# Forecast, received and overdue: why the numbers do not add up

> Three totals across two screens that seem to contradict each other — with the arithmetic opened up, row by row.

## What you will get

An end to trying to add numbers that do not add — and a clear idea of which one
answers the question you actually have.

## The case that raises the doubt

A real school, on the same day, across two screens:

| Where | Label | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Report | **Total amount** | R$ 41,992.00 |
| Panel | **Outstanding** | R$ 36,775.00 |
| Panel and report | **Total received** | R$ 3,849.40 |

36,775 + 3,849.40 = **40,624.40**. R$ 1,367.60 is missing from the 41,992. And
the number disappears without explanation on either screen.

## The arithmetic opened up

Here is the same school, instalment by instalment:

| Status | Instalments | Amount |
|---|---:|---:|
| Open | 70 | R$ 25,985.00 |
| Overdue | 16 | R$ 10,090.00 |
| Paid | 8 | R$ 3,817.00 |
| Cancelled | 2 | R$ 1,400.00 |
| Remaining debt | 1 | R$ 700.00 |
| **Total** | **97** | **R$ 41,992.00** |

Now you can see where each number comes from:

**Total amount (R$ 41,992.00)** adds up **every filtered row, including cancelled
and waived ones**. It is the size of the list, not the size of the business.

**Outstanding (R$ 36,775.00)** adds up **open + overdue + remaining debt** —
25,985 + 10,090 + 700. It is what is still to come in. **Despite its name, it
includes what is late.**

**Total received (R$ 3,849.40)** adds up **what was actually paid**.

And the missing R$ 1,367.60? **R$ 1,400.00 of cancelled instalments**, which sit
in the Total amount and nowhere else — minus R$ 32.40, which is the next point.

## The detail almost nobody notices

Look again: the 8 paid instalments are worth **R$ 3,817.00**, but the received
figure is **R$ 3,849.40**. **R$ 32.40 more came in than the face value.**

That is normal and it is good: interest, a late fee, or an adjustment agreed at
the moment of payment. **"Received" is the money that came in, not the amount that
was written down.**

That is why subtracting one total from another does not work: they do not measure
the same quantity.

## Which number for which question

| The question | The number |
|---|---|
| "How much do I still have to receive?" | **Outstanding**, on the panel |
| "How much has come in?" | **Total received** |
| "How much is late?" | Report, **Overdue** filter, **Total amount** card |
| "How big is my book?" | Outstanding **+** Total received |
| "How much did I forecast?" | Report over the period, **no** status filter |

**For arrears, always use the report with the Overdue filter.** The panel does not
separate late from not-yet-due in the **Outstanding** card, and that is where the
optimistic reading is born.

## A reminder about "overdue"

An instalment becomes **Overdue** the day after its due date, with no tolerance. So
today's overdue total includes someone who slipped yesterday and will probably pay
tomorrow.

For a genuine arrears reading, filter **Overdue** with dates up to a few days ago —
the short delays drop out and what remains is what should worry you.

## If something goes wrong

> [erro]
> **The totals changed between yesterday and today with nobody touching them.**
> The overnight routine moved instalments from open to overdue. The grand total
> does not change; the distribution does.
>
> **The report and the panel disagree on received.** Check you did not leave a
> filter on in the report: the panel always shows the whole school.
>
> **A cancelled instalment shows in the Total amount.** That is the behaviour: that
> card adds up everything on the list. Filter by status to remove it.


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https://edupay.estudiosite.com/en/ajuda/grow/forecast-vs-received
2026-08-06