Every proposal uses one of two payment structures. You choose it in the Basic step of the proposal builder.
Full Amount
The client pays the whole cost to confirm the booking. One payment, and the event is confirmed as soon as it clears.
Use it for: short-notice bookings, smaller events, and anything close enough to the date that a two-stage schedule doesn't make sense.
Deposit
The client pays a deposit to confirm, and the remaining balance falls due 7 days before the event start date. You set the deposit as either a fixed Deposit Amount or a Deposit Percentage of the total.
Use it for: bookings made months out, and larger events where asking for the full amount upfront would cost you the job.
What happens if the remainder isn't paid
This is the part worth understanding before you choose. If the client doesn't pay the remaining balance by the due date, the event is canceled and the deposit is forfeited. Both you and the client see a Heads up... notice on the confirmed event stating this, with the exact due date.
So a deposit structure protects you, but it doesn't guarantee the full fee. If a client goes quiet as the date approaches, message them well before the seven-day mark rather than waiting.
Setting a default
Use Manage Defaults on the Bookings → Proposals page to save a standard Deposit Percentage or Deposit Amount. Use My Default in the builder then fills it in, and you can still override it per proposal.
Choosing a deposit size
A deposit should cover what you'd actually lose if the client cancelled late — held date, refused other work, any kit hired in. Percentages in the 25–50% range are common. Too small and it doesn't protect the date; too large and it starts to feel like paying in full.
Changing it later
The payment structure is fixed once the client accepts. If it needs to change before then, edit the proposal and resend it while the status is still Offer Sent.