BelloPOS Lite, Go and Pro pricing, read 29 August 2026
Test the path with a fictional deposit
Create a test quote, record 30%, amend the job and check that the statement still explains every dirham.
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