Should I accept these payment terms? (small business)

Top picks

Protocol

1. 1

   Paste facts (5–8 min).

   Assemble only what you actually know. Mark gaps [MISSING] / [NEED FACT]. Do not invent rates, BATNA, legal outcomes, or benchmarks. This small-business terms gate sits upstream of late-invoice-follow-up-sequence (collections wording after days late). This is whether to take the terms up front.

   Paths at a glance

   Path	Lean this way when (from your paste)
   A — Accept	Terms fit your runway; buyer credit facts acceptable; strategic value clear in your notes.
   B — Counter (deposit + shorter net)	Net is too long for cash; you can name deposit % and net you need.
   C — Surcharge / milestones	You authorize a fee or milestone schedule that keeps cash workable without inventing “standard” %.
   D — Decline work	Terms breach your hard cash rules and counters are refused or impossible.

2. 2

   Lock decision-tree rules (step 2).

   Paste the rules first so the model cannot mint financing costs, “standard” Net-60 acceptance, or credit scores.

   Copy-paste prompt

   Copy

   Help me run an ACCEPT-PAYMENT-TERMS decision tree.
   Hard rules:
   - Use ONLY terms offered and cash facts I paste. Do not invent financing costs, “standard” Net-60 acceptance, or credit scores.
   - Paths: Path A Accept / Path B Counter (deposit + shorter net) / Path C Surcharge/milestones / Path D Decline work.
   - Optional counter email ONLY after I choose a path, using only %/dates I authorize.
   - Not legal, collections, or financing advice. I decide.
   Confirm in one sentence, then wait for my pack.

3. 3

   Fill pack (step 3a) and generate (step 3b).

   Paste the pack, then send the generate command. The model must not pick a path for you.

   Paste pack

   Copy

   BUYER / DEAL: [ ]
   TERMS OFFERED (net, deposit, milestones): [ ]
   MY CASH RUNWAY / WORKING-CAPITAL NOTES: [or MISSING]
   JOB COST TIMING (when I pay labor/suppliers): [or MISSING]
   DEPOSIT % / NET I REQUIRE AS COUNTER: [or NEED FACT]
   SURCHARGE OR MILESTONE OPTIONS I AUTHORIZE: [or NONE]
   CREDIT / PAYMENT HISTORY FACTS I HAVE: [or NONE]
   HARD NO TERMS: [ ]
   IF ALREADY STARTED WORK: [yes/no + status]

   After you send the filled pack, copy the Generate command in the next box and paste it into the SAME chat so the AI runs the decision tree / produces the output.

   Generate command — copy and send this next (same chat)

   Copy

   Build the decision tree now:
   1) Facts vs [MISSING]
   2) Scorecard table: Criterion | My fact | Lean (+/0/− or NEED FACT) | Note
   3) Path A Accept / Path B Counter deposit+shorter net / Path C Surcharge or milestones / Path D Decline work — for each: when it fits, what must be true from my pack, 3 owner-verify bullets
   4) Do NOT pick for me. Do not invent facts.

4. 4

   Choose a path (step 4); optional wording.

   Only after you pick a labeled path. Owner-verify: facts still match your pack; [MISSING] gaps filled or accepted; any sendable wording uses only terms you authorize.

   Path wording

   Copy

   I chose Path [A/B/C/D]. Draft a short terms reply for that path only using deposit/net/surcharge/milestone figures I authorize: [ ].
   No invented fees. Mark [NEED FACT]. Not collections advice.

5. 5

   Second-model check (step 5).

   In the other tool, paste the tree or reply plus your pack:

   Second-model check

   Copy

   Here is a payment-terms tree / reply from another assistant plus my pack.
   Find: (1) invented surcharges or deposit norms, (2) acceptance urged against my hard-no terms, (3) legal/collections advice, (4) wrong numbers vs my pack.
   Return only corrections.

6. 6

   Human decide and act (step 6).

   Pick one path. Fill [NEED FACT] gaps from real sources. Send or implement yourself—AI drafts are not approvals, contracts, classifications, or tax elections. After terms are accepted and an invoice ages, use the late-invoice how-to.

When not to

• Do not invent late fees, financing APR, or creditworthiness.
• Already-aged invoices belong in collections process / late-invoice-follow-up-sequence—not this gate.
• Regulated lending or consumer-credit rules—use counsel.
• Skip if you don't know cash timing for the job—map that first.