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Depositline documentation1.x
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Using Depositline

Setting up deposits

Set a deposit store-wide, per product category, per product or per variation, as a percentage or an amount per item, optional or required.

A deposit has two parts: whether the product takes one (the mode), and how much (the amount). You can set them in four places, from the broadest to the most specific:

  1. Store-wide, under WooCommerce → Depositline.
  2. Per product category, under Products → Categories.
  3. Per product, on its General tab.
  4. Per variation, on each variation of a variable product.

The most specific setting wins. A product without its own setting uses its category's, and a category without one uses the store-wide setting.

The modes

Mode What the customer does
No deposit Pays in full, as usual.
Deposit, or pay in full at checkout Pays the deposit, or picks Pay in full now at checkout.
Deposit required Always pays the deposit now and the balance later.

The amount

Enter either:

  • A percentage, such as 25%: a share of the price after coupons, before tax.
  • An amount, such as 50: that much per item, so 3 items take a deposit of 150.

A deposit is never more than the item costs. The percentage must be below 100%.

Set the store-wide deposit

  1. Go to WooCommerce → Depositline.
  2. Under Deposits, check that Enable has Take deposits at checkout ticked.
  3. Choose the Store-wide deposit: No deposit, Deposit, or pay in full at checkout or Deposit required.
  4. Enter the Deposit amount (25% to start with).
  5. Choose how Tax and shipping are paid: Paid with the balance or Paid with the deposit. See Deposits at checkout.
  6. Click Save Changes.
WooCommerce → Depositline: the store-wide deposit, tax and shipping, the due date, saved cards, reminders and what happens when a balance is overdue.

Note

Unticking Take deposits at checkout stops new deposits: customers pay in full. Balances already owed are still collected.

Set a deposit on a product

  1. Edit the product and open its General tab.
  2. Choose the Deposit. Store default (…) follows the category or store-wide setting, and shows what that is.
  3. Enter a Deposit amount, or leave it empty to use the default shown in the field.
  4. Click Update.
Deposit settings on a product's General tab: no deposit, optional or required, and the amount.

Set a deposit on a variation

  1. Edit the variable product and open its Variations tab.
  2. Expand a variation. Under its price, choose the Deposit and the Deposit amount. Same as the product (or an empty amount) follows the product.
  3. Click Save changes.

For example, a sofa can take a 30% deposit, with the made-to-order fabric variation set to Deposit required at 50%.

Set a deposit on a product category

  1. Go to Products → Categories and add or edit a category.
  2. Choose the Deposit and the Deposit amount. They apply to products in this category without their own setting.
  3. Click Add new category or Update.

When a product is in several categories with a deposit, the first one by name is used.

Tip

The mode and the amount are looked up separately. A category can switch deposits on with an empty amount, and the store-wide amount still applies.

What shoppers see on the product page

A product that takes a deposit says so above the Add to cart button: "Pay a 25% deposit now and the rest later." or "Pay a deposit of $50.00 per item now and the rest later.", followed by "You can also pay in full at checkout." when the deposit is optional. On a variable product, the line appears with the price once a variation is chosen.