> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.daylit.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# AR Manager journey: from customer table to automated SOP

> The main daily and weekly workflow for AR managers — review accounts, send AI-drafted emails, and enroll customers into automated collection programs.

## Purpose

This journey follows **Jobin (AR manager)** at **Acme Corporation** — how he turns daily reactive follow-ups into a system where collection programs and **Inbox** handle routine outreach automatically, while he reserves judgment for the accounts that need it.

**Example:** On Monday, **Jobin (AR manager)** opens the **Customers** table and triages five **Risky** accounts — Apex Solutions (credit risk), Mesa Valley Construction and Redwood Chemical Supply (broken payment promises), Orion Electric Supply (disputed pricing), and Sterling Logistics (contract dispute). He follows up on Mesa Valley Construction and Redwood Chemical Supply via **Next Step**, pauses automation on Orion Electric Supply and Sterling Logistics, and escalates Apex Solutions to **Maria (VP Finance)**. Collection programs bulk-enroll the long tail into Acme Corporation's **baseline program** (day 15 and 30) while **Jobin (AR manager)** keeps strategic accounts on the **enterprise program** (day 30, 45, 60).

## Two flows, one workflow

As an AR Manager, your journey is built around two complementary flows. Use **Flow A** when you're working a specific account. Use **Flow B** to set up programs that handle the long tail automatically.

| Flow                                                                                            | When to use                                                   | Result                                                      |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| [**A. Account → next step → email**](#flow-a-account-next-step-email)                           | You spotted an account that needs attention right now.        | One account moved forward in under a minute.                |
| [**B. Automated SOP with collection programs**](#flow-b-automated-sop-with-collection-programs) | You have a group of accounts that should follow the same SOP. | Dozens of accounts automated; you only review key accounts. |

```mermaid actions={false} theme={null}
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flowchart LR
    S([Open Daylit]) --> Q{Account or portfolio?}
    Q -- A. One account --> A[Customer table]
    A --> B[Hit next step]
    B --> C[Review AI draft]
    C --> D([Send email])

    Q -- B. Many accounts --> E[Enroll collection program]
    E --> F[Program runs SOP]
    F --> G{Needs human?}
    G -- Yes --> H[Review key account]
    G -. No .-> I[AI handles end-to-end]

    classDef current fill:#3d0c11,color:#fefdf8,stroke:#3d0c11,stroke-width:1px;
    classDef active  fill:#fef9c3,color:#3d0c11,stroke:#3d0c11,stroke-width:1px;
    classDef ghost   fill:#fefdf8,color:#3d0c11,stroke:#e8e5df,stroke-width:1px;
    class B current;
    class D active;
    class I ghost;
```

<Note>
  On **Flow B**, routine touchpoints that don't need judgment are handled automatically (**AI handles end-to-end**). Escalations and touchpoints set to **Review** land in the **Inbox** for review. Programs must be configured first — see [One-time setup](#one-time-setup) in Flow B before your first enrollment.
</Note>

<h2 id="flow-a-account-next-step-email">
  Flow A — Account → next step → email
</h2>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the customer table">
    Navigate to **Customers**. Sort by AR balance, days past due, or risk signal — whichever lens you use to triage. Each row shows the customer's open balance, oldest invoice age, and any active AI signals.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Hit Next step">
    Click into the account, then click **Next step**. Daylit reads the account's invoice history, prior conversations, and risk signals to recommend the right action — typically a reminder email, a follow-up on a previous thread, or an escalation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the AI-drafted email">
    The draft includes the recommended subject line, body, recipients, and any quoted invoice context. Read through it and adjust the tone if the customer relationship calls for it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send">
    Click **Send** to deliver the email through your connected mail account. The action moves to **History** in the Inbox, and the conversation thread is logged on the customer record for next time.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<h2 id="flow-b-automated-sop-with-collection-programs">
  Flow B — Automated SOP with collection programs
</h2>

Most teams run at least two programs:

| Segment            | Example touchpoint | When to use                                                                     |
| ------------------ | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Enterprise**     | Day 30, 45, 60     | Strategic accounts with longer payment terms or relationship-sensitive outreach |
| **SMB / baseline** | Day 15, 30         | Your default SOP for the majority of the portfolio                              |

You can also create specialized programs — pre-due reminders, high-value escalation, payment-plan follow-up — each with its own frequency and path. Once programs are configured, your ongoing work is enrollment: assign each customer to the right program and Daylit handles the rest.

### One-time setup

Use this when a group of customers should follow the same standard operating procedure (e.g., "Net 30 dunning", "High-value escalation", "Pre-due reminder"). The program runs the SOP for you. You only review the accounts that need a human.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Pick or Create your programs">
    Go to **Settings → Collection program → Add new program**. Create one program per SOP — for example, an enterprise program (day 30, 45, 60) and a baseline program for your default SOP (day 15, 30). For each program, define touchpoints (offset days, target level, delivery mode) and escalation triggers. See [Collection programs](/collections/collection-programs) for the full configuration reference.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure enrollment">
    Go to **Settings → Collection programs → Enrollment** to set how customers enter each program — manual bulk enrollment, per-customer assignment, or auto-enrollment rules when invoices hit an aging threshold. Filter to the accounts you want (e.g., 31–60 days past due, no active program), select them, and click **Enroll**. Pick the program and confirm. Going forward, new invoices and accounts that match the program's auto-enrollment rules are added automatically.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Ongoing workflow

<Steps>
  <Step title="Enroll customers into the right program">
    From **Settings → Collection programs → Enrollment**, or from the customer table, assign customers to the program that matches their segment. Bulk-enroll a filtered group (e.g., all SMB accounts 15+ days past due with no active program) or move individual accounts when their tier changes.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Let the SOP run">
    Each enrolled customer follows their program's touchpoint schedule automatically — first reminder, second reminder, escalation — using AI-drafted emails personalized per account. Routine messages send on schedule. You no longer need to send those one-off reminder emails manually.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review only key accounts">
    Sensitive moments (high-value, escalation, dispute response) and touchpoints set to **Review** delivery mode land in the [Inbox](/collections/action-center). Open it once or twice a day and clear only the items that need human judgment. Everything else runs end-to-end.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Programs respect your approval policy. If your team requires manual approval for emails over a balance threshold or for a specific tier of customer, those drafts land in the Inbox as **Drafts** instead of auto-sending.
</Note>

## Where this journey lives in the product

| Step              | Page                                                    | Purpose                                         |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Triage accounts   | [Customers](/customers/managing-customers)              | The customer table — your scan-and-triage view. |
| Read signals      | [Signals & insights](/customers/signals-insights)       | Why an account is flagged.                      |
| Take next step    | [Action Center](/collections/action-center)             | Review and send AI-drafted actions.             |
| Edit drafts       | [Email drafting](/collections/email-drafting)           | How drafts are generated and personalized.      |
| Build SOPs        | [Sequences](/collections/sequences)                     | The step-by-step outreach templates.            |
| Automate at scale | [Collection programs](/collections/collection-programs) | Rules-based enrollment running your SOPs.       |

## What success looks like

* **Time-to-next-step under 60 seconds.** From opening an account to sending an email.
* **Most outreach is on autopilot.** A majority of your daily volume runs through programs without human review.
* **Human time is concentrated on key accounts.** Your inbox-zero moment happens by mid-morning, leaving room for the high-judgment accounts.

## Where to go next

* Finance leadership tracking the same portfolio? Point them at the [CFO journey](/journeys/cfo).
* Looking for the fastest first-session wins? Start with [Quick wins](/journeys/quick-wins).
* Want to use natural language to triage? Try the [chat agent](/ai/chat-agent) — ask "What needs my attention today?" and it'll surface the priority accounts.