The importance of metrics for your accounts receivable and collections management isn’t lost on you. You need a measuring stick to determine exactly how effective your efforts are.
Accounts receivable metrics can tell you. There are plenty of metrics to choose from, of course, so you must select those you measure wisely. You’re already measuring your accounts receivable turnover ratio. Now you’re wondering about how to calculate your average collection period ratio.
H2: What Is the Average Collection Period Ratio?
The average collection period ratio is closely related to your accounts receivable turnover ratio. While the turnover ratio tells you how often you collect your accounts, the collection period ratio tells you how long it takes you to collect accounts.
Using this calculation, you can discover how long it takes to collect from the time the invoice is issued to the time you get paid. If the average is low, it’s good. You collect accounts relatively quickly. If the number is on the high side, you could be having trouble collecting your accounts. A high average collection period ratio could indicate trouble with your cash flow KPIs and overall financial health.
How to Calculate the Average Collection Period Ratio
Now you want to go about calculating your average collection period ratio. Are you collecting accounts in a timely manner, or is this something your team needs to work on?
To calculate this ratio, you’ll need to gather up a few numbers. The first thing to decide is the time period you want to calculate the average for. Many accountants will use a one-year period (365 days), or an accounting year (360 days). You can also calculate the ratio for shorter periods, such as a single month.
Next, you’ll need to calculate the average accounts receivable for the period. Find this number by totaling the accounts receivable at the start and at the end of the period. Divide this number by two to find the average.
Finally, you need the net credit sales for the period. This number is the total number of credit sales for the period, less payments you received.
The Average Collection Period Formula
Once you have these numbers in hand, you’re ready to calculate the average collection period ratio.
The calculation itself is relatively simple. First, multiply the average accounts receivable by the number of days in the period. Divide the sum by the net credit sales. The resulting number is the average number of days it takes you to collect an account.
The formula looks like this:
Days x Average Accounts Receivable / Net Credit Sales = Average Collection Period Ratio
A Worked Example
Sometimes, it’s best to work through a practical example. Suppose Company A’s leadership wants to determine the average collection period ratio for the last fiscal year. Their period is 365 days.
They opened last year with $43,000 in accounts receivable. They closed the year with $61,000. The total for the period is $104,000. The average is $52,000, as the total is divided by two.
Net credit sales were $500,000. Now Company A has all of the information it needs to calculate the ratio.
They’ll multiple 365 days by $52,000, to get $18,980,000. Next, they’ll divide this number over $500,000, the net credit sales. This gives them 37.96, meaning it takes them, on average, almost 38 days to collect accounts.
Why Average Collection Period Matters
Company A is likely having some trouble collecting accounts. Most businesses require invoices to be paid in about 30 days, so Company A’s average of 38 days means accounts are often overdue. A lower average, say around 26 days, would indicate collection is efficient and effective.
Of course, the average collection period ratio is an average. You likely collect some accounts much faster, while others remain overdue longer than average. Nonetheless, the ratio can give insight into how efficient your accounts receivable process is—and where you need to improve it.
A prolonged collection period often indicates deeper cash flow concerns. Understanding the financial impact of delayed customer payments can help businesses recognize how overdue invoices affect profitability, operational efficiency, and long-term growth.
See how we helped a financial services client run successful AR campaigns
How Bill Gosling Helps Businesses Improve Their Collection Period
In practice, a rising average collection period is rarely just a collections problem — it is usually a symptom of process friction somewhere upstream. We see this consistently with clients across financial services, utilities, and healthcare: the invoice goes out on time, but the follow-up process is manual, inconsistent, or delayed. Accounts that should have been flagged at 15 days are only being actioned at 45. By that point, the debtor’s financial position may have changed, and the probability of full recovery drops significantly. The clients who reduce their average collection period most effectively are those who combine structured follow-up processes with data-driven prioritisation focusing effort on accounts most likely to resolve versus those already heading toward write-off. For a practical breakdown of the methods our teams use, see our guide to debt collection techniques. That combination of process and data is what our ARM teams build into every engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good average collection period?
A good average collection period depends on the industry and payment terms, but most businesses aim to collect payments within 30 days. A lower collection period generally indicates efficient accounts receivable management and healthy cash flow.
What does a high average collection period indicate?
A high average collection period may indicate delayed customer payments, inefficient collections processes, or cash flow challenges. Businesses with longer collection periods may need to improve invoicing and follow-up strategies.
How is average collection period different from accounts receivable turnover ratio?
The accounts receivable turnover ratio measures how many times receivables are collected during a period, while the average collection period measures the average number of days it takes to collect payments.
Can outsourcing collections improve average collection period?
Yes. Outsourcing collections and accounts receivable management can help businesses improve payment recovery rates, reduce overdue accounts, and shorten collection cycles through specialized expertise and technology. In cases where debtors are unreachable, specialist techniques such as skip tracing can also help recover accounts that would otherwise be written off.
Why is the average collection period important?
The average collection period helps businesses understand how efficiently they collect outstanding payments. Monitoring this metric can help improve cash flow, reduce overdue invoices, and support better financial planning.
