I had an opportunity to be the manager of a multi-million dollar contractor's office. It included bookkeeping among many other things. Never before had I realized the power of cash-flow, but also the destruction.
On paper there were many employees that made more annually than the CEO.
This may not be what the op had in mind, but I remember my first bookkeeping (mostly AR/AP/payroll) gig. Watching the books was like watching the tide. Cheques from customers seemed to come in waves, and you'd watch the bank account swell. But then, you'd do a monthly payable run and a few days later you'd enter a big payroll with the monthly expense reimbursements. All of a sudden, the funds in the bank account started to dwindle...until the next wave of cheques...
Just got back to this. But almost exactly. I'd deposit the biggest checks I've ever seen. But they'd be gone almost immediately if we zeroed the AP. It completely changed the phrase of "letting the bills pile up" for me.
For what it's worth, I never once payed a late fee. I'd pay the original amount no matter how late and never heard a word from the receiving end's AR department.
On paper there were many employees that made more annually than the CEO.