Credit Management: #2 Configuring Right Payment Terms for Credit Control

Credit Management: #2 Configuring Right Payment Terms for Credit Control

Think about the last time you ordered something online and saw that little note at the checkout, "Pay on Delivery" or "Pay later".


It's simple, but it actually sets the tone. As a business owner, you know exactly when payment is expected.

Now, imagine a local printing shop that supplies business cards to offices around the town. Some clients pay immediately, while others take 30 days to clear invoices. If everyone pays on their own schedule, the shop's cash flow would become unpredictable overnight.

That's where Payment Terms become crucial. They define the rules for payment, set expectations upfront, and form the foundation of good credit management.

Why Setting up Payment Terms is Important? 

Payment terms are more than dates on an invoice. They are agreements that balance trust, flexibility, and financial control. They determine when payment is due, how it should be made, and what happens when the payment is delayed.


Setting up clear payment terms protects both sides of a transaction. Customers know exactly when payment is expected. On the other hand, businesses can forecast revenue, plan their expenses, and maintain a steady cash flow.

Even the best credit tracking system can't prevent delays or disputes when payment terms are vague or unclear.

Standard Payment Terms in Business  

While every industry defines terms differently, most of them follow familiar patterns. Let's look at the most common ones with examples to help you visualise them.


Immediate (Due on Receipt):

Payment is expected as soon as the invoice is issued. This is most popular in retail sales and one-time services.

For example, a freelance photographer delivers final photos and sends an invoice marked "Due on Receipt." The client pays immediately via card or online transfer.


Shot- Term Credits (Net 5/Net 7/Net10/Net 15):

These terms allow customers a short grace period to make payments. They are common in fast-moving businesses where the cash flow cycle is tight.

For instance, an event management company gives the office 10 days to pay after each event. This builds loyalty while keeping payments predictable.


Standard Credits (Net 30/Net 45/Net 60):

These are the most widely used payment terms in B2B sales. They give customers flexibility while ensuring the business has a steady cash inflow.

A software reseller issues invoices on Net 30 terms, giving customers a full month to pay while they plan their cash outflows.


End of the Month (EOM or Net 30 EOM):

Here, invoices are due a certain number of days after the end of the month they were issued. It simplifies accounting for customers handling multiple purchases.

Imagine a stationery supplier invoices schools throughout the month, but all payments are due 30 days after month-end, making bookkeeping easier for both sides.


Milestone or Progress-Based Terms:

Payments are linked to project stages rather than just dates.

A construction firm bills 20% upfront, 50% mid-project, and the remaining 30% at the end, ensuring steady cash while aligning with project delivery.


Downside of Improper Payment Terms 

Your payment terms directly influence your business's cash flow. To be precise, shorter terms improve liquidity but can strain customer relationships. Long-term improves customer flexibility but stretches receivables.


Setting up consistent and transparent payment terms helps businesses to avoid unpredictable gaps between invoices and payments.

Configure & Manage Payment Terms in Zoho Billing 

Defining and enforcing payment terms becomes easy when your billing system handles them automatically.

With Zoho Billing, businesses can:

  • Set flexible payment terms per customer or invoice.

  • Automate due date calculation based on chosen terms.

  • Show the payment terms clearly on the invoices and email notifications sent to customers.

  • Send automated reminders before and after the set due date.

  • Apply a late fee based on the due date.

  • Track receivables based on the ageing report to find customers with chronic delays.

By setting the right payment terms along with the automations, you can ensure that every credit sale has a timeline, every invoice is accountable, and every customer relationship is transparent.

A reasonable credit control starts not from cashing payments but from setting expectations early and managing them consistently.

Letting customers pay on credit is one side and allowing credits a threshold of credits is another leverage many businesses offer these days.


Notes
Up Next: Setting up Credit Limit for Customers. 

    • Sticky Posts

    • Community Learning Series | Digest #5 — September 2020

      Dear customers, We're happy to bring you the September edition of our #CommunityDigest! Keep track of your subscription KPIs right from your smartphone: Last month, we enhanced our Android mobile app to help our customers get daily updates on their business health. We got to know from a lot of customers that this has made their job much more easier because they no longer have to keep a reminder to manually check on the previous day's revenue or activations. If you have not downloaded it yet, here's
    • Community Learning Series | Digest #4 - August 2020

      Dear customers, We hope you're staying safe and healthy. I'm happy to bring you the fourth edition of our #CommunityDigest with some brand-new updates from us. 1. Daily Business Updates (for Android users) The Zoho Subscriptions Android app has got a cool new update: You can now get a push notification to your smartphone that lets you know how many activations and cancellations have taken place, and what's the net revenue for the previous day. The best part is, you can tell the app when exactly you
    • Community Learning Series | Digest #3 - July 2020

      Dear customers, We hope you're staying safe and healthy. We're glad to bring you the July edition of our #CommunityDigest. New community members can view our previous newsletters here. This time, we have two major updates and three interesting topics for you: 1. Zoho Subscriptions Developer Community Since the inception of Zoho Subscriptions, our team believed that the recurring billing platform we provide should be able to offer an extensive API library that empowers businesses to automate most
    • Introducing: Community Learning Series | Digest #1 - May 2020

      Dear customers, We hope you are staying safe and healthy. Helping businesses manage their customer subscriptions more efficiently has always been, and always will be, our goal at Zoho Subscriptions. We strongly believe this is possible if we grow together as a community and share what we know with each other. To nurture this shared learning experience, here is our brand-new Community Learning Series! ​ Welcome to the first edition of our digest! Each edition of our community digest includes guides

    Nederlandse Hulpbronnen


      • Recent Topics

      • Importing into the 'file upload' field

        Can you import attachments into the file upload field. I would expect it to work the same way as attachments do, But can't seem to get it to work. Moderation Update: The option to import into File Upload and Image Upload fields has been supported. Read
      • Layout Rules Don't Apply To Blueprints

        Hi Zoho the conditional layout rules for fields and making fields required don't work well with with Blueprints if those same fields are called DURING a Blueprint. Example. I have field A that is used in layout rule. If value of field A is "1" it is supposed to show and make required field B. If the value to field A is "2" it is supposed to show and make required field C. Now I have a Blueprint that says when last stage moves to "Closed," during the transition, the agent must fill out field A. Now
      • Why is the ability Customize Calls module so limited?

        Why can't I add additional sections? why can't I add other field types than the very limited subset that zoho allows? Why can I only add fields to the outbound/inbound call sections and not to the Call Information section?
      • Zoho Desk blank screen

        opened a ticket from my email, zoho desk comes up blank, nothing loads. our receptionist also gets the same thing under her login on her computer. our sales rep also gets same thing on zoho desk at his home on a different computer. I tried clearing cache/history/cookies,
      • Optimum CRM setup for new B2B business

        Can some advise the most common way to setup Zoho CRM to handle sales for a B2B company? Specifically in how to handle inbound/outbound emails. I have spent hours researching online and can't seem to find an accepted approach, or even a tutorial. I have
      • filter on sheets mobile (iOS, iPadOS) does not work

        I have this issue on every spreadsheet, whether imported or created natively in Zoho Sheets. I can use on desktop without issue: desktop screenshot on iOS the filter dropdowns are not there and there is no way to add them mobile iPadOS looks the same
      • Canva Integration

        Hello! As many marketing departments are streamlining their teams, many have begun utilizing Canva for all design mockups and approvals prior to its integration into Marketing automation software. While Zoho Social has this integration already accomplished,
      • Can't edit Segments

        Happening with 2 different Zoho One environments, in different browsers. Please fix.
      • Error 554 Email Outgoing Error

        Our email address (info@tvbhouston) was recently migrated to a new domain host on WordPress, and our SSL certificate is still pending. We would like to continue using your service, but we are currently unable to send emails. Could you please re-enable
      • Transfer ownership of files and folders in My Folders

        People work together as a team to achieve organizational goals and objectives. In an organization, there may be situations when someone leaves unexpectedly or is no longer available. This can put their team in a difficult position, especially if there
      • Consumer Financing

        Does Zoho currently have a payment gateway (such as Stripe, Square, etc) which offers financing for customers? So, let's say the estimate we give the customer is greater than what they can afford at the time, but we can sell the service now, letting them
      • Subform edits don't appear in parent record timeline?

        Is it possible to have subform edits (like add row/delete row) appear in the Timeline for parent records? A user can edit a record, only edit the subform, and it doesn't appear in the timeline. Is there a workaround or way that we can show when a user
      • Zoho CRM - Option to create Follow-Up Task

        When completing a Zoho CRM Task, it would be very helpful if there was an option to "Complete and Create Follow-Up Task" in the pop-up which appears. It could clone the task you are closing and then show it on the screen in edit mode, all the user would
      • Deluge function to copy parent record file upload field to child record file upload field

        I'm stuck trying to write a deluge function that is triggered via automation in child record "Appointments," confirms if a file is in file upload "Report" field of parent "Contacts" record via Contacts lookup field "Contact_Name". If no file is in parent
      • Make panel configuration interface wider

        Hi there, The same way you changed the custom function editor's interface wider, it would be nice to be able to edit panels in pages using the full width of the screen rather than the currently max-width: 1368px. Is there a reason for having the configuration panel not taking the full width? Its impossible at this width to edit panels that have a lot of elements. Please change it to 100% so we can better edit the layouts. Thanks! B.
      • Image Compression Options

        Much better if we have level of options to compress the image [20%, 40%...] We are dealing with service reports daily that has before and after photos (image field)- the file size too large and one thing, the current limit is 10mb or 15mb for report
      • How to hide or archive a blog post temporarily in Zoho commerce website builder?

        I would like to temporarily hide or archive a blog post in zoho commerce website builder so that it doesnt appear on my website till I enable it again. I tried to look for this option but could not find it.  It only allows me to permanently delete a blog
      • How to mix different types of inputs (such as dropdown list and textbox)

        Hi, I'm creating a form called "Room Reservations" for a company. I created a "table" using "Matrix Choice". I created "Room 1", "Room 2" and "Room 3" with the "Questions". I would then like to create two columns with the "Answers", one called "Department"
      • How to Convert NSF to PST Format Effortlessly? - SYSessential

        It is highly recommended to obtain the error-free solution of the SYSessential NSF to PST converter to convert NSF files from Lotus Notes. Using this professional software, it becomes easier to convert all NSF database items, including emails, journals,
      • Zoho Commerce - Poor Features Set for Blogging

        Hi Zoho Commerce team, I'm sure you will have noticed that I have been asking many questions about the Blogs feature in Commerce. I thought that it would be useful if I share my feedback in a constructive way, to highlight the areas which I feel need
      • Pass shipping info to payment gateway Zoho Books to Authorize.net

        For some reason the integration from Zoho books to Authorize.net does not pass the shipping address. Authorize.net is ready to receive it, but zoho books does not send it
      • Massive Zoho Books failure

        We have not received any communication or notification from Zoho, but we have detected that Zoho Books is not working for all our users. We cannot access or use Zoho Books. This is critical. We are trying to contact Zoho on the Spain telephone number,
      • Does the Customer “Company Name” field appear anywhere in the Zoho Books UI outside of PDFs?

        Hi everyone, I’m trying to understand how the Company Name field is actually used in Zoho Books. There is a Company Name field on the customer record, but when viewing transactions like a Sales Order in the normal UI (non-PDF view), that field doesn’t
      • Email outbox is now available in the sandbox

        Hello all! Testing emails without visibility has always been a blind spot in the sandbox. With the new Outbox, that gap is closed. You can now view and verify every email triggered from your sandbox, whether it’s through workflows, approvals, or mass
      • Looking For Recruit Developer

        Hi everyone, I am looking for a Zoho Certified Developer to assist with a development project for MetalXpert. We are building a software system designed to bridge the gap between a candidate mobile app and an employer web portal using Zoho Recruit as
      • sales IQ issue on website

        i integrated the zoho sales IQ code on the website but it is comming in distroted form i am sharing the screenshot below the website is bulit in wix platform
      • I need to know the IP address of ZOHO CRM.

        The link below is the IP address for Analytics, do you have CRM's? IP address for Analytics I would like to know the IP address of ZOHO CRM to allow communication as the API server I am developing is also run from CRM. Moderation Update: The post below
      • Important Update: Google Ads & YouTube Ads API Migration

        To maintain platform performance and align with Google's newest requirements, we are updating the Google Ads and YouTube Ads integrations by migrating from API v19 to the newer v22, before the official deprecation of v19 on February 11, 2026. Reference:
      • Zoho recruit's blueprint configuration is not functioning as mapped

        Current Status: Zoho Blueprint is not functioning as configured. Issue: We are moving a Candidate status in Zoho Recruit "for active file" but we encountered: "Status cannot be changed for records involved in Blueprint." This happens to various client
      • Blocklist candidates in Zoho Recruit

        We’re introducing Block Candidate, which helps recruiters to permanently restrict a candidate from applying to current/future job openings. Once the candidate is blocked, they will no longer be able to participate in the recruitment process. This will
      • Admin asked me for Backend Details when I wanted to verify my ZeptoMail Account

        Please provide the backend details where you will be adding the SMTP/API information of ZeptoMail Who knows what this means?
      • Zoho Desk - Upsert Ticket

        Hi Desk Team, It is common to request more information from end-users. Using forms is a great way to ensure all the required information is collected. It would be great if there were an "upsert" option on the Zoho Form -> Zoho Desk integration which would
      • All new Address Field in Zoho CRM: maintain structured and accurate address inputs

        The address field will be available exclusively for IN DC users. We'll keep you updated on the DC-specific rollout soon. It's currently available for all new sign-ups and for existing Zoho CRM orgs which are in the Professional edition. Latest update
      • Client Side Scripts for Meetings Module

        Will zoho please add client side scripting support to the meetings module? Our workflow requires most meeting details have a specific format to work with other software we have. So we rely on a custom function to auto fill certain things. We currently
      • Introducing Multiple Sandbox Types and Support for Module's Data Population

        Register here for the upcoming Focus Group webinar on Multiple Sandbox | Help documentation to learn more about the new enhancements Hello everyone,  Sandbox in CRM is a testing environment for users to create and test new configurations like workflow
      • Creator Offline

        We had online access setup and working on our iphones. We have just set it up on an 'Android Tablet' and it is not downloading all the images? We use it to show customers our catalogue. Any ideas. Offline components all setup on both devices
      • Updated font library: New font styles and custom font options in Zoho Sheet

        Zoho Sheet's font library now supports 500+ font styles in 60+ languages! The updated font library is stacked with new font styles, and some of the previously available font styles have been replaced with equivalent options. There are two ways you can
      • Enable or disable any Field Rule!

        Hello Zoho Forms Community, We are excited to announce a powerful new enhancement to Field Rules that gives you greater control and flexibility in managing your form logic! Previously, if you wanted to temporarily deactivate a field rule, you had two
      • Marketing Tip #20: Increase traffic with strong meta titles and descriptions

        Meta titles and descriptions are what people see first on search results before they ever click through to your website. If your pages use generic titles or basic descriptions, you miss the chance to stand out, and search engines may not know which page
      • Kanban view on Zoho CRM mobile app!

        What is Kanban? The name doesn't sound English, right? Yes, Kanban is a Japanese word which means 'Card you can see'. As per the meaning, Kanban in CRM is a type of list view in which the records will be displayed in cards and categorized under the given
      • Next Page