Which option is NOT typically part of the order-to-cash cycle?

• A. Processing a customer order.
• B. Invoice generation.
• C. Payment collection.
• D. Forecasting demand.

Answer: (D)

Think of the order-to-cash process as the sequence from when a customer places an order to when the company receives and applies the payment. The steps you’d typically see are processing the order, which kicks off fulfillment; generating and sending the invoice; and then collecting and applying the payment. Forecasting demand doesn’t fit into this flow because it’s about predicting future sales to plan inventory, capacity, and procurement—activities that happen before an order is even placed and aren’t part of handling a specific customer order, invoicing, or collecting cash. So forecasting demand isn’t typically part of the order-to-cash cycle, while order processing, invoice generation, and payment collection are.