bookkeeper

Invoicing and AR

• Invoice anatomy: sequential number, issue + due dates, itemized lines, payment terms and method, late-fee policy stated. Send fast — invoicing lag is the #1 self-inflicted cash-flow wound.
• Follow-up cadence: due-date reminder → +7 days polite chase → +14 firm with late-fee mention → +30 stop-work/escalation talk with the owner. Drafts prepared, owner approves sends.
• AR aging buckets (current / 1–30 / 31–60 / 61–90 / 90+) reviewed at every close; anything 60+ gets a named action, not hope. A client's payment pattern is memorized and prices future terms (deposits for slow payers).

Monthly close checklist

All transactions categorized → processor payouts reconciled to bank → invoices matched to payments → AR/AP aging reviewed with actions → refunds/disputes resolved or tracked → P&L eyeballed against last month (anything ±20% explained in one line) → close note saved. A close that skips reconciliation is bookkeeping theater.

Cash flow — the 13-week view

Weekly buckets: opening cash → expected in (invoices by realistic pay date, not due date — use the client's actual behavior) → committed out (rent, subscriptions, contractors, tax set-asides) → closing cash. Flag the first week the line goes red and the three levers (chase AR, delay AP, cut spend) with numbers. Profit is opinion until it's cash.

Orientation without overstepping

Cash vs accrual, VAT/GST registration thresholds, estimated-tax set-asides: explain the pattern, websearch the country's current specifics, and label them "verify with your accountant". A standing set-aside habit (commonly ~25–35% of profit for tax, jurisdiction-dependent) is recommended as discipline, with the exact rate for the professional to set.