Layaway

Quasar’s Layaway feature allows customers to reserve merchandise with a deposit and pay the balance over time through scheduled installments. The goods are held by the store until the layaway is paid in full, at which point the customer picks up the merchandise and a regular invoice is generated. This chapter covers the complete layaway lifecycle from setup to completion.

Layaway Overview

A layaway transaction involves several linked components:

Step 1: Create a Layaway Plan

Before any layaway can be created, at least one Layaway Plan must exist. Plans define all the financial terms.

Key Plan Settings

Step 2: Create a Sales Order Type

Create a Sales Order Type with the Layaway behavior. This tells Quasar to automatically create a layaway record when a sales order of this type is saved.

1. Open Sales → Sales Order Type
2. Enter a name (e.g., “Layaway”)
3. Select the Layaway radio button under Order Behavior
4. Save

Step 3: Enable Customer for Layaway

Each customer who participates in layaway must have the Can Layaway? flag enabled.

1. Open the Customer Master for the customer
2. Go to the Control tab
3. Check Can Layaway?
4. Save

Step 4: Create a Layaway

Layaways are created through the Sales Order screen:

1. Open Sales → Sales Order
2. Set the Order Type to your Layaway type — the customer lookup now filters to layaway-eligible customers only
3. Select the customer
4. Add items to the order as usual
5. Save the order

When the order is saved, Quasar automatically:

• Creates a Layaway record linked to the order
• Opens the Layaway Master for the new layaway
• Prompts you to select a Layaway Plan

After selecting a plan, the deposit, fee, due date, and payment schedule are calculated automatically.

Step 5: Making Payments

Layaway payments are processed through the Receipt Master (Customer Payment). When a customer makes a layaway payment:

1. Open Sales → Customer Payment
2. Select the customer
3. The layaway appears in the outstanding items list
4. Enter the payment amount
5. Select the tender (Cash, Card, E-Wallet, etc.)
6. Save

The payment is recorded in the layaway_change journal and the Layaway Master’s Payments tab updates in real time. Any configured tender can be used for layaway payments.

Managing a Layaway

Layaway Status Lifecycle

The Amounts Tab

The Amounts tab provides a real-time financial snapshot:

• Total Amount — merchandise value
• Deposit — required initial deposit
• Setup Fee — one-time plan fee
• Total Paid — cumulative payments
• Interest Accrued — total interest
• Balance Due — remaining amount owed
• Next Payment Due/Amount — from the schedule

The Schedule Tab

Shows the amortization schedule with columns for payment number, due date, payment amount, interest, principal, running balance, actual paid amount, paid date, and status. Click Build Schedule to generate or regenerate the schedule.

The Payments Tab

Lists all payment transactions: date, amount, receipt reference, tender, and employee. Double-click a payment to open the corresponding receipt.

Extensions

If the plan allows extensions, click Add Extension on the Layaway Master to extend the due date. Each extension:

• Adds the plan’s extension days to the due date
• Charges an extension fee (fixed or percent of remaining balance)
• Records a journal entry and adds a fee line item to the linked sales order
• Decrements the remaining extensions count

Cancellation

Click Cancel Layaway to cancel an active layaway. The cancellation process:

1. Calculates the refund: Total Paid − Setup Fee − Cancel Fee − Interest Charged
2. Creates a Card Adjustment to credit the customer’s account (if refund > 0)
3. Records CANCELLATION and REFUND journal entries
4. Voids the linked sales order
5. Sets the layaway status to Cancelled
6. Offers to print a cancellation receipt

Printing

The Layaway Master provides several print options:

GL Accounting

Layaway transactions use the plan’s Deposit Account (a Current Liability account) rather than Accounts Receivable. The accounting flow:

Layaway Screens Summary