Fee income is the only income line most schools can control directly. The collection rate, billed versus received, tells you whether your fee structure is working before the cash runs out. This calculator turns the raw numbers into the rate, the rand shortfall and a simple read on how healthy your collection is.
The calculator
Use the same period for both. A month, a term or the full year all work.
Results
The shortfall is the rand value of what was billed but not received in the period. The benchmark is a guide: sustained collection under 90% usually signals a structure or policy problem, not a parent problem.
How to use it
- Per month: use the month's total invoices against the month's actual receipts to spot slippage early.
- Per term or year: use cumulative billed against cumulative received for the true rate, since payments often arrive late.
- Before a fee decision: run this first. An increase on top of a 90% collection rate is smaller in real money than it looks.
How it works
The collection rate is received divided by billed, shown as a percentage. The shortfall is simply billed minus received. Because the calculator accepts any period, you can measure a single month or the year to date without changing how you enter the numbers.
What a good rate looks like
Most healthy independent schools sit between 92% and 98%. Below 90%, the gap usually compounds: unpaid balances roll into next term, chasing becomes reactive, and cash flow starts dictating decisions. If your rate is under 90%, the next tool to run is the arrears calculator to see how deep the unpaid balances go.