This article defines key terms used in AR Collections. Use it as a glossary when reading other AR Collections documentation.
AR Collections
A module that automates customer dunning (payment reminders) by:
Reading customer, invoice, payment, and credit memo data from your ERP.
Sending reminder and statement emails from a shared AR mailbox.
Tracking Dunning history, notes, and basic KPIs in a central workspace.
SmartCustomer
The web application workspace where AR Collections, AR Helpdesk, and the AI Agent run. It provides:
Navigation (dashboard, customers, invoices, payments, etc.).
Dashboards and reports.
Access to configuration (for authorized roles).
SmartFlow
A configuration that defines how automation works for a product such as AR Collections. In AR Collections, a SmartFlow controls:
Which ERP and mailbox are used.
Whether Dunning runs at customer level or invoice level.
How parent/child hierarchies are treated.
How customers are classified.
Which cadences, templates, tables, and attachments are used.
Only authorized roles (typically Super Admin) can create and structurally change SmartFlows.
System of Record (ERP)
The financial system that holds your official AR data, such as:
Customers.
Invoices.
Payments.
Credit memos / adjustments.
AR Collections reads data from the ERP and does not replace it as the source of truth.
AR Collections Mailbox
The shared email inbox used by AR Collections to:
Send outbound Dunning and statement emails.
Receive customer replies.
All Dunning emails are sent “from” this mailbox, and replies to those emails come back to this mailbox.
Customer
A customer record that represents a buyer or account in your ERP. In AR Collections, a customer includes:
Customer ID and name.
Contact details (including Dunning contact email).
Optional classification (for example, Regular, Key Account).
For hierarchies:
A role as a parent management group.
Or a child facility or entity under a parent.
Parent Customer / Management Group
A customer that acts as a parent to other customers (children). Often used when:
A management company owns multiple facilities.
You want to send consolidated Dunning emails to one parent contact that cover all enrolled child customers.
Child Customer
A customer that is linked under a parent customer. In AR Collections, child customers:
Can be enrolled in AR Collections individually.
Contribute their open invoices to a consolidated Dunning email if hierarchy consolidation is turned on.
Dunning
The process of sending payment reminders and statements to customers with overdue invoices. In AR Collections, Dunning is:
Automated via SmartFlows.
Controlled by cadences, templates, and enrollment.
Logged as notes on customer records.
Dunning Contact
The email address that receives Dunning and statement emails. The Dunning contact can be:
On the customer record (customer-level Dunning).
On the invoice record (invoice-level Dunning).
You choose which field to use as the Dunning contact when configuring AR Collections.
Customer-Level Dunning
A Dunning mode where:
Reminders are sent based on the customer record.
All invoices for that customer go to a single Dunning contact email.
Hierarchy and consolidation rules are applied at the customer level.
Invoice-Level Dunning
A Dunning mode where:
Reminders are sent based on the invoice record.
Each invoice can have its own Dunning contact email (for example, different contacts per business unit).
AR Collections evaluates each invoice against the Dunning cadences independently.
Consolidation Preference
A setting that controls how AR Collections handles multiple open invoices for the same customer (customer-level Dunning):
Match all open invoices to cadences
Check all open invoices against Dunning cadences each day; send one email per customer when at least one invoice hits a cadence, and include all open invoices in tables/attachments.Select the oldest enrolled open invoice, then match to cadences
Use only the oldest open invoice to determine whether to send Dunning. If that invoice does not hit a cadence, no Dunning is sent for that customer on that day.
Hierarchy Preference
A setting that controls how parent and child customers are treated:
Consolidated
Treat parent and enrolled children as one group, sending one Dunning email to the parent that includes all applicable invoices.Separate
Treat each customer independently, including children; each customer receives its own Dunning based on its own invoices.
Classification
A label that groups customers for Dunning policy purposes. Examples:
Regular.
Key Account.
Troubled / Slow Payer.
Classification determines:
Which cadences apply.
Which templates are used (tone, frequency, contents).
Classifications can be:
Managed in AR Collections.
Sourced from a field in the ERP.
Cadence
The schedule that defines when Dunning emails are sent. Common cadence types include:
Days before invoice due date (for example, 10 days before).
Days after invoice due date (for example, 10, 27, 40, 56, 60 days past due).
Days after invoice date.
Consolidated dates (for example, last day of month, X days before month end, or specific calendar days).
Each cadence value usually has its own email template.
Template (Email Template)
The pre-defined content for a Dunning email at a specific cadence. A template includes:
Subject line.
Greeting.
Body text.
Variables for customer and invoice fields.
Optional dunning tables and attachments.
Templates can be customized per classification and cadence.
Dunning Tables
Structured tables embedded in Dunning emails that list financial items. Common tables:
Open Invoices
Columns may include invoice number, invoice date, due date, age, amount, amount paid, amount remaining, status.Unapplied Credits
Shows credit memos not yet fully applied.Unapplied Payments
Shows payments not yet fully applied to invoices.
You can optionally include subtotals and a total outstanding amount.
Statement PDF / Statement CSV
Files that can be attached to Dunning emails:
Statement PDF
A PDF statement summarizing open invoices for the customer (or parent group).Statement CSV
A comma-separated values (spreadsheet-friendly) version of the statement.
These help customers see all open items in a single document or spreadsheet.
Note (Dunning Note)
An entry on the customer record that indicates an event, such as:
A Dunning email sent at a specific cadence.
Other system- or user-generated updates.
Notes help create an auditable history of contact and activity.
Pause Dunning / Resume Dunning
A global control in AR Collections that:
Pauses all automated Dunning emails (no new reminders are sent, even if cadences are met).
Resumes Dunning when turned back on.
Used during testing, data investigations, or policy changes.
AI Agent
An intelligent assistant that works with AR Helpdesk and inbound AR email. It can:
Interpret customer questions.
Classify email intents (for example, invoice copy, statement request, dispute).
Create tasks and draft replies for human review.
While AR Collections controls outbound Dunning, the AI Agent primarily helps with inbound email, but both share the same customer and invoice data.