The short version
- Build the deposit decision from cash committed before the next payment.
- Record a coverage change before ordering more film or charging another deposit.
- Supplier return credits, customer refunds, and card settlement are different entries.
The customer approved a full-front PPF package. Before the car reaches your bay, you order film, reserve installation time, and arrange paint correction. A deposit chosen from habit might cover those commitments. The quote alone does not tell you.
Put the costs and collection dates on one sheet. You need to know how much shop cash is tied up after the deposit settles, after prep begins, and before the final balance arrives. Use your own costs. The example below is fictional and describes no BlueFinch customer.
Use with this guide
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Name the coverage before taking the deposit
Record the vehicle, coverage areas, film product, removal work, and agreed preparation. Separate optional coating or correction from the approved PPF scope. If a bumper needs extra preparation, the file should show who approved the added charge and when.
A full-front package and a whole-vehicle installation commit different quantities of material and bay time. A useful confirmation identifies the scope version, appointment, deposit amount, remaining estimate, and cancellation contact. Published installer terms, such as King Tutt Graphics' terms, connect deposits to material and production commitments. Their percentages and refund terms belong to their business, not automatically to yours.
Sources for this section: King Tutt Graphics: published project and deposit terms
Separate money spent from money reserved
List film purchased for the job, outside prep due before delivery, consumables, and labor cash paid during the job. Keep the retail value of a blocked bay separate. Lost booking capacity matters, but adding the full selling price of an unused appointment to cash expenses would overstate the amount leaving your bank.
Then record supplier terms. Film bought on account might be payable after pickup. A supplier credit promised after a return is not cash received today. Mark each amount with its expected payment date so the calculation follows the bank balance.
Worked example: a $4,800 PPF job
Assume a fictional $4,800 job with a $1,200 deposit. Before final collection, the shop pays $1,450 for film and consumables, $350 for outside prep, and $600 in job labor. Those payments total $2,400. With the deposit received, the shop funds the remaining $1,200 until pickup.
A $1,800 deposit would reduce that gap to $600 if accepted under the shop's written terms. Neither amount is a recommended deposit for every installer. Both examples exclude taxes and payment fees. Use net settled receipts, or add processing charges as separate cash outflows, when modeling your bank position.
| Milestone | Cumulative cash paid | Cumulative receipts | Shop cash tied up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deposit received | $0 | $1,200 | $0; $1,200 ahead |
| Film and prep paid | $1,800 | $1,200 | $600 |
| Labor paid before pickup | $2,400 | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| Final $3,600 received | $2,400 | $4,800 | $0; $2,400 ahead |
Handle an upgrade as a revised job
If the customer adds rocker panels, update the scope, added material, labor, total price, and payment schedule together. Keep the original deposit attached to the original transaction. Do not collect a second full deposit without showing how the first payment applies.
For a cancellation, record material actually committed, supplier returns accepted, work completed, and the outcome approved under your policy and applicable law. A supplier's refusal to take back film does not by itself settle the customer's refund rights.
Print the PPF job cash worksheet
Complete one sheet per scope version. Keep source invoices beside the estimates, and replace expected payment dates with actual dates after settlement.
| Record | Amount or detail | Date / reference |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle and approved coverage | ________________ | ________________ |
| Film and consumables payable | $_______________ | ________________ |
| Prep, labor, and outside work payable | $_______________ | ________________ |
| Customer deposit received | $_______________ | ________________ |
| Added work approved | $_______________ | ________________ |
| Supplier credit actually received | $_______________ | ________________ |
| Final customer balance | $_______________ | ________________ |
| Largest cash gap before collection | $_______________ | ________________ |
Free to download without an email address. Fill in business or customer details only in your own records.
Close the payment file with the installation record
At delivery, match the final invoice to the installed coverage, applied deposits, and balance collected. Complete the manufacturer's warranty process separately. 3M's PPF registration uses installation and vehicle information, illustrating why a payment receipt alone is not the complete installation file.
If you offer different cash and card prices, disclose the approved prices before the first payment and after scope changes. A credit-card surcharge is a different pricing model. Test deposits, debit, remote links, and partial refunds with your processor before changing the customer flow.
Sources for this section: 3M: paint protection film installer warranty registration
Questions business owners ask
What deposit should a PPF shop charge?
Start with the cash required before the next collection, then consider customer terms and applicable rules. A fixed percentage without job costs or dates is only a starting assumption.
Does this worksheet determine whether a deposit is refundable?
No. The worksheet records costs and collections. Refund obligations depend on the agreed terms, circumstances, and applicable law.
Primary sources
BlueFinch reviewed these sources on September 7, 2026. Payment rules and state requirements change.
- King Tutt Graphics: published project and deposit terms
- 3M: paint protection film installer warranty registration
This page provides general business information, not legal, tax, or accounting advice.