Where should I keep each client's payment terms?

On the client's record. Note the net term, preferred method, currency, and billing contact so you can set due dates and route invoices consistently every time.

How do payment terms set my due dates?

You apply the recorded term to the invoice's issue date — net-30 means 30 days out, due-on-receipt means immediately. Recording the term keeps every due date consistent with what was agreed.

Does Cash Workspace calculate the due date for me?

You set the due date using the recorded term as your guide. Cash Workspace organizes the terms and the invoice record; it does not auto-calculate dates or sync with any bank.

Cash Workspace

Use the Freelancer template

Freelance finance · Client terms

Each client's payment terms, kept on file

One client pays due-on-receipt, another negotiated net-30, a third insists on net-45 through their procurement portal — and you set every due date from memory, getting it wrong half the time. When terms vary by client, the due date you put on an invoice should come from a record, not a guess. Cash Workspace lets you keep each client's terms — net-15, net-30, due-on-receipt — and preferred payment method on their client record, so you set due dates consistently and know exactly when to follow up.

Start a free workspace Invoice due-date calendar

The problem

Why varied terms cause errors

Terms are agreed once, often buried in a contract, then forgotten. Setting due dates from memory leads to wrong dates and follow-ups that are too early or too late.

You put net-30 on an invoice for a client who actually agreed net-15.
Due-on-receipt clients get a 30-day due date by default, delaying your cash.
You chase a net-45 client at day 20 because you forgot their longer terms.
Each invoice's due date is calculated by hand and sometimes off by days.
A client's preferred method — bank transfer, particular portal — isn't recorded, so invoices bounce around.

The workflow

Record terms once, apply them every invoice

Capture each client's agreed terms on their record, then reference that record whenever you set a due date or plan a follow-up.

1
Pull terms from the contract
When you onboard a client, read their agreed terms from the contract and record them.
2
Note the term and method
Record net-15, net-30, due-on-receipt, or custom, plus their preferred payment method.
3
Set due dates from the record
When you invoice, set the due date by applying the recorded term to the issue date.
4
Plan follow-ups accordingly
Use the term to know when an invoice is truly overdue before you nudge.
5
Update when terms change
If a client renegotiates, update their record so future invoices stay correct.

Record structure

What to record for each client's terms

Terms only help if they're specific enough to set a due date and route the invoice the way the client expects.

Client: The client the terms belong to, kept as a consistent record.
Payment term: Net-15, net-30, net-45, due-on-receipt, or a custom arrangement.
Preferred method: How they pay — bank transfer, a named portal — recorded so invoices route correctly.
Currency: The currency the client pays in, especially for foreign clients.
Billing contact: Who in accounts payable should receive the invoice.
PO requirement: Whether a purchase order number is required before they'll pay.
Effective date: When the terms started, in case they changed mid-relationship.
Source note: Which contract or email the terms came from, for reference.

Example setup

An example terms setup

One way to keep client terms organized so due dates are consistent.

Client terms — active

Each active client's term, method, currency, and billing contact.

PO-required clients

Clients who need a purchase order before paying, flagged so you request one upfront.

Terms source documents

The contract clause or email where each client's terms were agreed.

Common mistakes

Mistakes to avoid

Setting due dates from memory instead of a recorded term.
Defaulting every client to net-30 when several agreed to faster terms.
Forgetting a client requires a PO, so the invoice sits unpaid until you add one.
Not recording the preferred method, so invoices go to the wrong place.
Never updating terms after a renegotiation, so new invoices use stale dates.

How it helps

How Cash Workspace helps

Terms on the client record

Keep each client's net term, method, and billing contact on their record so the details are always to hand.

Consistent due dates

Apply the recorded term to the issue date so every invoice's due date matches what the client agreed.

Well-timed follow-ups

Use the term to know when an invoice is genuinely overdue before you reach out.

Invoice due-date calendar

See upcoming and overdue invoices in due-date order.

Client contact and rate records

Keep contacts and rates beside payment terms.

Payment reminder log

Log follow-ups timed to each client's terms.

New client intake folder

Capture terms during onboarding.

All finance workflows

Browse the full Cash Workspace workflow library.

FAQ

Payment terms FAQ

Where should I keep each client's payment terms?: On the client's record. Note the net term, preferred method, currency, and billing contact so you can set due dates and route invoices consistently every time.
How do payment terms set my due dates?: You apply the recorded term to the invoice's issue date — net-30 means 30 days out, due-on-receipt means immediately. Recording the term keeps every due date consistent with what was agreed.
Does Cash Workspace calculate the due date for me?: You set the due date using the recorded term as your guide. Cash Workspace organizes the terms and the invoice record; it does not auto-calculate dates or sync with any bank.

Organizing help — not tax, accounting, or legal guidance

Cash Workspace is a free workspace for organizing invoices, expenses, receipts, clients, and documents. This page is organizing guidance only — not tax, accounting, legal, or bookkeeping guidance. Cash Workspace does not connect to your bank, does not scan or read your receipts for you, and does not move or collect payments. Whether an expense is deductible depends on your situation, so confirm it with a qualified accountant or tax professional.

Set every due date from a record

Start a free workspace and keep each client's payment terms on file, so your due dates are consistent and your follow-ups land at exactly the right time.