Special orders
How do you handle bookkeeping when taking an order to deliver later?
When you take an order at a fair and deliver the product later, the transaction isn’t fully complete at the time of the event.
How vendors typically record this
Most vendors treat these as pending sales until delivery:
- Any deposit or payment received is noted separately.
- The order details are logged (customer name, item, delivery date).
- The sale is only counted as income once the item is delivered.
Why this matters
Recording income too early can:
- Overstate sales for that event.
- Make inventory look lower than it really is.
- Create confusion when reviewing profits by event or month.
By waiting until delivery, your sales and inventory records stay aligned with reality.
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