A nonrefundable deposit holds the appointment. If the client no-shows or cancels late, the deposit is forfeited (kept as revenue); if they show, it credits the balance.
The example
$100 deposit, no-show.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item | Value |
| 2 | No-show | forfeit |
| 3 | Kept | → $100 |
The formula
The formula:
How it works
How it works:
- A nonrefundable deposit is collected at booking to hold the slot.
- If they show: the deposit credits the balance (
price − depositdue). - If they no-show / late-cancel: the shop keeps the deposit as compensation for lost time.
- Track forfeited deposits as recovered revenue against no-show losses.
The deposit turns a no-show from a total loss into partial compensation. Booked artist time that goes empty earns nothing — a forfeited deposit at least covers part of it and discourages flaky bookings in the first place. State the policy clearly (nonrefundable, late-cancel window) at booking, and total forfeited deposits over a month against your no-show count to see how much the policy recovers.
Try it: interactive demo
Price, deposit, and whether they showed.
Variations
Balance if shown
Deposit credited:
Forfeited revenue (month)
Total kept:
No-show rate
Missed share:
Pitfalls & errors
Nonrefundable. State the policy and late-cancel window at booking.
Credit if shown. Subtract the deposit from the balance when they attend.
Track forfeits. Total kept deposits against no-show losses.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
How do I handle a tattoo deposit in Excel?
How do I total forfeited deposits?
Why take a nonrefundable deposit?
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