Workflow automation

How to Send Invoice Reminders Automatically

Following up an invoice often means opening a list, checking what is unpaid and writing the same short email again. A reminder rule can handle the routine message, as long as it checks the current invoice before sending.

By Automations For BusinessPublished October 20, 20265 min read

Key takeaways

Check invoice and payment details.

Use one reminder system.

Show the current remaining balance.

The short answer

Use your invoicing tool’s reminder feature first. Choose a modest schedule, check the latest unpaid balance and stop reminders when the invoice is paid or cancelled. Pause the sequence when there is a dispute, a payment query or an agreed change.

Check current balance
Check pause and send history
Send a clear reminder
Stop when resolved

Start with accurate invoice records

Check the customer email, invoice number, amount and due date. Make sure the invoice was actually sent. A reminder for a draft invoice will confuse the customer.

Keep payments up to date in the system that controls the reminders. If you record a bank payment later, the tool may still think the invoice is unpaid. Decide who checks incoming payments and when that check happens.

Use the amount still owed after partial payments or credits. Do not send the original total if it no longer matches the balance.

Check the feature you already have

Look for invoice reminders in your current invoicing software before connecting a separate automation tool. Xero, for example, offers reminder messages for upcoming or overdue payments and lets businesses customise them.

Check which reminders are already enabled. If both the invoicing app and another workflow send emails, the same customer could receive two messages for one invoice. Choose one place to control the schedule.

If you need a custom setup, have it read the current invoice record immediately before sending. A list exported last week is not a reliable basis for today’s reminder.

Choose a short reminder schedule

An example is one message two days before the due date and another three working days after it. Use the schedule that fits your agreed payment terms and usual customer conversations. These example timings are a starting point, not a required rule.

After the final planned message, give the invoice to a person to review. Avoid an endless daily email. Decide how weekends, holidays and the customer’s time zone should affect sending.

Pause reminders if someone has promised to check a payment or agreed a new date. Record that pause where the reminder rule can see it, not only in a staff member’s inbox.

Write a message people can act on

Keep the subject clear: Reminder for invoice [number]. In the body, include the invoice number, remaining balance, due date and a link to the invoice. Use the payment details already approved in your invoicing system.

Sample message: “Hi [name], a quick reminder that invoice [number] has a remaining balance of [amount], due on [date]. You can view it here: [invoice link]. If you have paid recently or need us to check anything, please reply and we will take a look. Thank you, [business name].”

Use a reply address someone monitors. A customer who has a question should be able to reach a person without starting another conversation elsewhere.

What should happen when a payment arrives

Suppose an invoice is for 600 and the customer has paid 200. The next reminder should show the remaining 400. If the final 400 is recorded before the next scheduled message, that message should not send.

If the customer replies that the amount is wrong, pause the next message and assign the question to the person who handles invoices. Keep a record of the pause and the resolution.

Record each sent reminder against the invoice and its planned reminder step. If a run is retried, that record helps prevent sending the same message twice.

Test before enabling reminders for everyone

Use test invoices and an inbox you control. Check an unpaid invoice, a partly paid one, a paid one, a cancelled one and a paused one. Confirm the recipient, balance, dates and invoice link.

Test what happens when payment is recorded shortly before sending. Also check a bounced email and a repeated run. The responsible person should be able to see failures and stop a sequence easily.

Use the worksheet below to agree the rules with your team. Send Automations For Business your invoicing tool and current follow-up steps on WhatsApp if you want help connecting them.

Your ready-to-use checklist

0 of 6 checked

Check invoice and payment details.Use one reminder system.Show the current remaining balance.Stop after payment or cancellation.Pause questions for a person.Test partial payments and repeats.

Make the next step clear.