信用期间（Credit Period）是企业允许顾客从购货到付款的时间，或者说是企业给予顾客的付款期间。例如，某企业采用顾客在购货后的50天内付款的信用政策，则信用期间为50天。信用期间过短，不足以吸引顾客，在竞争中会使销售额下降；信用期间过长，对销售额增加固然有利，但只顾及销售增长而盲目放宽信用期间，所得的收益有时会被增加的费用抵消，甚至造成利润减少。

因此，企业必须慎重研究，确定出恰当的信用期间。信用期间的确定，主要是分析改变现行信用期间对收入和成本的影响。延长信用期间，会使销售额增加，产生有利影响；与此同时，应收账款、收账费用和坏账损失增加，会产生不利影响。当前者大于后者时，可以延长信用期间，否则不宜延长。如果缩短信用期间，情况与此相反。

The credit period is the number of days that a customer is allowed to wait before paying an invoice. The concept is important because it indicates the amount of working capital that a business is willing to invest in its accounts receivable in order to generate sales. Thus, a longer credit period equates to a larger investment in receivables. The measure can also be compared to the credit period of competitors, to see if other companies are offering different terms to their customers. For example:

If the company grants terms of 2/10 net 30, this means the credit period is 10 days if the customer chooses to take a 2% early payment discount, or the credit period is 30 days if the customer chooses to pay the full amount of the invoice.

If the company grants terms of 1/5 net 45, this means the credit period is 5 days if the customer chooses to take a 1% early payment discount, or the credit period is 45 days if the customer chooses to pay the full amount of the invoice. 以下为相关例句，以加深对该术语的理解：

例句1

The credit period does not refer to the amount of time that the customer takes to pay an invoice, but rather to the period granted by the seller in which to pay the invoice. Thus, if the seller allows 30 days in which to pay and the customer pays in 40 days, the credit period was only 30 days. If the seller is requiring multiple payments over time, the credit period is the interval from when credit is first extended until the last payment is supposed to be made by the customer. Thus, if the seller allows for three monthly partial payments, with the last payment due in 90 days, the credit period is 90 days.

信用期间不是指客户支付发票的时间，而是指卖方同意支付发票的期限。因此，如果卖方允许在30天内付款，而客户在40天内付款，信用期间只有30天。如果卖方要求在一段时间内多次付款，信用期间是指从信用首次延期到客户最后一次付款的时间间隔。因此，如果卖方允许每月分三次付款，最后一次付款在90天内到期，信用期间为90天。

例句2

Credit Period refers to the duration of time that is given by the seller to the customer to pay off the amount of the product that the customer has purchased from the seller.

信用期间是指卖方给定的客户支付其从卖方购买的产品金额的持续时间。

例句3

Thee effect of account receivables is dependent on company’s credit policy. The credit policy includes: credit period, credit standard and cash discount policy.

应收账款赊销的效果好坏，依赖于企业的信用政策。信用政策包括：信用期间、信用标准和现金折扣政策。

相关知识拓展：

信用期间的确定，主要是分析改变现行信用期间对收入和成本的影响。延长信用期间，会使销售额增加，产生有利影响；与此同时应收账款、收账费用和坏账损失增加，会产生不利影响。当前者大于后者时，可以延长信用期间，否则不宜延长。如果缩简信用期间，情况与此相反。信用期间的确定原则：分析改变现行信用期间对收入和成本的影响。