Invoice Discounting Solutions Timeline in South Africa
Our Invoice Discounting Solutions timeline starts after government or municipal tender-linked goods or services have been delivered and accepted, with an eligible invoice still unpaid. An enquiry, approval and release of funds are separate events. Each depends on complete records, verification and the agreed customer-payment arrangements.
Plan from the date cash is actually needed and work backwards through verification, agreement and payment conditions.
Fund The People provides funding approval within 48 hours for complete qualifying applications. This is the approval decision; funds release follows completed verification, signed terms and the agreed payment arrangements.
Use this page to plan approval, release and settlement dates. The invoice discounting process guide explains how the facility works, while the eligibility guide sets out the debtor and document checks. Private corporate and consumer invoices are not eligible for Fund The People’s Funding Solutions.
Stage 1 Confirm the receivable
Match the invoice to the customer order or contract, delivery evidence and acceptance. Check the legal names, amounts, tax treatment and due date. Identify credit notes, partial payments or disputes before submission.
Stage 2 Verify the customer and payment
The provider may confirm that the customer acknowledges the invoice and the account to which payment must be made. Supply an official contact who can address the transaction. The time required can depend on customer responsiveness.
Ask whether the arrangement involves disclosure or revised payment instructions. Invoice discounting is not automatically confidential.
Stage 3 Assess the application
The assessment may consider the debtor, invoice, business information, existing cessions and concentration risk. Missing or inconsistent information can pause the process. Keep one controlled version of each document.
Stage 4 Review the offer
Confirm the gross advance, deductions, net cash, reserve, total charges and settlement method. Read the provisions for late payment, disputes, credits and recourse. Establish what must happen before funds are released.
Stage 5 Complete payment instructions
Provide verified bank information and any customer acknowledgement required by the agreement. Treat a last-minute change of account as a fraud risk and verify it independently.
Stage 6 Receive and reconcile the advance
Record the amount received and deductions. Use it for the stated business need and keep the facility separate in the accounting records so the later settlement can be reconciled.
Stage 7 Customer payment and final settlement
When the customer pays, the agreed amount settles the advance and charges. The remaining reserve, if any, is released according to the agreement. Check the final statement against the actual customer receipt.
Timeline questions
What does approval within 48 hours cover?
Fund The People provides funding approval within 48 hours for complete qualifying applications. This covers the approval decision. Funds release follows verification, signed terms and the agreed payment arrangements.
Can the process start before delivery?
You can prepare documents, but an undelivered order is not an unpaid receivable. Discuss our Purchase Order Funding Solutions if supplier costs arise before delivery.
What commonly delays settlement?
Customer disputes, payment to the wrong account, credit notes and unidentified receipts can delay reconciliation. Maintain clear communication and transaction references.
Create a responsibility checklist
Assign responsibility for invoice verification, customer contact, offer review, payment instructions, accounting and settlement. Record the date each condition was completed and the person who confirmed it.
If the required date moves, update the cash-flow plan and the supplier or payroll commitment the advance is meant to cover.
Prepare the timeline file
For an eligible invoice linked to a deal value of at least R250,000, bring the invoice, delivery evidence, customer terms and required funding date to our Invoice Discounting Solutions team.