Blog | Reminder

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2 pieces

DSO Explained: The Metric Every Finance Team Should Track

Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) tells you how quickly you're collecting payments. Here's how to calculate it, what it means, and how to improve it.

10 December 2024 · 5 min read best-practices

Payment Reminder Emails That Actually Get Paid

The difference between an ignored reminder and a paid invoice often comes down to how you write the email. Here are templates that work.

5 December 2024 · 7 min read

Editor's letter

Issue 3

Most advice about getting paid faster boils down to "send more emails." We think that's wrong. The problem isn't volume — it's timing, tone, and knowing when to stop.

Field Notes is where we share what we're learning: from the data, from our customers, and from our own mistakes. No sponsored posts. No SEO filler. Just the things we wish someone had told us.

— Andrew

Andrew Ibbotson

Editor, Field Notes

Stay current

Start here

Start here — why invoices go unpaid6 min read · payment-collection

Then — the emails that actually work7 min read · best-practices

Finally — measure the impact5 min read · finance

Glossary

Days Sales OutstandingDSO: The average number of days between invoicing and receiving payment. Lower is better.
Accounts ReceivableAR: Money owed to your business by customers for goods or services delivered but not yet paid for.
Ageing Report: A table that groups outstanding invoices by how long they've been overdue — typically 0–30, 31–60, 61–90, and 90+ days.
Payment Terms: The agreed deadline for payment after an invoice is issued, e.g. Net 30 means payment is due within 30 days.
Follow-up Sequence: A series of reminder emails sent at set intervals after an invoice becomes overdue.
Write-off: An accounting action that removes an uncollectable invoice from your books, recognising the loss.

Leadpayment-collection15 December 20246 min read

Why Customers Pay Late (And What You Can Do About It)

Late payments rarely happen because customers don't have the money. Understanding the real reasons behind payment delays can help you collect faster.

By Andrew Ibbotson

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By the numbers

Latest data

42daysAverage DSO across our customer base before Reminder

27daysAverage DSO after 90 days on the platform

1,600invoicesTracked through the system since launch

3.2×More likely to pay after a structured follow-up sequence

Interactive tools

Run the numbers

Practical calculators to quantify your payment collection challenges and make the case for improvement.

Coming July 2026

The DSO calculator

Enter your receivables and revenue to see how your Days Sales Outstanding compares to industry benchmarks.

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Coming July 2026

Cost of chasing manually

Calculate how many hours your team spends on payment follow-ups and what that costs you per year.

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Coming August 2026

The late-fee letter generator

Generate a professional, legally-sound late payment letter customised for UAE business norms.

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The archive

3 pieces total

Nº 00115 Dec 24Why Customers Pay Late (And What You Can Do About It)payment-collection6 min read Nº 00110 Dec 24DSO Explained: The Metric Every Finance Team Should Trackfinance5 min read Nº 00105 Dec 24Payment Reminder Emails That Actually Get Paidbest-practices7 min read

A note from the desk

We don't write listicles. We don't run sponsored posts. We don't *publish* roundups of other people's work with our logo on top. **Every piece** on this page is something one of us learned the hard way — either chasing money for a real customer, or reading the data from sixteen hundred of them.

— Reminder · est. 2024

Field Notes · Reminder