💰 Refunding or Applying Deposits

Once a deposit has been received, you can either refund it to a parent or apply it toward their child’s billing account. Here’s how to handle both scenarios in AcornCloud.

Refunding a Deposit to a Parent

1. Open the child’s profile under Directory → Children.

2. Go to the Bookings tab.

3. On the left-hand side, locate the Deposit section.

4. On the right-hand side, click Manage Refund.

5. In the pop-up, fill in:

   • Refund amount (usually the full deposit)

   • Refund date

   • Description (optional)

   • Toggle on to send a confirmation email to the parent (optional).

6. Click Update Refund Details to save.

Remember: AcornCloud records the refund for tracking purposes, but you’ll still need to complete the actual bank transfer from your service’s account.

The deposit is now recorded in AcornCloud as refunded to the parent.

Applying a Deposit to a Child’s Billing Account

If a parent or service chooses to apply the deposit instead of refunding it:

1. Ensure the deposit has been marked as Transferred to Billing Account.

2. Go to the Finance tab and open Billing.

3. Search for the child’s name and click to open their billing account.

4. Click Actions → Record Payment (top right).

5. In the pop-up, fill in:

   • Amount to transfer

   • Date

   • Method of Payment: Select Deposit Applied

   • Comment (optional)

6. Tap Post Payment.

The deposit will now appear as a payment on the child’s billing account, reducing their outstanding balance.

Best Practice Tips

• Always confirm with parents whether they prefer a refund or credit applied before processing.

• Keep deposit descriptions clear (e.g., “Deposit refunded via EFT” or “Deposit applied to first month invoice”).

• Remember that AcornCloud records the refund internally, but you’ll still need to action the actual payment through your bank.

• Double-check the child’s billing summary after applying a deposit to confirm the balance updated correctly.

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