The advance rate can be as high as 95% or even 100% but it is typically around 85%.įor some sectors such as construction, it is usually between 40% and 70% (you can find out why here).īut as well as being sure you are being offered a competitive advance rate, pay careful attention to any restrictions that will reduce the amount of cash that is being made available to you, such as -Īlways ask the invoice finance provider to tell what credit ratings they have on your top 5 customers. The main benefit of invoice finance is that you receive an agreed % of the gross value of each invoice you issue, within 24 hours of issuing it - meaning you don’t have to wait 30, 60 or 90 days to receive your cash. The devil really is in the detail, and it’s important that you look out for additional charges like audit fees, annual review charges and minimum fees. A lot of the selective invoice finance facilities are offered on a simple, single fee basis.ĭon’t just compare the headline rates, though. Some providers now offer a fully inclusive fee, which is a bit easier to digest, but can be expensive, especially if you are not fully utilising the facility. The borrowing charge, or ‘discount’ as it is confusingly referred to in invoice finance terms, is applied separately on whatever your drawn balance is, daily (just like it would be on a bank overdraft). You pay this fee, which is a % of the gross invoice value, whether or not you actually draw down any cash against it. Most factoring companies will charge you a service fee on each invoice that you present to them for funding. Selective is better suited when your cash flow requirements are more sporadic and it will typically work out more expensive per invoice than a whole turnover facility. If you have an ongoing, and increasing, working capital need then whole turnover is best. If you’re using a selective facility, you can pick and choose which invoices you would like to factor whereas with a whole turnover facility you need to assign every single invoice to the factoring company (unless you have agreed to exclude specific debts). Invoice finance can be provided on both a selective, or whole turnover basis. Invoice discounting, on the other hand, is confidential and your customers continue to pay you directly.Īsset based lending is generally for larger, more mature businesses and will include funding against your stock, plant & machinery or commercial property alongside your trade debtors (receivables). In short, factoring will usually include some form of credit control and be disclosed to your customers, because they have to pay the factoring company directly. Invoice factoring, invoice discounting or a full asset based lending package? I take a lot more than 5 things into account when I’m assessing invoice finance proposals for my clients, but this is a good starting point: Productįirst and foremost, what invoice finance product are you being offered? Let the experts take care of it for you, our services are usually completely free of charge anyway (we get paid a commission by the lender we successfully place your business with).īut just in case you do want to go it alone, I am outlining in this article the top 5 things to consider when comparing invoice finance or factoring quotes. Cash flow is the most important part of your business, so it doesn’t make sense to take a chance and try and work it out for yourself. Unsurprisingly then, I would always recommend that you use a specialist broker to not only ensure you get the best deal, but the right solution for your business. It’s a fantastic cash flow solution when deployed correctly, but unless you know exactly what you should be looking for, you can easily get it wrong and end up with a funding facility that isn’t working as well as it should be for your business. Invoice finance is a niche, over-complicated product!
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