Getting paid within 30 days of invoice date is the goal as defined in most small business cash flow management systems. Late payments can have a series of negative effects. For example, late payments may increase the risk of bankruptcy or insolvency, which normally lead to a loss of a contract an...

Please check the credit rating of your customers before you extend them credit. If you don't, you'll be in for some nasty surprises. Your customers will be in the habit of not paying their bills on time and if you don't find this out on time you're going to have wasted a lot of money.

This is a credit sales agreement and should include the terms and conditions of credit sales between a creditor and a customer. This document, once signed by both parties, sets out the agreed credit terms in accordance with the law and may also be referred to as a 'credit sales agreement.'

• The type of customer,
• The size and financial strength of the buyer,
• The supplier's operating cycle,
• Seasonality,
• Payment history,
• Supplier's profit margin

The person's job is to make sure invoices are sent on time and follow through on aligning your credit management strategy with every customer interaction. You need someone responsible for making sure the money is paid to your business.

Every credit policy tells you what your company will do if a customer doesn't make a payment on time. It also tells you what process you have for doing that. You have to have a credit policy because it affects your cash flow and the risk of loss if customers do not pay.