You could do this manually, or simply delete the original retainer
transaction and record a pre-payment using the business features to that
vendor but do not assign it to a document. (Bill)
You then assign it after you've posted the actual Bill. When you attempt
to enter a payment on that Bill, you can select the pre-payment and the
Bill document. (instead of entering new payment info, but you do put a
date) You have the choice to enter a 'refund' amount for the difference,
or if not, it remains as outstanding pre-payment.
In any case, treating it as a pre-payment, it is held on the books as
contra to Accounts Payable by GnuCash. Which is effectively the same as
an Asset but won't appear that way on a Balance Sheet. The reverse would
be true for Receivables, Customer pre-payments, technically are
liabilities, but would appear as contra to A/R.
That may or may not be what you need.
Using the pre-payment method would retain the original payment date info
and transaction and show it on a vendor report, along with document link
details if you so choose. (to see what portion of it was applied to
which bill on which date, etc.)
Manual transactions do not show on Vendor/Customer reports.
Regards,
Adrien
On 6/26/26 6:05 PM, Ed Greenberg wrote:
I'm going to carry the retainer as an asset, as suggested, charge the bills
against the appropriate expense account, and eventually sorted out with an
adjusting entry when he returns any overpayment.
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