Contractor accounts receivable often becomes a collection of individual exceptions: one customer needs another copy, one is waiting on financing, and one has a question about the final scope. A weekly system turns those exceptions into manageable work.
1. Review the aging report
- Confirm the total outstanding balance.
- Group invoices by 1–30, 31–60, 61–90, and 90+ days past due.
- Identify large balances and strategically important customers.
- Remove invoices that are paid, credited, or not yet due.
2. Check invoice quality
Verify that each invoice includes the correct customer, job, amount, due date, and supporting documents. Resolve internal errors before escalating follow-up.
3. Assign a clear next action
Every overdue invoice should have an owner and a next step: send a reminder, call the customer, provide documentation, investigate a dispute, record a promise date, or pause communication.
4. Protect customer preferences
Record the correct billing contact, communication channel, and any request to stop or change outreach. Do not treat a phone number or email address as automatic permission for every type of message.
5. Reconcile received payments
Update the accounting source of truth and the recovery log. A promise is not recovered revenue; count the payment only when the business verifies receipt.
6. Review the process monthly
Look for patterns: unclear payment terms, delayed invoicing, missing deposits, recurring disputes, or customers who consistently require manual follow-up. Recovery is useful, but preventing the next overdue balance is even better.