Accounts Receivables 101: Uses and Types

Accounts receivable, is the money owed to a company by customers for past purchases, playing a critical role in its financial health.

Receiving timely payments from customers is vital for maintaining your company’s financial health. As a controller or CFO, you understand the pressure of ensuring that cash flow remains steady and that every dollar owed to your business is collected promptly.

The challenge lies in balancing day-to-day operations while keeping a close eye on accounts receivable (AR), which can significantly impact your company’s liquidity and overall stability. This is where understanding what receivables are becomes crucial to managing and optimizing your financial processes.

Accounts receivable are more than just a line item on your balance sheet—it’s a lifeline for maintaining cash flow, reducing financing costs, and avoiding unnecessary debt. To manage your receivables effectively, let’s explore what accounts receivable truly entails and why it’s a critical component of your financial strategy.

What is Accounts Receivable?

Accounts receivable (AR) refers to the money owed to your company by customers who have purchased goods or services on credit. Essentially, these are the funds you expect to receive, and they play a critical role in your business’s working capital. AR is listed as a current asset on your balance sheet, reflecting the future cash inflow that will keep your operations running smoothly.

Understanding what receivables are helps you grasp how they directly impact your company’s financial health, ensuring you maintain a solid foundation for growth. For someone in your position, managing AR effectively is crucial. It’s not just about tracking who owes you money; it’s about ensuring that those receivables turn into cash quickly and efficiently.

To learn more about cash flow, read this article.

Next, let’s see why accounts receivable is so important and how it impacts your business’s overall financial stability.

Why is Accounts Receivable Important?

Understanding what receivables are and why they matter is essential to maintaining liquidity, supporting business operations, and enhancing financial stability. Here’s how accounts receivable play a vital role in your day-to-day responsibilities:

Purpose and Impact: AR fuels your cash flow, reducing the need for costly external financing. By ensuring timely payments, you maintain liquidity, cover operational costs, and avoid unnecessary debt.
Significance for Business Operations: Healthy AR enhances liquidity and supports daily operations. It can also be leveraged as collateral for financing, providing flexibility to make strategic decisions.
Effect on Financial Statements: Timely AR collections strengthen your balance sheet, improving assets and reducing liabilities. This boosts financial stability and makes your company more attractive to investors. Read this article to learn about how to analyze financial statements.

Now that you know why receivables are vital, let’s explore the different types of accounts receivable.

Types of Accounts Receivable

Understanding what types of receivables are will help you manage your finances in an organized and clear way. Here’s a breakdown of the primary types of accounts receivable you need to know:

1. Trade Receivables

These are the most common forms of receivables. Trade receivables represent the money owed to your company for goods or services provided on credit. For example, if your company sells products to a customer with a 30-day payment term, the amount owed is recorded as a trade receivable. Efficiently managing these receivables is crucial to ensure that your cash flow remains steady and that you can meet your financial obligations.

2. Notes Receivable

Notes receivable are formalized agreements where the customer promises to pay a specified amount on a particular date. These are typically used when extending longer payment terms or when the transaction involves a significant amount. The promissory note adds a layer of security, ensuring that the customer’s obligation is documented and legally binding. Proper management of notes receivable helps you avoid potential cash flow disruptions and maintain financial stability.

3. Other Receivables

These include any other amounts owed to your business that don’t fall under trade or notes receivables. Examples include interest receivables, employee advances, and tax refunds. While these may not be as significant in amount, they still impact your overall financial health and should be monitored closely. Keeping track of these receivables ensures that no potential revenue is overlooked, contributing to a more accurate financial picture.

Learn more about financial planning and analysis (FP&A) for improved financial health.

Let’s see how these receivables appear on your balance sheet and their impact.

Accounts Receivable on the Balance Sheet

Understanding what receivables are and how they fit into your company’s balance sheet is crucial for maintaining a clear picture of your financial health. As a controller or CFO, ensuring that your accounts receivable (AR) are accurately represented on the balance sheet not only helps you maintain transparency but also supports strategic decision-making.

Classification on the Balance Sheet

Accounts receivable are classified as current assets on the balance sheet. This is because AR represents money that is expected to be received within a year, making it a short-term asset. Recognizing what receivables are and their role as current assets helps you keep track of cash flow projections and manage working capital effectively.

Impact on Cash Flow and Financial Statements

The way receivables are recorded on the balance sheet directly influences your company’s cash flow. When customers pay their invoices on time, these receivables are converted into cash, which can then be used to meet short-term obligations or reinvest in the business. Properly managed AR ensures that your balance sheet accurately reflects your company’s liquidity, making it easier to secure financing or attract investors.

Example Calculation:

If your company has $500,000 in accounts receivable and your total current assets are $1,500,000, then receivables make up 33% of your current assets. This percentage highlights the importance of closely monitoring AR to ensure it is promptly collected and accurately reported.

Learn how to manage your cash flow with these tips for effective FP&A.

Next, we’ll discuss strategies for effectively managing accounts receivable to maintain financial stability and support business growth.

How to Manage Accounts Receivable?

As a controller or CFO, understanding what receivables are and applying best practices can significantly enhance your company’s financial stability. Effective management of AR ensures timely collections and reduces the risk of bad debts. By keeping a close eye on what receivables are, you can prevent cash flow issues that might disrupt your operations or require costly external financing. A well-managed AR process supports your financial health and operational efficiency, helping you maintain stability and grow your business.

Strategies

Implement Clear Credit Policies: Establishing and communicating clear credit policies helps define the terms and conditions under which you extend credit to customers. This includes setting credit limits and payment terms. Applying these guidelines reduces the likelihood of late payments and bad debts, ensuring that you extend credit wisely and minimize financial risks.
Offer Multiple Payment Methods: Providing various payment options can facilitate faster collections. Accepting electronic payments, credit cards, and other methods makes it easier for customers to pay on time, thereby improving your AR turnover and reducing delays.
Follow Up on Overdue Payments: Regularly follow up with customers who have overdue payments. Implement a systematic approach to reminders and collections, such as sending invoices promptly and establishing a schedule for follow-ups. This proactive approach helps ensure that receivables are collected in a timely manner.

Tools for Management

AR Aging Schedules: Utilize AR aging schedules to track overdue payments and prioritize collection efforts. These reports categorize receivables based on how long they’ve been outstanding, helping you focus on accounts that need immediate attention and improve your overall collection strategy.
Automated Reminders and Alerts: Implementing automated reminders and alerts can streamline the collection process. Tools that automatically notify customers of upcoming or overdue payments help maintain regular communication and encourage prompt payment. Also, check out these best Bookkeeping software in 2024.

Provision for Doubtful Debts

Set aside a provision for doubtful debts to account for potential bad debts. This reserve ensures that your financial statements accurately reflect the risk of non-collection and helps you maintain a realistic view of your financial health. Regularly review and adjust this provision based on the actual performance of your receivables.

By applying these practices, you can enhance your AR management, improve cash flow, and ensure that your company remains financially healthy and well-positioned for growth. Now, let’s explore how you can calculate the turn-over ratio—an important metric to analyze your receivables health.

How to Calculate Accounts Receivable Turnover Ratio

Calculating the accounts receivable turnover ratio is essential for assessing how effectively your company is managing its receivables. It measures the speed at which receivables are collected over a specific period. It indicates how efficiently your business converts outstanding invoices into cash. Here’s a straightforward guide to calculating and interpreting this crucial metric:

Calculation

To calculate the ratio, use the formula:

Accounts Receivable Turnover Ratio=Net Credit SalesAverage Accounts Receivable

This formula requires you to divide net credit sales (total sales made on credit) by the average accounts receivable (beginning and ending receivables for the period).

Significance

The accounts receivable turnover ratio indicates how effectively your business manages receivables and converts them into cash. For example, a ratio of 5 suggests that your company turns over its receivables about every 73 days (365 days divided by 5). A higher ratio typically means that your company collects payments more quickly, which enhances liquidity and reduces the need for external financing. Conversely, a lower ratio may signal inefficiencies in collecting receivables or potential issues with credit policies.

Track AR with ease using Bunker Final Thoughts

Proper management and monitoring of AR, including calculating the turnover ratio, can enhance your financial stability and support business growth. With Bunker’s intuitive dashboard and detailed monthly reports, you can effortlessly track and optimize your accounts receivable. Our platform transforms overlooked financial data into actionable insights, helping you streamline your AR process and improve cash flow.

Improve Collections:

Track and manage collections and drill-down to the invoice level within seconds to get more context. Don’t spend hours trying to calculate DSO – Bunker calculates it for you with an interactive pie chart.