Accounts Receivable and Outstanding Balance Reports

10-15 minutes

Tutorial 9.5: Accounts Receivable and Outstanding Balance Reports

Introduction

Track money owed to your salon. Learn how to view the accounts receivable report, see which customers have unpaid balances, understand aging of debts, send payment reminders, and monitor collection rates. Essential for maintaining healthy cash flow.

Who this is for: Salon owners, admins, and managers responsible for collecting payments and managing cash flow.

What you'll learn:

Running the accounts receivable report
Understanding outstanding balances
Identifying overdue accounts
Following up on unpaid invoices
Exporting data for bookkeeping

Time to complete: 10-15 minutes

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

A Luminate account with Owner, Admin, or Manager role
Transactions in your system (some may have outstanding balances)
For exporting: Owner or Admin role

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Navigate to the Accounts Receivable Report

Log in to Luminate
Click Reports in the sidebar menu
In the Financial Reports category, click Accounts Receivable
The report loads showing all customers with outstanding balances

Step 2: Understanding the Summary Cards

At the top of the report, you'll see key metrics:

Card	What It Shows
Total Outstanding	Total amount owed across all customers
Customers with Balance	Number of customers with unpaid amounts
Average Balance	Average amount owed per customer
Oldest Overdue	Days since the oldest unpaid transaction

What to look for:

High total outstanding may indicate collection issues
Large number of accounts might suggest payment policy review needed
Old debts are harder to collect - prioritise recent ones first

Step 3: Reading the Accounts Receivable Table

The main table lists all customers with outstanding balances:

Column	Description
Customer	Customer name (click to view profile)
Email	Customer's email address
Phone	Customer's phone number
Unpaid	Number of unpaid transactions
Outstanding	Total amount owed
Oldest Invoice	Date of the oldest unpaid transaction
Days Overdue	How long since the oldest invoice

Default sorting: Sorted by Outstanding Balance (highest first) to prioritise larger debts.

Sortable columns: You can sort by Customer, Unpaid (transaction count), Outstanding (balance amount), or Days Overdue by clicking the column headers.

Step 4: Using Filters to Focus Your View

The Filters section at the top of the report lets you narrow down the list:

Filter	Options	Use Case
Min Balance	Enter an amount	Focus on larger debts (e.g., filter to debts over £50)
Days Overdue	Any, 7+, 14+, 30+, 60+, 90+ days	Focus on older, more overdue accounts
Unpaid Invoices	Any, 2+, 3+, 5+ invoices	Identify repeat offenders with multiple unpaid transactions

To apply filters:

Enter values or select from the dropdowns
Click Apply to update the table
Use the reset button (circular arrow icon) to clear all filters

Step 5: Understanding Aging of Debts

The "Days Overdue" column helps you prioritise collection:

Age	Urgency	Recommended Action
0-7 days	Low	Normal payment terms, no action needed
8-14 days	Medium	Send friendly payment reminder
15-30 days	High	Phone call or direct message
31+ days	Critical	Personal follow-up, consider payment plan

Why aging matters: The longer a debt is outstanding, the less likely it is to be collected. Act quickly on overdue accounts.

Step 6: Viewing Customer Details

To see more information about a customer's balance:

Click the customer's name in the table
You'll be taken to their customer profile
View their complete transaction history
See which specific invoices are unpaid
Add notes about payment discussions

Step 7: Taking Action on Outstanding Balances

For each customer with an outstanding balance, you can:

Record a Payment:

Click on the customer to open their profile
Find the unpaid transaction
Click to add a payment
Record the payment method and amount
The balance updates automatically

Send a Reminder:

Note the customer's contact details from the report
Use the Messages feature or contact them directly
Keep reminders professional and friendly
Document all contact attempts

Apply a Discount or Write-Off:

For uncollectable debts, speak with your accountant
Transactions can be adjusted if needed
Document reasons for any write-offs

Step 8: Monitoring Collection Performance

Track your accounts receivable over time:

Weekly check:

Review the total outstanding amount
Follow up on accounts over 14 days
Celebrate reductions in the total

Monthly review:

Compare total outstanding to previous month
Calculate collection rate (payments received vs. amounts owed)
Identify patterns (repeat offenders, specific service issues)

Step 9: Exporting Accounts Receivable Data

To export the report:

Review the current list (no date filter needed - shows all current balances)
Click the Export button in the Outstanding Balances section header
Choose your format:
- Export as CSV - Spreadsheet format for Excel or Google Sheets
- Export as PDF - Formatted document for printing or sharing
The file downloads with:
- Customer names and contact details
- Unpaid transaction counts
- Outstanding balance amounts
- Oldest invoice dates
- Days overdue

Uses for exported data:

Bookkeeping and accounting records
Integration with debt collection processes
Analysis in spreadsheets for patterns
Formal statements to send to customers

Note: Only Owners and Admins can export reports.

Common Pitfalls

"A customer paid but still appears on the report"

The payment may not have been recorded in Luminate. Find the relevant transaction and record the payment. The report updates in real-time once the payment is entered.

"I see very old unpaid balances from years ago"

These may be uncollectable debts or data entry issues from early in your Luminate usage. Review each one and decide whether to pursue collection or write off with your accountant.

"The total outstanding doesn't match my expectations"

Remember this report shows all open balances, including recent transactions from today. Also check that partial payments have been correctly recorded.

"A customer disputes the balance"

Click through to view their full transaction history. You can see exactly what services/products were provided and what payments were made. This helps resolve disputes with clear documentation.

"The same customers keep appearing on this report"

Some customers may have a habit of delayed payment. Consider requiring deposits upfront (see Tutorial 8.4) or payment at time of service for these customers.

Tips and Best Practices

Review weekly - Don't let outstanding balances accumulate; small regular reviews are easier than monthly clean-ups
Act quickly on new debts - Fresh debts are much easier to collect than old ones
Be consistent - Apply the same payment policies to all customers fairly
Document everything - Keep notes on payment discussions and promises
Consider deposits - For high-value services or new customers, request deposits upfront
Set clear expectations - Communicate payment terms before services are provided
Use reminders wisely - Automated reminders can help, but personal follow-up is more effective for larger amounts

Frequently Asked Questions

What creates an outstanding balance?

An outstanding balance is created when a transaction is completed but not fully paid. This can happen when:

A customer pays partially (e.g., forgets their wallet)
Payment is deferred by arrangement
An invoice is raised for payment later

Can I set up automatic payment reminders?

Luminate can send appointment reminders, but payment reminders are manual. The Accounts Receivable report helps you identify who needs a reminder, then you contact them directly.

How do I write off an uncollectable debt?

Consult your accountant first. Then you can adjust the transaction amount or mark it appropriately. Keep records of the original amount and the write-off decision for accounting purposes.

Is there an age-banding breakdown?

The report shows days outstanding per customer. For a summary by age band (0-30, 31-60, 61-90 days), export the data and create a pivot table in Excel.

Can customers pay online?

This depends on your payment setup. If you have online payment links, you can send these to customers. Luminate will record any payments once they're processed.

Does this include deposits and pre-payments?

Deposits create negative balances (credits) on customer accounts. These won't appear on the Accounts Receivable report, which only shows amounts owed to you. Customer credits are managed separately.

How often should I follow up on overdue accounts?

7-14 days: First friendly reminder
14-21 days: Second reminder
21-30 days: Phone call
30+ days: Formal letter or payment plan discussion

Last Updated: January 2026