Post-dated cheques (PDCs) are still common in the UAE, especially for rent, supplier payments and instalments. They are useful, but they are easy to lose track of. A missed deposit delays your cash, and a cheque you issued without enough funds can cause real trouble. A simple PDC register solves both problems.
What to record for every cheque
- Direction: issued (you pay) or received (you get paid)
- Cheque number, bank and account
- Party name (supplier, tenant, customer)
- Cheque date and amount
- Purpose, such as rent for a period or an invoice number
- Status: held, deposited, cleared, returned or replaced
A weekly PDC routine
- Every Monday, filter received cheques dated in the next seven days and plan the bank deposits.
- Filter issued cheques due in the next 14 days and check your bank balance covers them.
- Update the status of everything deposited last week once it clears.
- Follow up any returned cheque the same day by calling the drawer and agreeing a replacement or payment.
Use PDCs in your cash forecast
Your PDC register is really a list of future cash movements. Feed the totals by week into your 13-week cash flow forecast and you'll see exactly when money arrives and leaves.
Good habits
- Keep physical cheques in one locked place, in date order.
- Never issue a cheque you aren't sure you can cover on its date.
- Photograph or scan each cheque before banking it.
- For rent, use a rent cheque schedule so each tenancy has a clear plan.
Rules on returned cheques have changed in recent years, and bounced cheques can still lead to civil claims, travel bans or other consequences. If a cheque is returned, get proper advice.
Do it in minutes: download the Cheque Register & PDC Tracker (instant download, works in Excel and Google Sheets). Need the related files too? Browse cash flow templates or get 25 business templates for AED 29 in our value packs.
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change, so check the latest official guidance or ask a qualified adviser for your situation.