Accounts Receivable Promise to Pay Log

accounts receivable promise to pay log

A promise to pay log records what a customer said they would pay, when they said it, and which open item the promise concerns. It must not mark an invoice paid, extend terms, or hide a dispute.

Write down the commitment without upgrading it

Keep the customer's wording or a link to the original message. Record the account, invoice candidates, stated amount, stated payment date, and the employee who received the message.

Promise field	Question it answers
Customer and message	Who made the statement and where is it preserved?
Invoice reference	Which receivable does the customer mean?
Amount and date	What did the customer actually commit to?
Follow-up owner	Who checks for the receipt?
Match result	Where was the incoming payment applied?

Do not infer an invoice when the customer leaves it unclear. Ask for remittance detail, and keep the item open until accounts receivable can match the deposit under its normal rules.

Separate a payment promise from a dispute

A customer may promise a partial amount because they reject the rest. Preserve that explanation and move the disputed balance into the established dispute process instead of rewriting the promise as agreement with the full invoice.

IRS Publication 583 discusses business records and the supporting documents behind transactions. It supports keeping traceable source material, but it does not set customer credit terms or decide how a receipt should be applied.

Follow up from the bank record

On the promised date, look for a receipt using the approved bank or payment report. A forwarded payment screenshot is supporting material, not proof that funds reached the company account.

Close the promise only after the receipt is matched or an owner records another disposition. Use the accounts receivable follow-up system for the surrounding collection cadence and bookkeeping assistant support for recurring queue administration.

Frequently asked questions

Does a promise stop collection activity?

Only an authorized owner can change the collection path. The log should show the promise and the next approved follow-up date.

What if the payment arrives without remittance detail?

Keep it in the unapplied-receipt process until the payer and invoice can be supported. Do not close the oldest invoice by assumption.

Contact HireBackOffice to scope recurring receivables follow-up with clear approval boundaries. This guide is general operational information, not accounting, tax, or legal advice.