Cash flow and invoice chase (Australia)

What it does

Answers "will I have enough cash?" and "who owes me money?". It forecasts 30, 60 and 90 days ahead, including tax and super outflows, and drafts reminders for overdue invoices matched to how each customer usually pays. Nothing is sent without the owner's approval.

When to use it

• "Will I make payroll", "can I pay the BAS", "who owes me money", "a customer is 60 days late".

What you need

• Opening bank balance and the date it applies to. Claude never assumes one.
• Aged receivables and payables, recurring costs and upcoming pay runs.
• Next BAS amount and due date, PAYG instalments and super.
• Optional connectors: Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks; Stripe, Square or PayPal for recent payments; Gmail or Outlook for drafts. CSV exports also work.

Steps for Claude

1. Opening balance first. If nobody knows it, head the output "No opening balance: net change only".
2. Forecast. For each window (0 to 30, 31 to 60, 61 to 90 days): inflows from receivables adjusted for each customer's usual lateness; outflows for payables, fixed costs, net wages, the next BAS (GST and PAYG withholding), PAYG instalments and super. Show expected, low and high. Under Payday Super, super must reach each fund within 7 business days after payday, so model it beside each pay run, not quarterly.
3. Name the risks, largest dollar impact first.
4. Check invoices are valid before chasing. If the business is registered for GST, a tax invoice for a sale under $1,000 must show seven things: that it is intended to be a tax invoice, the seller's identity, the seller's ABN, the date issued, a brief description of what was sold (with quantity and price), the GST amount (or "Total price includes GST" when GST is exactly one-eleventh of the total) and the extent each item is taxable. Sales of $1,000 or more also need the buyer's identity or ABN. If a customer asks for one, you must provide it within 28 days unless the sale is $82.50 or less including GST. Fix invalid invoices before chasing.
5. Remove anyone who may have paid. Check the bank feed and processors for the last 14 days; mark matches "possibly paid: check".
6. Score each customer (good payer, sometimes late, often late) from their last 12 months. One email per customer listing every overdue invoice.
7. Suggested sequence (the owner can change the timing):
   • Friendly reminder soon after the due date. Some late payments are simply forgotten.
   • Second reminder, offering a new date or a payment plan.
   • Final notice with a clear pay-by date.
   • Letter of demand, stating the amount, what it is for and the pay-by date.
   • If still unpaid: ASBFEO dispute support, a debt collector or a small claims tribunal. Check the owner's contract terms before any step that mentions interest or fees.
8. Big and government customers. Large businesses must report their payment terms and times for small business suppliers; search the Payment Times Reporting register to see how a customer usually pays. Many Australian Government buyers must follow the RMG 417 payment policy.
9. Approval gate. Show the summary, then every draft. Send or queue only what the owner approves.

Output format

• Forecast table (AUD, GST-inclusive where cash moves that way): window, expected, low, high.
• Risks list.
• Chase table: customer, amount due, days overdue, score, stage in the sequence, flags.
• One draft email per customer, ready to copy.

Australian rules and sources (checked 27 September 2026)

• Tax invoices: https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/gst-excise-and-indirect-taxes/gst/tax-invoices
• BAS due dates: https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/preparing-lodging-and-paying/business-activity-statements-bas/due-dates-for-lodging-and-paying-your-bas
• Payday Super deadlines: https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/super-for-employers/paying-super-on-payday/payment-deadlines-for-payday-super
• Payment terms and chasing late payers: https://business.gov.au/finance/payments-and-invoicing/payment-terms
• What to do when you haven't been paid: https://business.gov.au/finance/financial-trouble/what-to-do-when-you-havent-been-paid
• Letter of demand, with template: https://business.gov.au/people/disputes/write-a-letter-of-demand
• ASBFEO dispute support: https://www.asbfeo.gov.au/disputes-assistance/dispute-support
• ASBFEO, how we help: https://www.asbfeo.gov.au/disputes-assistance/how-we-help
• Payment Times Reporting Scheme: https://paymenttimes.gov.au/
• RMG 417 supplier payment policy: https://www.finance.gov.au/publications/resource-management-guides/supplier-pay-time-or-pay-interest-policy-rmg-417

When to use ASBFEO: once reminders and a letter of demand have not worked and the debtor is another business or a Commonwealth agency. ASBFEO's Dispute Support tool points you to a low-cost resolution service, and its team can help with alternative dispute resolution. Before using a debt collector, read the ACCC debt collection guidance linked from the business.gov.au page above.

Limits

This is not financial, legal or tax advice. Forecasts are estimates and projected receipts are labelled projected. Claude does not send emails, charge interest, threaten legal action or contact debt collectors.

Example requests

• "Here's my aged receivables from Xero and my bank balance. Will I cover payroll, super and the October BAS?"
• "Draft reminders for everyone more than 14 days overdue. Be gentle with our regulars."
• "A builder has owed us $6,200 for 75 days and ignores emails. What are my next steps?"