| Definition |
The amount a company owes to its suppliers for goods or services received on credit. |
The amount a company is entitled to receive from its customers for goods or services sold on credit. |
| Type of Account |
Liability account. |
Asset account. |
| Nature |
Represents obligations or short-term debts. |
Represents incoming funds or expected payments. |
| Balance Sheet Appearance |
Shown under current liabilities. |
Shown under current assets. |
| Cash Flow Impact |
Cash outflow when payments are made to vendors. |
Cash inflow when customers pay their dues. |
| Involved Parties |
Company and its suppliers/vendors. |
Company and its customers/clients. |
| Recording |
Recorded when a bill is received from a supplier. |
Recorded when an invoice is issued to a customer. |
| Management Goal |
Ensure timely payments to avoid penalties and maintain good supplier relations. |
Ensure timely collections to maintain cash flow and working capital. |
| Risk |
Risk of late payments or defaulting on dues. |
Risk of bad debts or non-payment by customers. |
| Example |
A business owes ₹1,00,000 to a supplier for raw materials purchased on credit. |
A business expects to receive ₹1,50,000 from a client for services rendered. |
| Affects Working Capital? |
Yes, increases liabilities and affects net working capital. |
Yes, increases assets and boosts net working capital. |
| Monitoring Tool |
Accounts Payable Aging Report. |
Accounts Receivable Aging Report. |
| Impact on Creditworthiness |
Delayed payments can hurt supplier trust and credit score. |
Delayed collections can signal poor financial management. |
Accounts Payable vs Accounts Receivable