Glossary

Payment terms

Payment terms are the deadline and conditions you set for an invoice — 'net 30' means payment is due 30 days from the invoice date. They directly set your <a href="/glossary/debtor-days/">debtor days</a> floor.

2 min read

Net 30 / 60 / 90Days to pay
Sets cash timingNegotiable

Definition

Payment terms state when and how an invoice must be paid — commonly net 30 (30 days from invoice), plus any early-settlement discount or late-payment interest clause.

In plain terms

Long terms win business but drain cash; short terms protect cash but can cost you the sale. The right answer depends on how much working capital you can afford to lend your customers for free.

Why it matters for your company

Halving standard terms from net 60 to net 30 can permanently free a large slice of working capital. If a big customer demands long terms, price the cost of that credit in — or fund it with invoice discounting. Statutory late-payment interest is calculable in the late payment interest calculator.

Funding for UK limited companies

Credicorp lends to your company, not to you personally — short-term working capital with no personal guarantee. See what your business could access.