How overdue is each receivable?
Not just who owes you, but how late each invoice is. The older a receivable gets, the less likely you are to collect it. Here's how to check the age of every outstanding invoice.
The short answer
How overdue is each receivable?Your A/R Aging Detail report shows every unpaid invoice with its exact age in days. Below, we'll show you how to pull this report, what each aging bucket means, and when to escalate collection efforts.
Why the age of a receivable matters more than the amount
You have $42,000 in outstanding invoices. That sounds like a lot of money coming in. But $18,000 of that is 45+ days overdue. And $6,000 has been sitting out there for 80 days with no response from the client.
Here's the reality: an invoice that is 30 days overdue has roughly a 90% chance of being collected. At 60 days, that drops to around 85%. At 90 days, you're looking at 70% or less. And beyond 120 days, many businesses write off the balance entirely.
The total amount owed to you matters. But the distribution across aging buckets tells you how much of that money you'll actually see. A business with $50,000 in receivables that are all current is in much better shape than one with $50,000 where half is 60+ days overdue.
What each aging bucket means for your collection strategy
Your accounting software groups receivables into standard aging buckets. Each one calls for a different response:
- Current (not yet due). No action needed. These invoices are within their payment terms.
- 1-30 days past due.Send a polite reminder. Often this is just an oversight. A simple “just checking in” email resolves most of these.
- 31-60 days past due.Escalate. Call the client directly. Ask if there's an issue with the invoice. Offer a payment plan if needed. This is the window where intervention makes the biggest difference.
- 61-90+ days past due. This is urgent. Consider stopping new work for this client until the balance is resolved. If the amount is significant, consult your options (collections agency, legal notice, write-off).
How to check receivable aging in QuickBooks Online (4 steps)
QuickBooks has both a summary and a detail view. The detail view gives you the invoice-level information you need for collection.
- 1Go to Reports
From the left sidebar, click Reports. In the search bar, type “A/R Aging Detail” and select it. (For the big picture, use “A/R Aging Summary” first.)
- 2Review each invoice's age
The report lists every open invoice by customer. Each line shows the invoice date, due date, days past due, and open balance. Invoices are grouped under their aging bucket (Current, 1-30, 31-60, 61-90, 91+).
- 3Sort by days past due
Click the “Days Past Due” column header to sort by most overdue first. This gives you a prioritized list: the oldest, most at-risk invoices appear at the top.
- 4Customize the aging periods if needed
Click Customizeat the top of the report. Under “Rows/Columns,” you can adjust the aging period intervals (e.g., change from 30-day to 15-day buckets) for more granular tracking.
Total time: about 5 minutes. This report is pre-built in QuickBooks. No manual calculations needed.
How to check receivable aging in Xero (4 steps)
Xero offers both an Aged Receivables Summary and an Aged Receivables Detail report. The detail version gives you invoice-level granularity.
- 1Go to Accounting → Reports
From the top menu, click Accounting, then Reports. Search for “Aged Receivables Detail” and open it.
- 2Review the invoice-level detail
Each contact with outstanding invoices is listed. Under each contact, you see individual invoices with their date, due date, and the amount placed in the appropriate aging column (Current, 1-30, 31-60, 61-90, 90+).
- 3Set the report date
By default, the report runs as of today. You can change the date to see historical snapshots, which is helpful for tracking whether your aging is improving or getting worse month over month.
- 4Export for follow-up
Click Export to download the report as CSV, Excel, or PDF. In a spreadsheet, filter for anything 30+ days overdue to build your weekly collection list.
Total time: about 5 minutes. Xero's Aged Receivables Detail report is clean and well-organized, making it easy to spot which invoices need attention.
What it takes to track receivable aging consistently
Pulling the report is fast. The real effort is in the follow-through:
- Weekly reviews catch problems early.An invoice that slips from 15 days to 45 days without a follow-up is on a path to becoming uncollectible. Weekly aging reviews give you the chance to intervene before it's too late.
- Trends matter more than snapshots. Your total receivables this month versus last month tells you if your collection process is working. Are invoices getting younger or older? That trend is a leading indicator of cash flow health.
- The report is just the starting point. You still need to send the reminders, make the calls, and track responses. Many owners look at the report, feel uncomfortable, and close the tab. The value comes from acting on it.
Or track receivable aging automatically, every month
Bottomline connects to your QuickBooks or Xero account and includes a receivables aging breakdown in every monthly report. It not only shows you the current state, it tracks the trend over time:
Bottomline also compares your aging distribution to last month. If the percentage of receivables in the 30+ day bucket is growing, your report flags it as a warning. You see the problem before it becomes a cash crunch.