{"id":70493,"date":"2023-01-10T14:10:15","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T12:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/?p=70493"},"modified":"2025-05-07T15:50:33","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T13:50:33","slug":"negotiate-payment-terms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/negotiate-payment-terms\/","title":{"rendered":"How to negotiate payment terms with suppliers"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to negotiate payment terms with suppliers\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2023-01-10T14:10:15+02:00\">January 10, 2023<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"How to negotiate payment terms with suppliers\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/negotiate-payment-terms\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/author\/simonbrooke\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/08\/Simon-Brooke.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" height=\"40\" width=\"40\" fetchpriority=\"high\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Simon Brooke<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are often described as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.news24.com\/fin24\/partnercontent\/the-essential-role-of-smes-in-the-economy-20220510\">backbone of the South African economy<\/a>, accounting for 90% of all businesses and up to 60% of employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s no surprise, then, that in order to deal with rising energy and fuel costs, high inflation, and the prospect of a recession, many businesses are looking to improve their payment terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article discusses how to negotiate payment terms with your suppliers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#Risingcosts\">Rising costs put pressure on businesses<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#Negotiatingpayment\">Negotiating payment terms to manage cash flow<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#Invoiceterms\">Invoice terms to be aware of<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#Payearly\">Pay early\u2026 or pay later<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#Whynegotiating\">Why negotiating payment terms can help<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#Howtonegotiate\">How to negotiate payment terms<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Risingcosts\">Rising costs put pressure on businesses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The last few years have undoubtedly been difficult for businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From dealing with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/loadshedding-a-small-business-continuity-plan\/\">loadshedding<\/a> to pandemic-related uncertainty, business resilience has been front and centre for companies across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, there is more uncertainty on the horizon in the form of a cost-of-living crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fuel prices are still high, and <a href=\"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/energy\/471423-get-ready-for-massive-electricity-price-hike.html\">energy bills are expected to rise again<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Food prices are rising, inflation is high, interest rates are increasing, and the risk of recession is still very real<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Indeed, these are trying times.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-9b6dfa05-c86d-4d36-a28a-6e160653e6dc\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-9b6dfa05-c86d-4d36-a28a-6e160653e6dc\"\n\t>Download your free copy of controlling your cashflow guide<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Negotiatingpayment\">Negotiating payment terms to manage cash flow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is critical to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/4-ways-to-start-building-business-wealth-today\/\">manage your cash flow effectively<\/a>. After all, you must ensure that you can pay your suppliers and keep your business running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One important way to do so while keeping your head above water is to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/how-to-be-a-better-business-negotiator\/\">negotiate<\/a> payment terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is essentially how and when you pay the companies that supply you, specifically how much time you have to pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This process usually starts when you place an order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most orders, especially those involving small items, require payment in full upfront. In other cases, however, you may have days, weeks, or even months before you must pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the item must be custom-made and is more expensive, you will most likely pay in instalments. This could begin with a deposit, followed by additional payments, until the final amount is paid upon delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most businesses have standard terms that their customers do not bother to negotiate. However, in these difficult times, it is worthwhile to study them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consider how you might be able to get a better deal, with more time before making a partial or full payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Invoiceterms\">Invoice terms to be aware of<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Examine the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/invoice-cheat-sheet\/\">terms stated on an invoice<\/a> to determine when and how much you must pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are a couple of examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>PIA: Payment In Advance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Net 7 means payment is required seven days after the invoice date<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Net 10 means payment 10 days after the invoice date<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>COD: Cash on Delivery<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>EOM: End of the Month<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Payearly\">Pay early\u2026 or pay later<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In some cases, suppliers will offer a discount for early payment, so it&#8217;s worthwhile to make this offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Sage research, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/the-art-of-being-paid\/\">15% of invoices are paid late in South Africa<\/a>, and more than 88% of payments due to SMEs are either never made or are made so late that they\u2019re eventually written off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This suggests that prompt and even early payment is often appreciated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, you can negotiate with suppliers to pay later, spreading your expenses and assisting with cash flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Whynegotiating\">Why negotiating payment terms can help<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Negotiating better payment terms allows you to keep more cash in your business and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/savings-advice-for-small-businesses\/\">improve liquidity<\/a>, putting you in a better position to pay bills and avoid going overdrawn or seeking loans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A higher cash flow can also indicate a higher credit rating, and it lowers your risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you pay in full for a product or service and the supplier goes bankrupt, you&#8217;re out of luck unless you have insurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Paying the minimal amount before delivery gives you more negotiating power if, for example, you want changes made to a product that is being designed or created specifically for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Howtonegotiate\">How to negotiate payment terms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a number of ways in which you can negotiate a better payment deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t try to negotiate with every supplier at once<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not only will this take too much time and be distracting when you should be focusing on your business, but you&#8217;ll be able to learn from each negotiation and apply what you&#8217;ve learned to the next one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Begin by ranking suppliers in order of importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Who do you spend the most money with? Identifying these companies is a useful exercise in and of itself because it allows you to see if there are other suppliers who could provide a better deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you discover that you spend a significant amount of money with one company, you will be in a better position to negotiate with them about changing and extending your payment terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Set payment arrangements early<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rather than simply accepting their terms, it&#8217;s a good idea to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/the-art-of-being-paid\/\">negotiate payment terms<\/a> alongside price and delivery timelines with a new supplier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Larger businesses are typically in a better position to agree to longer payment terms, partly due to their size, but also because they are more likely to have 90- or 120-day terms themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Be clear with whomever you&#8217;re speaking to that you want to ease pressure on your cash flow and, assuming this is the case, reassure the other party that you&#8217;re not in financial trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Honesty is the best policy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Why should I do this?&#8221; is an important question that any company that provides you with products and services may ask. Alternatively, &#8220;what&#8217;s in it for me?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clearly, simply threatening to use an alternative supplier will not improve the relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, you can explain honestly that you&#8217;re looking to improve your cash flow while also mentioning that you might be able to spend more time with them as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You could also offer to promote them through your professional networks to other companies and potential new clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Is there a contractual arrangement you could work out where you commit to making a certain number of purchases or spending a certain amount with them over a certain term in exchange for a longer payment period?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As with any negotiation, be prepared to compromise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, you might ask to extend your standard 30-day payment terms to 90 days but end up agreeing to a 45-day deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do your research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research the typical timeframes for invoice settlement in the industry in which your supplier operates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Knowing the industry average and being able to compare it to your offer is not only persuasive, but it also shows that you are serious about your negotiation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Making sure you&#8217;re informed about your supplier&#8217;s business sector in general\u2014the challenges, average profitability, and typical working practices\u2014will not only flatter your supplier but will also help you identify ways in which you can assist them in exchange for longer payment terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you&#8217;ve agreed on a longer payment schedule, make sure you stick to it by scheduling a reminder or setting up an automatic payment in your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/sage-business-cloud\/accounting\/\">accounting software<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have agreed to give a supplier more time to pay, any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/smes-late-payments\/\">late or missed payments<\/a> will cause friction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts on negotiating payment terms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Communication is essential in almost every aspect of business. Finding the right person to speak with at a supplier, speaking their language, and understanding their pain points are critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Make it clear that you&#8217;ll be implementing this review of when invoices are paid across all of your suppliers, and assure them that they won&#8217;t be singled out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you can, offer to assist them in exchange for their cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Remind them that this is standard procedure, and put it in context by mentioning when your last review was, if ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Choose the appropriate method of communication\u2014a phone call may be more effective than an unexpected email. And, of course, don&#8217;t forget to follow up in writing with the details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Invite a response and make it clear that you want an open and honest discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Renegotiating your payment terms necessitates research and preparation, and you must be prepared to negotiate over several days or weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the benefits to your company&#8217;s cash flow, profitability, and resilience will make it worthwhile.<\/p>\n \n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Small business survival toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get practical advice to help your business 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alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/entrepreneurship\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEntrepreneurship\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/expenses\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\texpenses\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/pricing\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tpricing\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/tag\/saving-money-in-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tsaving money in business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-73525 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-trends-insights tag-business-intelligence tag-business-management tag-expenses tag-financial-insights tag-making-financial-decisions tag-moving-money tag-saving-money-in-business tag-staying-competitive tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1267191201_updated-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-05-27T13:08:39+02:00\">May 27, 2025<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/what-is-expense-management\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWhat is expense management? A guide to controlling business spending \u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tStruggling to stay afloat in a sea of receipts? Take control of spending and costs by incorporating proven expense management procedures into your business operation. \t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-73568 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-technology-innovation category-trends-insights tag-bots tag-business-intelligence tag-news-insights tag-payment-security tag-saving-money-in-business tag-staying-competitive tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/cybersecurity-guide-small-business\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1327127856-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1327127856-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1327127856-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1327127856-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-05-27T12:17:04+02:00\">May 27, 2025<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">6 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tShielding your business from cyber shadows: Guide to modern scams\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-73552 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-accountants tag-bookkeeping tag-business-intelligence tag-expenses tag-financial-insights tag-making-financial-decisions tag-moving-money tag-saving-money-in-business tag-staying-competitive tag-trending-topics business_type-small-business business_type-medium-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/how-to-track-business-expenses\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/11\/iStock-1210684755-1218x810-1-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"A woman works on her laptop in a modern office.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/11\/iStock-1210684755-1218x810-1-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/11\/iStock-1210684755-1218x810-1-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/11\/iStock-1210684755-1218x810-1.jpg 1218w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-05-23T11:05:32+02:00\">May 23, 2025<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow to keep track of business expenses\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-73342 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-business-continuity tag-business-management tag-making-financial-decisions tag-profit-loss tag-saving-money-in-business tag-staying-competitive business_type-small-business business_type-accountants\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/cash-flow-problems\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1290726539-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1290726539-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1290726539-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1290726539-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-05-16T17:06:49+02:00\">May 16, 2025<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tCommon cash flow problems and how to solve them\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-73164 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations category-trends-insights tag-business-intelligence tag-business-management tag-financial-insights tag-making-financial-decisions tag-profit-loss tag-saving-money-in-business tag-staying-competitive business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/what-is-financial-management\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-627472163_super-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Florist\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-627472163_super-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-627472163_super-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2019\/04\/GettyImages-627472163_super-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2025-03-14T15:46:44+02:00\">March 14, 2025<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">8 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is financial management: Your essential guide\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many small businesses are facing the challenge of rising costs. Negotiating payment terms with your suppliers can help your cash flow.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":653,"featured_media":69864,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"_pwl_sage_podcast_buzzsprout_src":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[186,188,202,208],"business_type":[2],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[15,16],"imagine_tag":[353,73,85,86],"coauthors":[431],"class_list":["post-70493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-expenses","tag-pricing","tag-saving-money-in-business","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-za","author_name":"Simon Brooke","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1146164056.jpg","imagine_tags":{"353":"Costs and cash flow","73":"Money Matters","85":"Small business","86":"Start up business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice South Africa","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70493","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/653"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70493"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70493\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/69864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70493"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70493"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70493"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=70493"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=70493"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=70493"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=70493"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=70493"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=70493"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-za\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=70493"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}