Event deposit commitment register
Deposits went out to the venue, the caterer and the AV supplier at different times, and nobody can say how much of it would come back if plans changed.
The short answer
A deposit commitment register lists every deposit paid or promised: supplier, amount, date, what the document says about refunds, and how much is exposed if the event is changed.
It records what the documents state. Whether an amount is actually recoverable is a contract question for your legal adviser.
Why a separate register
Deposits are the first money to leave the account and the hardest to remember. They sit in different documents, with different conditions, long before the final invoice.
A register shows the committee how much is already committed before it asks for a date change, a venue switch or a smaller programme.
What to record for each deposit
- Supplier, document reference and the date paid or the date it is due.
- Amount, and whether it is described as a deposit, booking fee, advance or non-refundable fee in the document.
- What the document says about refund, transfer to another date or credit, quoted as written.
- Key dates in the document: deadlines for changes, notice periods, balance due dates.
- Who approved the payment and from which budget line.
- Status: promised, paid, partly refunded, credited, or disputed.
Sort amounts into four groups
| Group | Meaning | How to treat it |
|---|---|---|
| Paid, stated refundable | The document says it may be refunded under stated conditions. | Record the conditions and the deadline. Do not assume it is safe. |
| Paid, stated non-refundable | The document says it is not refunded. | Treat as committed spend. |
| Paid, unclear or conditional | Wording depends on dates, resale or other events. | List the question for your adviser. |
| Promised, not paid | A payment is agreed but not made. | Show separately; it is a future commitment. |
Keep the register current
- Add each deposit the day it is approved, with a copy of the document.
- Check conditions and key dates whenever the event date, venue or scope changes.
- Record refunds and credit notes when they arrive, linking to the credit note tracking.
- Review the register at every committee meeting where a change is proposed.
- Feed the totals into the payment milestone tracker and the cancellation exposure worksheet.
What the register cannot tell you
It cannot say whether a supplier must refund, or whether a clause is enforceable. It shows the numbers and the wording so the adviser can answer quickly.
The deposit exposure calculator totals outstanding exposure from the assumptions you enter, and does not decide recoverability.
Worked example · Fictional example
Three deposits and a date change
Fictional organisation and figures, illustrative only.
Persatuan Fiktif Akauntan Muda has paid RM 12,000 to a venue, RM 5,000 to a caterer and RM 4,000 to an AV supplier. The venue document says the deposit may be credited to a new date if notice is given 60 days before the event. The caterer document says the booking fee is non-refundable. The AV document is silent.
The register shows RM 12,000 as refundable or creditable under stated conditions with a 60-day deadline, RM 5,000 as committed, and RM 4,000 as unclear, with a question to the adviser. When the committee proposes a new date, the register shows RM 21,000 paid, of which RM 5,000 is treated as committed and RM 16,000 depends on conditions or answers.
Use this yourself
Deposit commitment register
Copy this table. Quote the document's wording in the conditions column rather than summarising it.
| Supplier and ref | Amount and date | Conditions as written | Key dates | Group | Open question |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue, V-01 | RM 12,000, paid | May be credited to a new date with 60 days' notice | 60 days before event | Paid, stated refundable or creditable | Confirm notice wording with adviser |
| Caterer, C-01 | RM 5,000, paid | Booking fee non-refundable | None stated | Paid, stated non-refundable | None |
| AV supplier, AV-02 | RM 4,000, paid | Document does not mention refunds | Not stated | Paid, unclear | Ask supplier and adviser |
| Photographer, P-01 | RM 1,500, promised | Due on signing | Signing date | Promised, not paid | Approve before paying |
Handle it in-house, or bring in help?
Your team can usually handle this when
- Few deposits and a treasurer who keeps copies of every document.
- The date and venue are settled and unlikely to change.
- Supplier documents are clear about refunds and credits.
Outside planning help earns its fee when
- A date, venue or scope change is being considered and deposits are spread across suppliers.
- Documents are silent or inconsistent about refunds.
- No one has a single view of how much is already committed.
Need the exposure laid out before a decision?
A conference project lead can compile the deposit register from your supplier documents, quote the conditions as written, and prepare the questions for your legal adviser before the committee decides on a change. Refund decisions and legal conclusions stay with your committee and advisers.
Questions organisers ask
Is a deposit the same as a booking fee?
Not always. Documents use the terms differently. Record the term the document uses and ask your adviser what it means in that document.
Should promised deposits be in the register?
Yes, as a separate group. They are future commitments and affect decisions even though no money has moved.
Who maintains the register?
The treasurer or finance contact owns the amounts. The secretariat or project lead keeps the document wording and key dates current.
Can the register say how much we will get back?
No. It shows what the documents state. Recoverability is a question for your legal adviser.
Related resources
Content record: Draft. Written from the cited sources and checked by automated rules; not yet independently reviewed.