How to Cut Up to 33 Days from Your DSO with AR Best Practices: 12 Proven Strategies That Accelerate Cash Flow in 2025

Your revenue looks good on paper. But your cash flow says otherwise.
"Closed won is not done because revenue isn't real until you get paid." That's something a collections leader at a major SaaS company taught me during a high-profile acquisition. He's right.
Payment delays are crushing cash flow across industries, with some sectors seeing over half their invoices overdue. If you're leading finance at a $50M-$500M company, that’s not just a collection issue but a compounding risk.
To put this in perspective: a 33-day DSO reduction for a company with $20M in annual sales frees up approximately $1.8M in working capital; cash that can fuel growth, reduce borrowing costs, or strengthen your balance sheet.
Through helping finance teams unlock $200M from their balance sheets, we've found that companies achieving up to 33 days DSO reductions share three common traits: they automate low-value accounts, maintain personal relationships with strategic customers, and model future payment patterns to improve liquidity forecasting.
This guide breaks down 12 battle-tested tactics used by top-performing teams to help you transform your AR operations from a reactive cost center into a strategic growth engine.
What Are AR Best Practices and Why Do They Matter?
Effective AR practices span the entire payment lifecycle, from creating and sending invoices to processing payments and applying them accurately to accounts.
Think about it: a sales rep closes a deal, rushes into Salesforce, and quickly adds the amount, address, purchase order number, and contact details. Teams of lawyers on both sides spent thousands of dollars making sure every T was crossed and every I was dotted in that contract. But then we create invoices from hastily entered CRM data, instead of extracting information directly from that legally vetted source document.
This means the stakes couldn't be higher. When AR processes break down, the impact goes beyond delayed cash flow: it can put the company’s financial stability at serious risk.
In Europe, 25% of bankruptcies are attributed to late payments by customers, while UK SMBs are currently owed an average of £27,000 in late payments.
The Hidden Costs of Poor AR Management
Most finance teams focus on the obvious costs: late fees, bad debt, and borrowing costs. But the real damage happens in the shadows leading to a huge competitive disadvantage. Here's what poor AR practices cost:
- Time Drain: Many small business owners lose nearly half a day each week just following up on overdue invoices, pulling them away from higher-impact work.
- Processing Costs: Processing an invoice manually can cost between $15 to $40 per invoice, while automation reduces this to $2 to $3 per invoice, representing up to an 80% cost reduction.
- Cash Flow Impact: Payment delays significantly impact small businesses' cash flow, often forcing companies to seek additional financing to bridge gaps.
- Productivity Loss: 81% of businesses have experienced an increase in delayed payments, forcing teams to spend more time on collections instead of strategic work.
2025 Industry Benchmarks: Where Does Your AR Performance Stand?
Understanding where you stand relative to industry benchmarks is crucial for setting realistic improvement targets. Below are 2025 industry benchmarks for Average Days to Collect (ADC) from Tesorio's analysis of $80+ billion in receivables across our platform:
Top Performers:
- Logistics & Supply Chain: 26 days
- Financial Services: 39 days
- Marketing & Advertising: 39 days
Mid-Range Performance:
- Software: 48 days
- Professional Services: 50 days
- Healthcare: 51 days
Improvement Opportunities:
- Energy & Utilities: 58 days
- Manufacturing: 60 days
- Technology Services: 63 days
- Business Services: 65 days
The top-performing industries collect 1.4x to 2.5x faster than lower-performing sectors.
However, as much as collection speed matters, the Financial Services leads overall with just 11% of AR overdue, while Energy & Utilities struggles with 50% of AR past due.
This shows that the best-performing industries combine fast collection with low overdue rates and minimal aging risk
12 Real-World AR Fixes Finance Teams Are Using in 2025
1. Slash DSO with AI-Powered Collections Automation
The foundation of modern AR best practices is intelligent automation that goes beyond simple dunning emails. In 2024, Gartner reported that 58% of finance departments had adopted AI, marking a 21-point growth over last year.
Why It Works:
- Fully automated AR systems help 9 out of 10 mid-sized firms cut costs, ease cash flow pressure, and scale faster.
- Businesses using automation often see Days to Pay (DTP) drop by more than 40%.
- Automating financial processes can slash reporting inaccuracies by as much as 90%, streamlining accuracy across systems.
Implementation Strategy:
- Start with segmentation: Automate low-value accounts (under $1,500) while maintaining a personal touch for high-value relationships.
- Customize messaging: Create different email sequences for 30, 60, 90, and 120+ day delinquencies.
- Use predictive analytics: Leverage AI to predict payment dates and prioritize collection efforts.
- Integrate with existing systems: Make sure your automation tools sync smoothly with core systems like your ERP, CRM, and email platforms.
Real-World Success: Veeva Systems automated collections for accounts under $1,500, resulting in a 75% drop in bad debt write-offs and cutting 90-day past-due balances by half.
2. Optimize Invoice Accuracy and Delivery
Here's a hard truth I learned from analyzing thousands of payment delays: 50-70% of them are self-inflicted due to missing or incorrect invoice details. We're talking wrong PO numbers, outdated AP contacts, and invoice mismatches. That’s why ensuring invoice accuracy is one of the highest-impact AR best practices.
Critical Invoice Elements:
- Correct purchase order numbers
- Accurate billing addresses and AP contacts
- Clear payment terms and due dates
- Detailed line items matching purchase orders
- Proper tax calculations and compliance information
Best Practices for Invoice Delivery:
- Electronic delivery: Eliminate mail float by sending invoices electronically.
- Multiple formats: Provide invoices in customer-preferred formats (PDF, EDI, portal submission).
- Delivery confirmation: Track when invoices are received and opened.
- Portal integration: Submit invoices directly to customer AP portals when required.
Measurable Impact: Companies adopting financial automation tools have reported cutting overdue invoices by up to 25%, alongside a 21% boost in available cash.
3. How to Choose the Best Credit Policies for B2B Payment Terms
Proactive credit management prevents collection problems before they start. Your credit policy should balance growth opportunities with risk management.
Credit Policy Components:
- Credit application process: Standardized forms and documentation requirements
- Credit evaluation: Use data-driven indicators to guide lending decisions
- Payment terms: Industry-appropriate terms (most B2B transactions use 30-day terms, accounting for 54% of payment agreements)
- Credit limits: Tailor credit ceilings using account-level financial insights and risk assessment
Security requirements: When to require guarantees, deposits, or letters of credit
Payment Terms Optimization:
- Explore the feasibility of reducing payment durations in line with industry norms.
- Offer early payment discounts (2/10 net 30).
- Implement late payment fees where legally permissible.
- Tailor payment terms to reflect each customer’s payment behavior over time.
4. Leverage Predictive Analytics for Cash Flow Forecasting
For years, forecasting cash flow meant juggling spreadsheets and manual adjustments, which is hardly ideal for fast-moving teams. A 2024 CFO survey from McKinsey found that six out of ten finance leaders now place strategic planning at the forefront, up significantly from just 38% a year earlier.
What I've learned about granular data: Instead of just looking at sales and applying DSO, imagine you could look at every single invoice and every single payment made by that customer on all past invoices, train a model on that information, and predict when they're going to get paid across every single one of your customers. That's the power of using granular data to make cash flow more predictable.
Predictive Analytics Benefits:
- Accuracy improvement: Organizations using augmented analytics for forecasting achieve a 25-30% improvement in forecast precision.
- Time savings: Automation compresses forecast creation timelines. Tasks that used to drag on for days are now resolved in a fraction of the time.
- Proactive management: Anticipate upcoming cash gaps early enough to course-correct before they impact operations.
- Better decisions: Make informed decisions about payments, investments, and credit terms.
Implementation Approach:
- Unify core financial data streams: Link receivables, payables, and banking activity into one view.
- Use machine learning: Surface customer-specific trends in payment behavior and predict future delays.
- Update in real-time: Ensure forecasts reflect the latest payment activities.
Scenario planning: Use dynamic modeling to explore how fluctuations in customer payments alter your overall cash flow outlook.
Real-World Success: By applying predictive analytics, Couchbase reduced its forecast cycle from over a week to just hours, while syncing DSO and DPO for better cash flow visibility.
5. Implement Strategic Customer Segmentation
Not all customers should be treated the same. Yet that's how most AR processes were handled before: just an automated ERP nudge saying “15 days late” or “30 days overdue,” with no nuance or context.
Effective AR best practices involve segmenting customers based on value, risk, and payment behavior.
Segmentation Criteria:
- Revenue size: High-value vs. low-value customers
- Payment history: Prompt payers vs. chronic late payers
- Industry risk: High-risk vs. low-risk sectors
- Geographic location: Domestic vs. international customers
- Relationship importance: Strategic partners vs. transactional customers
Segment-Specific Strategies:
- High-value customers: Personal relationship management, flexible terms, proactive communication
- Low-value customers: Full automation, standard terms, minimal manual intervention
- High-risk customers: Shorter terms, deposits, and more frequent monitoring
- Chronic late payers: Stricter conditions, quicker follow-up, and reevaluated relationship
Real-World Success: Strategic segmentation helped reduce time spent on low-priority accounts from 25% of the workweek to under two hours at Veeva Systems.
6. How to Optimize AR Team Collaboration for Faster Collections
Modern AR best practices break down silos between finance, sales, and customer success teams. Effective collaboration accelerates collections and improves customer relationships.
Collaboration Best Practices:
- Shared visibility: Give all teams access to customer payment status and history.
- Clear escalation paths: Define when and how to escalate collection issues.
- Communication tracking: Centralize all customer communications in one system.
- Role definitions: Establish clear ownership across AR, sales, and customer success to prevent overlap and close gaps in accountability.
- Regular meetings: Hold weekly AR/sales alignment meetings.
Technology Enablers:
- Unified platforms: Adopt systems that sync seamlessly with your CRM and team collaboration tools.
- Real-time updates: Ensure all teams see the current payment status.
- Mobile access: Enable team members to update information from anywhere.
- Automated notifications: Alert relevant team members of payment issues.
Real-World Success: Currencycloud improved team coordination and increased accounts receivable efficiency by 200%.
7. Streamline Payment Processing and Options
Removing friction from payments is a key pillar of effective AR practices. The simpler it is for customers to pay, the quicker the revenue hits your books.
Payment Optimization Strategies:
- Multiple payment methods: Accept diverse payment methods such as ACH, wires, credit cards, and checks to reduce barriers to payment.
- Online payment portals: Provide self-service payment options.
- Mobile-friendly interfaces: Ensure payment systems work on all devices.
- Automatic payment options: Offer recurring payment setups for regular customers.
- Payment reminders: Use automated notifications to prompt customers before payments are due.
Customer Portal Features:
- Invoice viewing: Allow customers to access current and historical invoices.
- Payment history: Provide complete payment records.
- Dispute management: Enable online dispute submission and tracking.
- Account statements: Offer downloadable statements and reports.
- Contact information: Ensure AR team contact info is visible and accessible for faster resolution.
8. How to Run Preemptive Collections That Reduce Delinquency Risk
The best collections happen before invoices become overdue. Proactive AR best practices focus on preventing late payments rather than just reacting to them.
Proactive Techniques:
- Pre-due date reminders: Trigger reminder emails a week in advance to prompt timely payment.
- Payment confirmation: Send a quick check-in to validate successful payment processing.
- Relationship building: Maintain regular contact with key customers.
- Issue identification: Stay ahead of issues by flagging and resolving payment risks early.
- Process education: Clarify how your billing system works to avoid confusion.
Escalation Framework Based on Industry Approach:
- Days 1-30 overdue: Automated reminders and direct contact
- Days 31-60 overdue: Intensified outreach, credit hold implementation
- Days 61+ overdue: Involved leadership review, assessment for third-party recovery
9. Leverage Data Analytics for Continuous Improvement
Data-driven AR best practices use analytics to identify trends, optimize processes, and improve performance continuously.
Key Metrics to Track:
- Days Sales Outstanding (DSO): Key benchmark for how quickly receivables turn into cash
- Collection Effectiveness Index (CEI): Tracks how well a company collects receivables relative to what was due in a given timeframe
- Average Days Delinquent (ADD): Tracks how many days, on average, accounts stay past due
- Bad debt percentage: Percentage of receivables considered lost due to nonpayment
- Cost per collection: Represents how much is spent on collecting each dollar of receivables
Analytics Applications:
- Customer risk scoring: Flag potentially risky payers before credit decisions are made.
- Payment pattern analysis: Understand seasonal and cyclical payment trends.
- Process bottleneck identification: Find and eliminate collection process inefficiencies.
- Team performance tracking: Monitor individual and team collection metrics.
- ROI measurement: Calculate return on investment for AR improvements.
Success Metric: Customer results typically show 33-day DSO reductions, 50% reduction in 90-day aged accounts, and 75% reduction in bad debt write-offs by leveraging real-time insights for early intervention.
10. Ensure Compliance and Risk Management
Strong AR programs prioritize compliance and risk safeguards to reduce exposure and support long-term customer trust.
Compliance Considerations:
- Regulatory requirements: Follow industry-specific regulations (GDPR, SOX, etc.)
- Collection laws: Comply with fair debt collection practices.
- Tax regulations: Ensure proper tax handling and reporting.
- Data security: Protect customer financial information.
- International compliance: Follow regulations in all operating jurisdictions.
Risk Management Strategies:
- Credit insurance: Consider insurance for large receivables.
- Diversification: Spread credit risk by ensuring your receivables aren't overly dependent on one client or sector.
- Regular reviews: Conduct periodic credit limit and term reviews.
- Documentation: Maintain proper records for all collection activities.
- Legal partnerships: Establish relationships with collection agencies and attorneys.
11. How to Optimize Cash Application with AI Technology
Efficient cash application ensures payments are processed quickly and accurately, improving cash flow and customer relationships.
Cash Application Best Practices:
- Automated matching: Match payments to invoices using AI-powered reconciliation systems.
- Exception handling: Create streamlined workflows to resolve unmatched transactions quickly.
- Same-day processing: Prioritize applying incoming payments on the same day they're received.
- Accuracy verification: Implement controls to prevent misapplied payments.
- Customer communication: Notify customers of payment processing and application.
Technology Solutions:
- OCR technology: Automatically extract remittance information.
- Machine learning: Improve matching accuracy over time.
- Bank integration: Connect directly to banking systems for real-time updates.
- ERP sync: Make sure cash application data flows to all connected systems.
Target benchmark: Use AI-driven tools to reach 85-95% automation in cash application workflows, aligned with top-performing industry standards.
12. Invest in Team Training and Development
Your AR team is your most valuable asset. Investing in training and development ensures they can effectively implement and maintain AR best practices.
Training Areas:
- Technology proficiency: Ensure team members can effectively use AR systems.
- Communication skills: Develop professional and effective customer interaction abilities.
- Industry knowledge: Understand customer industries and payment practices.
- Legal compliance: Stay current on collection laws and regulations.
- Data analysis: Strengthen team capabilities in analyzing AR performance indicators.
Development Strategies:
- Regular training sessions: Conduct monthly skill-building workshops.
- Industry certifications: Support team members in obtaining relevant certifications.
- Cross-training: Ensure multiple team members can handle critical functions.
- Performance feedback: Offer consistent guidance and coaching to support team development.
- Career pathing: Create advancement opportunities within the AR function.
Technology Stack for Modern AR Best Practices
Implementing AR best practices requires the right technology foundation. These are the tools top-performing finance teams lean on.
Core AR Automation Platform
- AI-powered collections: Streamlined dunning, predictive payment insights, and prioritized follow-ups
- Workflow management: Dynamic workflow routing based on customer type or payment behavior
- Integration capabilities: Seamless connection with ERPs, CRMs, and banking systems
- Real-time reporting: Dashboards and analytics for performance monitoring
Supporting Technologies
- Electronic invoicing: EDI, email, and portal-based invoice delivery
- Payment processing: Integrated payment options through secure web portals and gateways
- Cash application: Automated payment matching and exception handling
- Credit management: Risk assessment and monitoring tools
- Communication platforms: Email integration and customer portals
Integration Requirements
- ERP systems: NetSuite, Workday, Sage Intacct, Oracle
- CRM platforms: Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics
- Banking systems: Real-time account monitoring and transaction processing
Communication tools: Gmail, Outlook, Slack integration.
Implementation Roadmap: Getting Started with AR Best Practices
Phase 1: Assessment and Planning (Weeks 1-4)
- Baseline measurement: Calculate current DSO, CEI, and other key metrics.
- Workflow mapping: Review existing receivables processes and pinpoint friction areas that need streamlining.
- Technology audit: Evaluate current systems and integration capabilities.
- Team review: Assess current skill levels and identify areas where additional training may be required.
- Goal setting: Establish specific, measurable improvement targets.
Phase 2: Quick Wins (Weeks 5-12)
- Invoice accuracy: Implement layered review processes to reduce the risk of billing mistakes.
- Payment terms: Review and optimize terms for new customers.
- Basic automation: Set up simple dunning email sequences.
- Team training: Begin skill development programs
- Reporting: Establish regular AR performance reporting.
Phase 3: Advanced Implementation (Weeks 13-26)
- AI-powered automation: Deploy predictive analytics and intelligent workflows.
- Customer segmentation: Implement risk-based customer management.
- System integration: Ensure seamless, real-time connectivity between ERP, CRM, and financial platforms to support efficient cash application.
- Advanced analytics: Deploy comprehensive performance dashboards.
- Process optimization: Adjust workflows in response to early performance insights.
Phase 4: Optimization and Scaling (Weeks 27-52)
- Performance tuning: Optimize automation rules and workflows.
- Advanced features: Implement cash application automation and portal integration.
- Team development: Have advanced training and certification programs.
- Continuous improvement: Run routine reviews to improve systems over time.
- Strategic planning: Develop long-term AR strategy and roadmap.
AR Performance Rankings: What’s the Health Index?
The AR Health Index is a comprehensive benchmark that combines collection speed, overdue rates, and aging risk into a single performance score. Here's how industries rank:
Top Performers (AR Health Index 0.67+)
Mid-Tier Performance (AR Health Index 0.27-0.53)
Improvement Needed (AR Health Index 0.12-0.21)
Key Insights:
- The performance gap is massive. Top performers achieve AR Health Index scores 7x higher than bottom performers.
- Speed matters, but it's not everything. Logistics leads in collection speed (26 days) but Financial Services dominates overall performance.
- Aging risk is critical. In Energy & Utilities, 49% of overdue AR is aged beyond 120 days: a danger zone where recovery becomes unlikely.
The bottom line: Top-performing industries collect 1.4x to 2.5x faster than lower-performing sectors, with automation, predictive insights, and real-time visibility serving as performance multipliers.
AR Automation ROI Calculator: What Results to Expect
Based on verified customer data and industry research, here's what companies typically achieve with comprehensive AR best practices implementation:
Primary Metrics
- Days Sales Outstanding (DSO): 30%+ reduction
- Collection Effectiveness Index (CEI): 85%+ efficiency
- Bad Debt Percentage: 75%+ reduction in write-offs
- Cash Flow Improvement: 12%+ increase in cash flow
Operational Metrics
- Time to collect: Average days from invoice to payment
- Collection cost ratio: Cost of collections as a percentage of the amount collected
- Team productivity: Collections per analyst and time allocation
- Customer satisfaction: Payment experience and relationship quality
Leading Indicators
- Invoice accuracy rate: Percentage of invoices without errors
- Payment method adoption: Usage of electronic payment options
- Automation rate: Percentage of collections handled automatically
- Prediction accuracy: How closely forecasts align with actual cash collections
Why Do B2B Payments Take So Long? (And How to Fix It)
44% of companies have automated only a few AR tasks, and over a third rely on manual processes. The primary causes include:
- Manual processes: 50-70% of payment delays are self-inflicted due to missing or incorrect invoice details.
- Communication gaps: Poor coordination between finance, sales, and customer success teams
- Siloed systems: Without seamless integration across AR, ERP, and CRM, teams struggle to coordinate efforts.
- Dispute resolution: Time-consuming manual dispute management processes
The Solution: Connected Financial Operations
Instead of chasing overdue invoices manually, leading finance teams are using data to prioritize collections and forecast risks. At Tesorio, we've seen teams cut follow-up time by automating low-value account outreach and using AI to flag high-risk customers early.
This shift allows AR teams to focus their effort where it matters most: on accounts that impact cash flow.
How Is AI Redefining AR Best Practices in 2025 and Beyond?
Looking ahead, new trends are set to redefine what effective AR practices look like. Some of the most impactful ways AI is currently transforming finance include:
- Intelligent process automation (44%): AI-powered systems that streamline and accelerate how financial data is processed and interpreted
- Anomaly and error detection (39%): AI-driven tools flag irregular patterns and unusual data points in extensive datasets
- Analytics (28%): AI-powered forecasting that equips finance teams with actionable, data-backed insights
- Operational assistance (27%): AI-driven decision-making in operations
Emerging Trends for 2025
- Predictive accuracy: Payment predictions will become increasingly accurate.
- Natural language processing: Better understanding of customer communications
- Automated decision-making: AI will handle more complex collection decisions.
- Anomaly detection: Proactive identification of payment risks and fraud
Common AR Automation Mistakes to Avoid
Challenge 1: Resistance to Change
Solution: Start with quick wins, provide comprehensive training, and demonstrate clear ROI from early implementations.
Challenge 2: System Integration Complexity
Solution: Choose platforms with pre-built integrations and work with experienced implementation partners.
Challenge 3: Customer Pushback
Solution: Communicate changes clearly, emphasize benefits to customers, and maintain personal relationships for key accounts.
Challenge 4: Data Quality Issues
Solution: Apply structured validation checks, implement scheduled cleansing cycles, and enforce governance frameworks to elevate data integrity.
Challenge 5: Resource Constraints
Solution: Roll out the implementation in phases to manage budget allocation efficiently while showcasing early ROI to support future funding.
Transform Your AR Operations Today
The evidence is clear: companies that implement comprehensive AR best practices consistently achieve dramatic improvements in cash flow, efficiency, and growth. With overdue rates ranging from 11%-56% in Healthcare and payment terms extending globally, the businesses that act now will gain a significant competitive advantage.
Industry data also confirms that reducing Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) by just 5–10 days can free up significant working capital and strengthen cash flow resilience.
While the exact figure varies by business model, multiple studies, including from McKinsey, Deloitte, and PwC, tie DSO improvements to 15-25% reductions in working capital requirements and hundreds of thousands in freed-up liquidity.
Your Next Steps
- Assess your current state: Calculate your DSO, CEI, and other key metrics.
- Identify quick wins: Target low-effort, high-impact areas such as invoice accuracy and foundational automation to gain early momentum.
- Evaluate technology options: Research AR automation platforms that fit your needs.
- Build your business case: Use the ROI benchmarks in this guide to craft a compelling business case.
- Plan your implementation: Follow the phased approach outlined above.
The companies featured in our case studies (Veeva Systems, Couchbase, Currencycloud, and others) didn't achieve their results overnight. But they did achieve them by taking the first step and committing to transformation.
Revenue isn't real until you get paid. The question is, how fast will you turn your revenue into cash?
Frequently Asked Questions About AR Best Practices
What is DSO, and how is it calculated?
This metric reflects the average lag between a credit transaction and cash collection. It's calculated as (AR ÷ Credit Sales) × Days in the given period: with sub-30-day values seen as best practice.
How can you reduce AR aging effectively?
You can reduce AR aging by automating follow-ups, improving invoice accuracy, offering multiple payment methods, and using AI to prioritize collections. The most effective approach is to prevent delays before they happen rather than reacting afterward.
Which metrics offer the clearest view of AR performance?
The most valuable metrics include Days Sales Outstanding, Collection Effectiveness Index, Average Days Delinquent, bad debt percentage, and cost per collection. These give a full view of the collection's health and performance.
How much can AR automation reduce DSO?
Companies that adopt full AR automation often see a 30-50% reduction in Days Sales Outstanding. Predictive analytics, smart workflows, and customized outreach drive the biggest results.
What’s the ROI of AR best practices?
Most teams see a 3 to 5 times return on investment, driven by faster cash flow, fewer write-offs, and major gains in team efficiency.
How long does AR automation take to implement?
You can expect to see early results in 2 to 4 weeks from simple improvements like invoice validation. Full automation rollouts usually take 30 to 90 days, depending on your systems and workflow complexity.
What causes most B2B payment delays?
The majority of delays come from incorrect invoice details, missing PO numbers, outdated contact info, manual processes, and communication gaps between sales and finance.
What should be on your checklist when assessing AR automation software?
Look for a platform with strong AI capabilities, ERP and CRM integration, scalable workflows, and a proven track record of ROI. Steer clear of solutions that address just a single part of the AR workflow.
Ready to transform your AR operations? Schedule a demo to see how automation can help lower your DSO by up to 33 days while accelerating cash flow.