Key Metrics to Assess the Health of Your Cash Flow

For many businesses, accounts receivable (AR) represents one of their largest assets—cash earned but not yet collected. Efficient AR management is essential for healthy cash flow and growth. But how do your receivables compare to industry peers? That's where benchmarking comes in.

Why Benchmarking Matters

Benchmarking compares your financial metrics against industry peers of similar size and customer base. Without this context, your numbers can be misleading. If you're collecting in 45 days but your industry average is 30 days, you're financing customers longer than competitors, potentially straining liquidity.

Three Key Diagnostic Tools

1. AR Turnover Ratio
Divide net credit sales by average AR balance. Higher turnover means more efficient collections and faster cash conversion.

2. Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)
Calculate average collection days by dividing period days by AR turnover ratio. Lower DSO indicates faster collections. If yours exceeds industry benchmarks, you may have overly generous credit terms or collection inefficiencies.

3. AR Aging Report
This categorizes receivables by age (0-30 days, 31-60 days, etc.). Compare your percentages in each bucket against industry norms to identify collection issues. Consider outsourcing accounts over 90 days to third-party collectors.

Fraud Risks

AR's high transaction volume makes it vulnerable to fraud. Watch for:

• Increased stale receivables
• Higher write-off percentages
• Rising receivables as percentage of sales

Common schemes include fake invoices, fictitious customers, and lapping scams where employees steal payments and cover tracks by misapplying subsequent payments.

Taking Action

Benchmarking isn't just about identifying differences—it's about acting on them. We can help evaluate your AR management, provide industry benchmarks, and develop strategies to improve your collections cycle while investigating suspicious trends.