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Money · Guided lesson

Prioritize an invoice follow-up

About 30 minutes · 8 reading + 22 practice and checks
Time includes reading, practice, and questions. Extra videos or further study are optional.
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A rolling business cash plan with receipt timing, invoice follow-up, a base forecast, stress test, action comparison and actuals update.

Keep your working files in your own notebook or software. Save a private description, checklist, and work link in My Proof.

What to include

  • A four-week cash-receipts schedule.
  • A receivables status and follow-up log. A checked rolling forecast with its lowest cash point.
  • A late-payment scenario with a quantified cash gap.
  • A comparison of two cash responses and their conditions.
  • A complete four-week rolling cash handoff with actuals and assumptions.

Review and revise

Use these criteria to check your work and choose what to improve.

  • Calculations reconcile to the supplied records, with units and dates labeled.
  • Assumptions and missing information are visible, including the changed scenario.
  • The recommendation follows the evidence and explains an important limitation.
  • The six lesson outputs form a usable handoff that another learner can check.
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Before you begin

The idea in everyday life

At the end of Week 1, invoice P11 for $900 is due in Week 2 and undisputed; P12 for $600 is due in Week 4 but the customer reports a $100 disputed line; P10 for $300 is paid. Treat the dispute as unresolved, not automatically forgiven.

The idea

Follow-up should use the invoice record and dispute status, not pressure or invented penalties.

Follow along

Prioritize an invoice follow-up — worked practice

Follow-up should use the invoice record and dispute status, not pressure or invented penalties.

At the end of Week 1, invoice P11 for $900 is due in Week 2 and undisputed; P12 for $600 is due in Week 4 but the customer reports a $100 disputed line; P10 for $300 is paid. Treat the dispute as unresolved, not automatically forgiven.

  1. 1. Classify

    Mark P10 PAID, P11 UPCOMING and P12 DISPUTED.

    You should see: Three distinct statuses.

    Status determines the next action.

  2. 2. Isolate dispute

    Subtract the disputed $100 from P12’s $600.

    You should see: $500 is undisputed; $100 needs evidence review.

    A dispute may affect only part of a balance.

  3. 3. Draft inquiry

    Write “Please confirm P11’s $900 payment date; invoice copy attached in the mock file.”

    You should see: The message asks a concrete question without sending it.

    A neutral record-based request is actionable.

  4. 4. Assign follow-up

    Record P12 owner, disputed line and next review in Week 2.

    You should see: The log separates collection from dispute resolution.

    Do not threaten unagreed late fees.

Now change one thing

An invoice is 750 with 150 disputed. Enter its undisputed balance.

Your work

What to finish

A receivables status and follow-up log.

Common mistake

Watch for this

Treating a disputed amount as confirmed incoming cash.

How can I tell I understand it?

Explain your calculation or classification and reproduce the changed case without copying the worked result.

Try 3 questions

Quick knowledge check

Answer all 3 questions. Get at least 2 right and the lesson completes automatically.

Not yet passed

You’ll get an explanation for each answer. Signed in? Your results save to your account.

1An invoice is 1000 and a 200 line is disputed. Undisputed amount is?
2An invoice has been paid. Which action prevents duplicate collection?
3A customer challenges a line item. What comes first?
0 of 3 answeredApply the lesson to a short question, then review the explanation.
2
Finish this lesson

Pass the check. We’ll save the progress.

Answer all 3 questions above and get at least 2 right. You can review the explanations and try again.

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Optional course overview video · same video as Lesson 1
EdspiraThe Cash BudgetYouTube
Optional course overview

The Cash Budget

From Edspira. Watch here or open it on YouTube .

Optional course overview. Follow the written steps below at your own pace.
Tools, templates, and lesson sources

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Sources and further reading

Explore the references behind this lesson.

Managing Cash Flow: Participant Guide
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Inspected FDIC/SBA PDF hosted by Indiana, especially pages 6, 8–12 and glossary. Used cash timing concepts only; historical sample rates are not used.

Access: Public 20-page PDF; dated 2016, used for stable concepts rather than current rules.

Reuse: Link to the original. Free reading does not imply permission to reproduce the page; lessons and fixtures here are original.

Manage your business: finances
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12

Inspected finance section on receivables, payables and available cash.

Access: Public page inspected without a sign-in; linked services may have separate requirements.

Reuse: Link to the original. Free reading does not imply permission to reproduce the page; lessons and fixtures here are original.

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