Every company needs good accounts receivable management. But how do you know you’re getting it? Like just about everything else, your management of this task can be measured—and it should be.
In fact, poor cash flow management—often stemming from ineffective accounts receivable processes—is responsible for 82% of business failures (SCORE.org).
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And, much like everything else you use metrics for, you’re going to need to choose how to measure the performance of your accounts receivable. There are plenty of metrics available; which ones should you be using for the task?
Why Measure Accounts Receivable Metrics?
Tracking these metrics helps you:
Evaluate collection efficiency
Identify cash flow bottlenecks
Optimize policies for credit and collections
Benchmark improvements over time
Top 4 Accounts Receivable Metrics
Metric 1: Turnover Ratio – How Often You Collect
What it is: Your turnover ratio measures how often your team collects accounts over a one-year period. To calculate it, take your credit sales from your income statement and divide over the outstanding accounts on your balance sheet.
Formula: Turnover Ratio = Credit Sales ÷ Average Accounts Receivable
Interpretation: A high ratio indicates your team is effectively and efficiently collecting accounts on a regular basis, while a low ratio suggests you could improve in this area. It may be time to revisit your credit or collections policies.
Metric 2: Collections Effectiveness Index (CEI)
What it is: The collections effectiveness index (CEI) should be used in tandem with the turnover ratio. While the turnover ratio tells you how often collections happened, the CEI tells you what percentage of your accounts receivable was collected over a particular period, often one year.
Formula: CEI = [(Monthly Credit Sales + Beginning Receivables – Ending Total Receivables) ÷ (Beginning Receivables + Monthly Credit Sales – Ending Current Receivables)] × 100
Interpretation: Much like the turnover ratio, a high number here indicates your accounts receivable management is effective; the closer to 100 percent you get, the more of your accounts you’re collecting.
A low number is cause for concern, and you may want to look into potential issues. Is your team understaffed or using outdated technology? You may also need to reassess how you extend credit or deal with overdue accounts.
If you track this measure over time, you’ll be able to chart improvements in your team’s performance. To calculate CEI, first add your monthly credit sales to your beginning receivables and subtract your ending total receivables. You’ll take the result and divide it over the sum of your beginning receivables plus monthly credit sales, less your ending current receivables.
Metric 3: Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)
What it is: Getting a yearly report on your accounts receivable management is important, but it’s also a good idea to take snapshots over shorter periods of time. The days sales outstanding (DSO) measure helps you look at specific timeframes to see how your team is performing at a particular point in time.
Why it matters: Over time, as you collect multiple snapshots, you can compare your DSOs for improvements or decreases in performance. Monitor the environment as well—what changed? If there was an improvement, what caused it?
Interpretation: DSO also gives you insight into how long it’s taking to collect on invoices once you’ve issued them. The higher the number, the longer it’s taking you to get paid.
According to Hackett Group research, the average DSO across industries is around 45 days, but best-in-class performers keep it below 30 days (Hackett Group).
To calculate DSO, divide your accounts receivable over your total credit sales and multiply by the number of days in your measurement period, for example, 31 for the month of March.
Formula: DSO = (Accounts Receivable ÷ Total Credit Sales) × Number of Days in Period
Metric 4: Average Days Delinquent (ADD)
What it is: Average days delinquent (ADD) gives you a measure of just how long it’s taking your customers to pay you after their bills become overdue. A low number means your customers pay you relatively quickly once their bills are overdue; it could mean your team is efficiently following up with them or sending out reminder notices in a timely manner.
Interpretation: A high ADD measure means it’s taking your customers a long time to pay their overdue bills, which could indicate a number of problems, not just with your accounts receivable management, but within the customer base itself. High ADD might be caused by understaffing, which makes it difficult for your team to send reminders or it could indicate you need to revisit your policies about whom to extend credit to.
Conclusion: Master These Metrics for Better Cash Flow
Monitoring these four critical measures—Turnover Ratio, CEI, DSO, and ADD—equips your company to enhance cash flow, maximize collection strategies, and secure long-term financial health. Continuous measurement and response can turn your accounts receivable process into a strategic asset.
According to PYMNTS.com, businesses that adopt automated AR tools can reduce average collection times by up to 25% (PYMNTS.com).
Frequently Asked Questions About Accounts Receivable Metrics
How frequently should I monitor these metrics?
Check them monthly or quarterly for actionable information.
Which measure best reflects collection efficiency?
The Collections Effectiveness Index (CEI) actually quantifies the extent of your receivables collected.
