Accounts Receivable (AR)
Accounts Receivable Module closes Monday 17 August
Contents
- Essential tasks
- Finance Division actions - for information
- Cash and cheque receipts
- Receipt batches
- BACS receipts, bank transfers and unclaimed PDQ receipts
- Internal AR invoices
- External invoicing – all institutions
- Invoicing - institutions with interfaces
- Review for bad debts
| Essential tasks | Final date for completion |
|---|---|
| Submit invoice write off forms to Credit Control >£25k | Mon 1 Jun |
| Identify and bank all cash and cheques received up to end of July (this includes vending machines, collection tins and drawers) | Fri 31 Jul |
| Submit invoice write off forms to Credit Control £10k-£25k | Wed 5 Aug |
| Receipt all cash and cheques and PDQ receipts relating to 2025/26 and run the Receipt Register report(s) | Tue 11 Aug |
| Last date to raise all 2025/26 Internal Trading invoices and send backing | Fri 14 Aug |
| Submit invoice write off forms to Credit Control <£10k | Wed 12 Aug |
| Last date to review and then receipt any remaining income, BACS or otherwise for the institution | Fri 14 Aug |
| Last date to raise, complete and dispatch all remaining external invoices | Mon 17 Aug |
| Last date to review for bad debts and notify Credit Control | Thu 27 Aug |
| Finance Division actions - for information | Key date |
|---|---|
| Bank charges and small balance adjustments | Fri 14 Aug |
| Resolved internal trading disputes notified to institutions | Mon 17 Aug |
| 2026/2027 internal trading invoices can be raised | Wed 19 Aug |
| First posting of bad debt provision | Tue 18 Aug |
| Final posting of bad debt provision | Fri 28 Aug |
| It is essential that customer and internal trading invoices are processed in the correct accounting period and allreceipts are identified and applied to outstanding invoices |
The AR module for the new financial year (2026/27 period) opens on 10 August. Do not raise August 26-dated invoices until after this date. The delayed opening date will allow institution accounts staff to concentrate on the closing of the July period.
The 2025/26 AR module close date is Monday 17 August
Cash and cheque receipts
Institutions should bank cash and cheques received in relation to August 2026 but will not be able to enter receipt batches on CUFS until Friday 10 August, when the AR module is opened for August 2026.
Receipt batches
For all AR receipt transactions, ensure the correct dates are used.
- complete all receipt batches for cash, cheques (and if possible, PDQ transactions) received by the University on or before 31 July 2026 using an accounting date of July 2026
NB: All cheques need to be dated July 2026 or earlier
- receipt batches, receipts and transactions relating to the new financial year must have both the GL and receipt or transaction date of AUG-26 but processed after 11 August
- run the Receipt Register Report (CUFS) for each receipt batch and bank as normal
NB: If forwarding cheques to the cashier for banking, email the receipt batch details. Specify which financial year it relates to.
- run the Unapplied Receipts Register report to see where receipts have not been matched to an invoice. Apply receipts created against customers to clear outstanding invoices as necessary
BACS receipts, bank transfers and unclaimed PDQ receipts
Ensure that all income is claimed and receipted from the twice weekly BACS list that Finance Division distribute for GBP, Euro and US Dollars, before AR is closed. BACS from July or earlier, any previously unclaimed PDQ bank deposits and counter credits can be claimed by receipting them in the usual way. Ensure a July 2026 receipt and GL date is used.
Internal AR invoices
Internal invoices for 2025/26
Must be raised with both an invoice date and a GL date of July 2026 on or before 14 August.
NB: Internal Trading AR invoices should, wherever possible, be raised in relation to the period up to 31 July so that the paying institution recognises the charge in full in 2025/26 Therefore, institutions should raise their sales invoices as soon as possible to give receiving institutions time to process them
Internal invoices for August 2026
May not be raised until after the close of the AR module for the current financial year.
NB: Internal trading transactions cannot be raised from Friday 14 Aug (5pm) to Monday 17 August. Therefore, Tuesday 18 August will be the first possible invoice date
To send backup documentation to receiving institution, use the relevant contact from the list of email addresses.
External invoicing – all institutions
Ensure that all external sales invoices, together with credit memos, have been raised to correctly record all income due and all monies owed to the institution.
Run the Incomplete Invoices Report to check there are no un-posted invoices.
Invoicing - institutions with interfaces
Review all AR invoices pulled into the Accounts Receivable module through the Auto-Invoice process to ensure there are no errors. Adjust if these invoices need to be dated 31 July or earlier.
Review for bad debts
A bad-debt provision will be posted into the General Ledger by the Finance Division Credit Control team on 18 August (once AR has closed on 17 August).
The value of the bad-debt provision posted against an invoice is determined by the age of the invoice and the balance due, as per the table below.
| Days past due | Bad debt provision |
|---|---|
| 60 - 180 days | 25% of the balance due |
| 181 - 360 days | 50% of the balance due |
| 361+ days | 100% of the balance due |
The bad-debt provision is posted to the original sales invoice cost centre and source of funds using a transaction code of FJNA.
| The dates for the processing of the bad debt provision for July 2025. | |
|---|---|
| 18 Aug | Initial Bad Debt Provision |
| 28 Aug | Final Bad Debt Provision (takes account of August cash receipts and adjustments) |
On 18 August, use the AR Dashboard to review all overdue debts in conjunction with Ageing-7 buckets-by Account Reports. Notify Credit Control of any additional doubtful or irrecoverable debtor items on or before 27 August.
Institutions who manage their unpaid debts via a Debtors Control GL Account in CUFS must reconcile this in full, ensuring that the balance of this account matches the total of unpaid debtors.
Use the AR dashboard and Ageing-7 Buckets-by Account Report (CUFS) to identify any debts established as being uncollectible. Uncollectible debts are an expense against the Institution and posted using a transaction code of FJNB.
The submission dates for write off requests requiring processing prior to the 2025/26 AR module close date are below.
| Final submission date | Value of write off |
|---|---|
| Wed 1 June 2026 | >25,000 |
| Wed 5 Aug 2026 | £10,000 - £25,000 |
| Wed 12 Aug 2026 | <£10,000 |
Ensure the write off request is received by Credit Control by the dates shown and using the below guide for the level of authorisation and supporting information needed.
| Amount of debt (including VAT) | Authorisation level required | Action for key date |
|---|---|---|
| Debtors up to £10,000 | Head of Institution | Complete an invoice 'Write Off' form and send to Credit Control |
| Debtors of between £10,000 and £25,000 | Director of Finance | Complete an invoice 'Write Off' form sent with an email containing supporting information |
| Debtors over £25,000 | Finance Committee | Formal paper to be prepared and submitted |
Refer to FPM 8a External Trading and Credit Control for full details of the information needed.
For write offs exceeding £10,000, when the Head of Institution approval has been obtained, submit the request and supporting information to Credit Control who will obtain the required authorisation on the institution’s behalf and action the write off in CUFS prior to the close of 2025/26 AR module.
Contact Credit Control with any enquiries concerning write offs.
| In case of queries please email the Accounts Receivable helpdesk or Tel. 65999 option 5, then 8 |