Dunning Agent
Monitor due dates, determine dunning levels, calculate default interest - automatically escalated.
Monitors open receivables, determines the correct dunning level, calculates dunning fees and default interest per Paragraph 288 BGB, checks dunning blocks and escalates to collections or legal department.
Score Dashboard
What This Agent Does
The dunning run is the systematic collection of open receivables. Every overdue invoice must be monitored, the correct dunning level determined, dunning fees and default interest calculated, the dunning text created and sent. Before dunning, a check is needed for dunning blocks or interim payments.
The Decision Layer breaks the dunning run into eight decision steps. Seven are rule-based or rule/AI-supported: due date monitoring, dunning level, dunning block, fee calculation, dunning text, payment matching and dispatch. Only the escalation to collections or legal department remains with the human - because strategic considerations about the customer relationship factor in.
The result: no overdue receivable is overlooked. The dunning level escalation runs automatically and on time. Default interest is correctly calculated. And the decision whether to hand a customer over to collections remains a conscious human decision.
Micro-Decision Table
Due date monitoring Which invoices are overdue? Rules Engine Vendor
Daily date check against due date
Decision Record
Challengeable: Yes - rule application verifiable. Objection possible for incorrect data or wrong rule version.
Challengeable by: Vendor
Determine dunning level Which dunning level has been reached? Rules Engine Vendor
Escalation logic by number of days and prior dunning notices
Decision Record
Challengeable: Yes - rule application verifiable. Objection possible for incorrect data or wrong rule version.
Challengeable by: Vendor
Check dunning block Is there a dunning block? Rules Engine Vendor
Check against master data (open complaint, payment arrangement)
Decision Record
Challengeable: Yes - rule application verifiable. Objection possible for incorrect data or wrong rule version.
Challengeable by: Vendor
Calculate dunning fee and default interest What are the dunning fee and default interest? Rules Engine Vendor
Paragraph 288 BGB - statutory default interest rate plus agreed dunning fee
Decision Record
Challengeable: Yes - rule application verifiable. Objection possible for incorrect data or wrong rule version.
Challengeable by: Vendor
Generate dunning text (standard) Which dunning text is used? Rules Engine
Standard text per dunning level and language
Decision Record
Challengeable: Yes - rule application verifiable. Objection possible for incorrect data or wrong rule version.
Personalise dunning text Should the dunning text be customised for the customer? AI Agent
AI personalisation for key accounts or special circumstances
Decision Record
Challengeable: Yes - fully documented, reviewable by humans, objection via formal process.
Payment matching Has payment been received in the meantime? Rules Engine
Account matching before dunning dispatch
Decision Record
Challengeable: Yes - rule application verifiable. Objection possible for incorrect data or wrong rule version.
Escalation to collections or legal department Is the receivable handed over to collections or legal? Human
Strategic decision considering the customer relationship
Decision Record
Challengeable: Yes - via manager, works council, or formal objection process.
Decision Record and Right to Challenge
Every decision this agent makes or prepares is documented in a complete decision record. Affected parties (employees, suppliers, auditors) can review, understand, and challenge every individual decision.
Prerequisites
- ERP system with accounts receivable
- Configured dunning levels and deadlines
- Bank connection for payment matching
- Dunning texts in all relevant languages
Governance Notes
GoBD relevance: high - dunning notices are tax-relevant documents. Default interest per Paragraph 288 BGB must be correctly calculated and stated. Every dunning notice must be archived GoBD-compliantly. The dunning block logic prevents erroneous dunning during open complaints. The escalation to collections or legal remains with the human because the customer relationship is strategically evaluated.
§203 StGB-relevant data is encrypted end-to-end and never passed to AI models in plain text.
Process Documentation Contribution
Infrastructure Contribution
The Dunning Agent uses the dispatch infrastructure of the Invoice Generation Agent and builds the receivables monitoring. The payment matching logic is extended by the Cash Application Agent. The escalation logic becomes standard for all agents with deadline monitoring. The dunning level engine is used by the Receivables Management Agent.
Related Agents
Invoice Generation Agent
Generate outgoing invoices - Paragraph 14 UStG, e-invoicing, GoBD-archived.
Cash Application Agent
Read incoming payments, assign to debtors, clear invoices - automatically reconciled.
Receivables Management Agent
Analyse receivables portfolio, assess default risks, determine bad debt allowances.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is default interest calculated?
Per Paragraph 288 BGB: the base rate of the Deutsche Bundesbank plus 5 percentage points (B2C) or 9 percentage points (B2B). The base rate is automatically updated. The calculation is fully deterministic and documented in the decision record.
What happens if the customer pays during the dunning run?
The agent matches the current account balance before every dunning dispatch. Interim payments are recognised and the dunning is stopped. Partial payments reduce the outstanding amount. No erroneous dunning notice is sent.
Can dunning texts be customised per customer?
Yes. Standard texts per dunning level and language are the baseline. For key accounts or special circumstances, the AI Agent can personalise the text - always within the defined framework and with all mandatory information.
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