STOP LEAVING MONEY ON THE TABLE: Your AR Cash Flow Acceleration Playbook
Prompt PAck
Use Case
Output FORMAT
AI Model
Prompt
The Final Prompt (Read/Copy Manually):
ACT as a specialized Credit Management Consultant and Collections Optimization Expert with a proven track record of reducing DSO and accelerating cash conversion cycles for B2B enterprises. Your goal is to design a high-impact, actionable Accounts Receivable (AR) framework tailored to the Founder's profile.
Follow these strict instructions for structure and content:
1. **Founder Context & Goal (AR Profile):** The Founder needs to significantly accelerate cash flow and reduce risk based on the following metrics:
* TOTAL AR: $[AMOUNT]
* DAYS SALES OUTSTANDING (DSO): [NUMBER] days
* OVERDUE PERCENTAGE: [X]%
* CUSTOMER COUNT: [NUMBER]
* AVERAGE INVOICE: $[AMOUNT]
* BAD DEBT RATE: [X]%
2. **Part 1: The Credit Policy Framework:** Based on the AR Profile, design a 3-tier **Credit Scoring Model** (e.g., Gold, Silver, Bronze) with corresponding recommended payment terms (e.g., Net 15, Net 30, COD) to mitigate the current [X]% Overdue Percentage.
3. **Part 2: Collections Process Design & Automation:** Create a detailed, 5-step, sequenced **Collections Workflow** (from pre-due to final notice). For each step, recommend a specific **Automation Tool or Strategy** (e.g., *automated reminders, integrated CRM flags*) to improve the current DSO.
4. **Part 3: Risk Assessment Model:** Design a simple, weighted **Risk Scoring Formula** (e.g., 60% Overdue History, 40% Industry Risk) to identify the top 10% of customers posing the highest bad debt risk.
5. **Format:** Deliver the output as an "AR Cash Flow Playbook" using professional Markdown headings, tables for the Credit Policy, and a step-by-step list for the Workflow.
Your Actionable Playbook
Why This Works
This prompt is a focused strategic tool that guarantees highly specific, expert advice.
- Hyper-Specialized Role: By assigning the role
ACT as a specialized Credit Management Consultant, we ensure the output focuses strictly on best-in-class AR strategies, avoiding generic financial advice. - Metric-Driven Solutions: The prompt uses all six AR Profile metrics to anchor the advice. This forces the AI to base the Credit Scoring and Collections Workflow on the user’s specific [X]% Overdue Percentage and [NUMBER] DSO, guaranteeing a personalized solution.
- The Automation Mandate: Requiring a specific Automation Tool or Strategy for each step ensures the output is modern and addresses the entrepreneur’s need for scalable, efficient processes.
To transition from a “Collections Specialist” role to a dedicated “Consultant,” the AI needs these precise, quantitative inputs about your current Accounts Receivable (AR) health:
| Variable | Explanation for the Entrepreneur | Why the AI Needs It |
[AMOUNT] (Total AR) |
The total outstanding balance owed to you by customers (e.g., $150,000). | Defines the scale of the problem and the potential impact of optimization. |
[NUMBER] (Days Sales Outstanding) |
Your current DSO, which measures the average number of days it takes to collect payment after a sale (e.g., 45 days). | This is the primary metric the AI is tasked to reduce, forming the basis of the Collections Workflow design. |
[X]% (Overdue Percentage) |
The percentage of your Total AR that is currently past due (e.g., 15%). | Crucial for the AI to design a targeted Credit Policy Framework to mitigate future risk. |
[NUMBER] (Customer Count) |
The total number of customers currently represented in your AR balance (e.g., 450 customers). | Helps the AI determine the appropriate level of automation vs. manual intervention in the Collections Process. |
[AMOUNT] (Average Invoice) |
The typical monetary value of a single customer invoice (e.g., $1,000). | Used to weight the Risk Assessment Model and prioritize collection efforts on higher-value accounts. |
[X]% (Bad Debt Rate) |
The percentage of sales that you expect will never be collected (written off) (e.g., 2%). | Determines the strictness required in the Credit Policy and risk scoring. |
How to Customize
Entrepreneurs can modify these levers to adapt the AR playbook to changing business needs:
Change the Industry Focus: Change the role to ACT as a B2C Subscription Billing Specialist to shift the focus from Net terms to dunning strategies and failed payment retries.
Focus on Specific Risk: If a founder is entering a new market, add an instruction: Assume 50% of the new customers are internationally based. Focus the Risk Assessment Model on geopolitical and currency risk factors.
Adjust the Goal: Change the goal in Part 1 to: Design a new framework focused exclusively on reducing the Bad Debt Rate by 50% in the next quarter.
Example Text:
Designed for: Founder with $5,000 AR • 3-Day DSO • 3% Overdue • 2% Bad Debt Rate • 33 Customers
You’re already running a tight ship with a DSO of 3 days, but that 3% overdue and 2% bad debt tell us we can tighten controls, segment customers, and automate early-stage collections to protect your cash flow as you scale.
Below is your fully tailored, CFO-grade Accounts Receivable system.
PART 1 — CREDIT POLICY FRAMEWORK
3-Tier Credit Scoring Model (Gold / Silver / Bronze)
Purpose: Segment customers, apply smarter payment terms, reduce overdue %, and preempt bad debt.
Credit Scoring Inputs (Customized for Your AR Profile)
-
Payment History
-
Industry Risk
-
Invoice Size (>$350 = higher risk)
-
Customer Tenure
-
Overdue Frequency
Each customer is assigned a tier that determines terms and credit limits.
3-Tier Model & Recommended Payment Terms
| Tier | Criteria | Risk Level | Recommended Terms | Credit Limit Approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOLD | Pays early/on time, low-risk industry, no overdue in past 6 months | Low | Net 30 with 2% early-pay discount | High limit (up to 2× avg invoice) |
| SILVER | Occasional overdue (<5% history), moderate-risk industry, average invoice $350 | Medium | Net 15 (no discounts) | Moderate limit (1× avg invoice) |
| BRONZE | Repeated overdue (>10%), risky industry, new customers, large invoice sizes | High | COD / Prepay / Net 7 | Strict limit (0.5× avg invoice or prepaid) |
Goal:
Reduce overdue % from 3% → 1–2% by tightening terms for Bronze customers and incentivizing Gold customers to pay early.
PART 2 — COLLECTIONS PROCESS DESIGN & AUTOMATION
5-Step, Sequenced Collections Workflow
Each step includes a recommended automation strategy.
1️⃣ Step 1 — Pre-Due Reminder (3 Days Before Due Date)
Action: Friendly reminder with invoice + payment link.
Automation:
-
Use Stripe Billing / QuickBooks / Xero automated reminder sequences.
-
Trigger via CRM workflow (HubSpot or Zoho CRM).
Goal: Prevent overdue before it happens.
2️⃣ Step 2 — Due Date Pulse Check (Day of Due Date)
Action: Automated confirmation: “Just a heads-up, invoice is due today.”
Automation:
-
SMS reminders via Twilio
-
Embedded “Pay Now” button for frictionless settlement
Goal: Reinforce due date without human intervention.
3️⃣ Step 3 — Early Overdue Notice (3 Days After Due Date)
Action: Soft overdue note referencing original invoice.
Automation:
-
Escalation flag inside CRM
-
Task automation to alert AR specialist or founder
Goal: Catch late customers before they become collection risks.
4️⃣ Step 4 — Firm Overdue Reminder (7–10 Days After Due)
Action: Stronger language, includes consequences (service pause, late fee).
Automation:
-
Automated dunning via Chargebee, Recurly, or Stripe
-
Auto-tag customer as SILVER or BRONZE depending on frequency
Goal: Push payment without damaging relationship.
5️⃣ Step 5 — Final Notice + Service Suspension Trigger (15–20 Days Overdue)
Action: Final written notice requiring immediate payment.
Automation:
-
“High-Risk Customer” workflow in CRM
-
Auto-generate statement of account
-
Auto-route to founder for manual outreach or decision
Goal: Prevent overdue from turning into bad debt.
Workflow Summary Table
| Step | Timing | Action | Automation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Due Reminder | –3 days | Early reminder | QuickBooks/Xero reminder |
| Due Date Notice | 0 days | Friendly nudge | Twilio SMS |
| Early Overdue | +3 days | Soft warning | CRM flags |
| Firm Overdue | +7–10 days | Strong request | Dunning tools |
| Final Notice | +15–20 days | Demand + suspend | High-risk workflow |
PART 3 — RISK ASSESSMENT MODEL
Weighted Risk Formula (Simple, Effective, Predictive)
Your risk score needs to catch the top 10% of customers likely to go bad based on overdue patterns and industry exposure.
Weighted Risk Score Formula
RISK SCORE = (0.60 × Overdue History Score)
+ (0.25 × Industry Risk Score)
+ (0.10 × Invoice Size Score)
+ (0.05 × Tenure Score)
Definitions
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Overdue History (60%)
-
0 = no overdue
-
5 = frequent overdue
-
-
Industry Risk (25%)
-
1 = stable sector
-
5 = highly volatile
-
-
Invoice Size (10%)
-
Based on deviation from $350 average
-
Larger = higher score
-
-
Customer Tenure (5%)
-
1 = >12 months
-
5 = <3 months
-
Identify Top 10% High-Risk Customers:
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Sort by Risk Score
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Top ~3 customers (out of 33) are flagged
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Apply Bronze credit terms
-
Move to enhanced collections monitoring
-
Reduce credit limits or enforce partial prepayment
🎯 FINAL OUTCOME EXPECTATIONS
With this AR Playbook, you should achieve:
-
DSO drop from 3 → 1–2 days
-
Overdue reduced from 3% → <1.5%
-
Bad debt containment from 2% → <1%
-
Faster cash conversion cycle
-
Better customer segmentation
-
Higher predictability of monthly liquidity
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