Chasing outstanding invoices is a frustrating task for even the most astute of businesspeople, and having to deal with clients who are unable or unwilling to pay can be crippling - especially for small businesses with limited staff and cashflow. Ensuring you issue invoices promptly and early is the best way for you to safeguard against not receiving payments. After all, the sooner you send them out, the sooner you can expect to get paid. Business accounting software can make it easier to track where your invoices have been sent, and highlight any that haven't gone through. Keeping track of all your outstanding invoices can be difficult, which is why having an easy-to-use, comprehensive small business software system can help to eliminate any confusion within your own administration - allowing you to turn your attention towards securing the outstanding funds owed to you and your business. Making contact with your clients sooner rather than later is the best practise. After all, sometimes people forget about all the bills they owe, and simply need a reminder before promptly settling their account. If your invoices are still ignored after 21 days, it could be time for more drastic action. Get on the phone to the person in question and have a firm but polite word about the problem at hand. Putting a final deadline on the individual's bill payment could be the next step to take. Ensure that you're both aware of this date and your preferred payment type. You may also want to explain the next steps should they fail to make this final payment. Keeping your business's cashflow sustained is imperative to its continued growth, so ensuring that your outstanding invoices are chased up and paid in full is an essential component for success.