Simple accounts-receivable ageing report for a Nigerian SME

Accounts receivable is money customers still owe for goods or services already supplied on agreed terms. An ageing report groups those unpaid balances by how long they have been outstanding. It helps an owner see which customer balances need attention first.

Columns for a simple ageing sheet

List one row per invoice and include:

• Customer and invoice reference.
• Issue date and agreed due date.
• Original amount and confirmed payments received.
• Remaining balance.
• Days past due, or days until due.
• Last contact date and agreed next step.

Age balances from the due date, not only from the date the invoice was created. Keep each confirmed part-payment linked to the right invoice so the remaining amount is not mistaken for the original total.

Example using due dates

Suppose a business has three open invoices: ₦120,000 due yesterday, ₦45,000 due 12 days ago and ₦30,000 due in five days. The first is just overdue, the second has been overdue longer, and the third is not yet overdue. The business may choose to first check whether the older invoice was received by the right accounts contact, while sending the current invoice details before its due date.

This list is not a cash balance. The business has not received the ₦195,000 simply because invoices were issued. Check bank, cash and payment-provider records before marking any amount paid.

Make follow-up specific and respectful

Confirm the invoice reference, amount and due date in a message. Ask whether the customer needs a copy or a purchase-order reference. Record the date and outcome of the conversation. If they dispute a line, resolve the detail and keep the correction traceable rather than sending repeated generic reminders.

Set credit terms that your business can afford. Before agreeing to a long delay, check who approves the purchase, who makes payment and whether a deposit or staged work makes sense. Read the guide to invoice payment terms and the examples of polite overdue invoice reminders.

ReceiptPro distinguishes invoices from receipts and lets you review recorded sales and payment status. Check each balance against actual collections; an invoice document by itself is not evidence that money arrived.