In a business transaction, the settlement date is the date on which it is due for payment in cash. In the chronology of a typical transaction, the settlement date is the last stage. It is preceded by other stages: forecasting, pricing, contracting (SO/PO, sales order/payment order) and recording (AR/AP, accounts receivable/payable). In a FX forward contract, the settlement date, also known as the ‘value date’, maturity date’ or ‘delivery date’ is the date at which delivery and payment of the agreed-upon amounts take place.