FAQ: AR Balance Report
Quick answers to common questions about running and reading the AR Balance report.
Q: Why does a customer appear on the AR Balance report even though I received a payment from them?
A: Payments may take time to be recorded and applied. If the payment is recent but not yet applied to specific invoices, the old invoices may still appear on the report. Check the Payments page to verify the payment was recorded. Once applied, the customer's balance will drop.
Q: Can I see the AR Balance report for a specific date in the past?
A: Yes. When running the report, use the Date As Of filter. Enter a past date (e.g., "2026-05-31") to see what your customers owed on that date. This is useful for comparing month-to-month trends.
Q: Why is the same customer listed twice on my report?
A: If you use multiple currencies, a customer may appear once per currency if they have balances in more than one. The report groups them by currency to keep balances clear and comparable.
Q: How do I follow up with a customer who is overdue?
A: The report shows you the Oldest Invoice Date per customer. If it is older than your typical payment terms (e.g., 30 days), that customer is overdue. Contact them directly to collect payment. You can also link to their customer record from the report for contact details.
Q: Is the AR Balance report affected if I delete an invoice?
A: Yes. When you delete or cancel an invoice, it is removed from the AR Balance report. The customer's balance will drop by the amount of that invoice. Ensure you have a good reason to delete (e.g., it was issued in error); many businesses prefer to keep a "cancelled" invoice on record for audit purposes instead.
Q: Can I export the report for analysis in Excel?
A: Yes. On the report page, look for the Export or Download button and choose Export as Excel or Download as CSV. You can then open and analyze the data in Excel, Google Sheets, or another spreadsheet application.
Q: Does the AR Balance report include invoices from all products?
A: The report includes invoices from the ref_product (product line) you are currently using. If your business has multiple product lines, you may need to run the report separately for each one or ask an admin to configure a multi-product view.
Q: Why does the report show $0 balance for a customer with open invoices?
A: This is rare but may happen if the invoices are marked as "draft" or "cancelled." Verify the invoice status in the Invoices list. Only invoices with "posted" or equivalent status appear on the AR Balance report.
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