AR Days (DSO) measures how long it takes to collect on credit sales. A practical guide to the formula, industry benchmarks from 1–5 days for retail to 70–120 days for construction, common calculation errors, and seven tactics that reduce collection time.
Days Payable Outstanding measures the average number of days a company takes to pay suppliers. This guide covers the DPO formula (Average AP ÷ COGS × Days), industry benchmarks from 15 to 70 days, the 37% annualized return from 2/10 net 30 discounts, and seven strategies to optimize payment cycles without damaging vendor relationships.
The sales-to-AR ratio measures the share of revenue stuck in unpaid invoices. This guide explains how to calculate it, what good looks like by industry, and how to drive it down within one or two quarters.
Days Sales Outstanding measures the average days it takes to collect on credit sales. This guide covers the DSO formula, 2026 industry benchmarks from 7 to 90 days, and concrete tactics to shorten the cash collection cycle.
Days Sales Outstanding measures the average days between a credit sale and cash collected. This guide covers the DSO formula, industry benchmarks (30-45 days is typical, single digits for e-commerce, 60-90 for construction), common miscalculations, and seven practical levers to lower it.
Your income statement reveals whether your business model actually works—not just whether the bank balance is positive. Learn every line item from revenue to net income, how to calculate all three profit margins, and how to spot cost trends before they compound.
Revenue is one of the least useful indicators of business health. This guide walks through 10 diagnostic questions—covering gross margin, current ratio, DSCR, AR turnover, and more—that reveal whether your business is actually on solid financial footing.
Learn how to calculate gross, operating, and net profit margins, what counts as a healthy margin by industry, and six proven strategies to improve your bottom line.
A line-by-line breakdown of the income statement for small business owners — covering revenue, COGS, gross profit, operating income, and net income, plus key ratios and the five most common mistakes that distort results.
A practical guide to reading income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements—with the key ratios that reveal whether your business is actually healthy, not just profitable on paper.