Accountsreceivableisoneofaseriesofaccountingtransactionsdealingwiththebillingofcustomerswhoowemoneytoaperson,companyororganizationforgoodsandservicesthathavebeenprovidedtothecustomer.Inmostbusinessentitiesthisis
Accountsreceivableisoneofaseriesofaccountingtransactionsdealingwiththebillingofcustomerswhoowemoneytoaperson,companyororganizationforgoodsandservicesthathavebeenprovidedtothecustomer.Inmostbusinessentitiesthisistypicallydonebygeneratinganinvoiceandmailingorelectronicallydeliveringittothecustomer,whointurnmustpayitwithinanestablishedtimeframecalledcreditorpaymentterms.AnexampleofacommonpaymenttermisNet30,meaningpaymentisdueintheamountoftheinvoice30daysfromthedateofinvoice.OthercommonpaymenttermsincludeNet45&Net60butcouldinrealitybeforanytimeperiodagreeduponbythevendorandclient.Whilebookingareceivableisaccomplishedbyasimpleaccountingtransaction,theprocessofmaintainingandcollectingpaymentsontheaccountsreceivablesubsidiaryaccountbalancescanbeafulltimeproposition.Dependingontheindustryinpractice,accountsreceivablepaymentscanbereceivedupto10-15daysaftertheduedatehasbeenreached.Thesetypesofpaymentpracticesaresometimesdevelopedbyindustrystandards,corporatepolicy,orbecauseofthefinancialconditionoftheclient.Onacompany'sbalancesheet,accountsreceivableistheamountthatcustomersowetothatcompany.Sometimescalledtradereceivables,theyareclassifiedascurrentassets.Torecordajournalentryforasaleonaccount,onemustdebitareceivableandcreditarevenueaccount.Whenthecustomerpaysofftheiraccounts,onedebitscashandcreditsthereceivableinthejournalentry.Theendingbalanceonthetrialbalancesheetforaccountsreceivableisalwaysdebit.Businessorganizationswhichhavebecometoolargetoperformsuchtasksbyhand(orsmallonesthatcouldbutprefernottodothembyhand)willgenerallyuseaccountingsoftwareonacomputertoperformthistask.Associatedaccountingissuesincluderecognizingaccountsreceivable,valuingaccountsreceivable,anddisposingofaccountsreceivable.Accountsreceivabledepartmentsusethesalesledger.Othertypesofaccountingtransactionsincludeaccountspayable,payroll,andtrialbalance.Sincenotallcustomerdebtswillbecollected,businessestypicallyrecordanallowanceforbaddebtswhichissubtractedfromtotalaccountsreceivable.Whenaccountsreceivable