Create the request and client invoice.
Retainers for interior design firms
Client funds,
Client funds,
with a clear purpose.
Request the right kind of retainer, see when it is paid, and follow every dollar as it is used for products or services—without rebuilding the story in a spreadsheet.
Disbursed, in plain English: money from the retainer that has already been applied to an order or service.
Robin ResidenceRetainer balance
Updated from invoices + payments
Choose a retainer typeThe balance and activity update below
Products retainer$25,000received
Available now$13,730for FF&E, OSE + art
$11,270 disbursed45% of funds used
Cloud Sofa depositApplied to Products · PO-1048
−$6,800Lighting orderApplied to Products · PO-1051
−$4,470✓Product costs stay separate from design-service funds.
Trusted by the studios doing the work
More than “paid” or “unpaid”
01Requested$25,000
02Received$25,000
03Disbursed$11,270
04Available$13,730
See the full life of the retainer
A retainer is not finished when the client pays it. Workroom preserves what the money was collected for, how much has been used, what it paid for, and what is still available to the project.
Payment automatically funds the project.
See each order or service the funds covered.
Know what remains before committing more.
Choose the purpose at the start
Not every retainer should become one big bucket
Collect funds in the way your agreement is written. Product money can stay with purchasing, service money can stay with design work, and flexible funds can be assigned when they are actually used.
Products
FF&E, OSE, art, freight, and other purchasing commitments.
Protected for product spendingServices
Design time, labor, project management, and professional services.
Protected for service billingSplit
Allocate one request across both product and service pools from the start.
Two balances, one requestGeneral
Keep the funds flexible and choose the correct pool when they are disbursed.
Purpose assigned at use
A live retainer ledger
Know what came in, what went out, and what remains
See the original amount, received funds, disbursements, and remaining balance together. Filter the ledger when you need one specific status or retainer type.
- Product, service, split, and general retainer types
- Linked to the correct client and project
RetainersRobin Residence
RetainerTypeReceivedDisbursedAvailable
RET-PROJ-006Jun 28, 2026Services$6,000$4,650$1,350
RET-PROJ-004Jul 3, 2026General$2,000$0$2,000
RET-PROJ-003Jun 28, 2026Products$1,000$1,000$0
RET-PROJ-002Jun 27, 2026Split$4,800$0$4,800
No retainers match this view.
Connected to the project budget
Do not promise more than the project has funded
The budget does not show only what the client has paid. It also shows how much of that retainer has already been disbursed and how much is still allowed to support upcoming purchases and services.
Explore the live project audit →$
Retainers4 retainers · money in
$13,730 availableProducts · RET-PROJ-004$8,900
Services · RET-PROJ-006$1,350
Split · RET-PROJ-002$3,480
Collect client funds for less
WorkPay keeps more of the retainer in the project
Use Workroom’s payment processing for money in and money out—with one flat transaction rate and the payment still connected to the client, invoice, and project.
WorkPay3.25% + $0.30Flat rate per transaction
Starting rate per transaction
Less in processing fees at the starting comparison rate
Retainers, in plain language
Questions interior design firms ask
What is a product retainer for an interior design project?
A product retainer is client money reserved for FF&E, OSE, art, freight, or other purchasing commitments. Workroom keeps that balance visible as funds are received and used.
What does “disbursed” mean?
Disbursed means retainer money that has already been applied to a product order or service. The remaining balance shows what is still available to the project.
Can product and service retainers stay separate?
Yes. Workroom supports Product, Services, Split, and General retainer types so firms can preserve the purpose of the funds or assign it when the money is used.
How much does WorkPay cost?
WorkPay is a flat 3.25% plus $0.30 per transaction. Other available processors start at 3.65% plus $0.30 per transaction.
See what your stack is costing you
One place for the work your firm is paying five tools to manage
Add your current software, team size, and billing cycle. See what Workroom could bring together—and what your firm could save by simplifying the stack.