Payment reminders — Unpaid invoices get a polite nudge on schedule, and it stops once paid
Payment reminders follow up on open invoices on a set schedule, by email or text, with a link to pay. They check the accounting software before each message, so a customer who already paid never gets chased. Accounts that stay unpaid go to a person to call.
By Julia Ja, Owner
Payment reminders · invoice 4410
Restaurant account · net 30Accounts (automated): Hi, a friendly automated reminder that invoice 4410 for $1,286.40 is due Friday. Pay here: [link]
Accounts (automated): Invoice 4410 is now past due. A current statement is attached. Pay here: [link]
Buyer: Check is in the mail.
Why it matters
The problem it solves
Chasing unpaid invoices is the task most owners put off. It feels awkward, it takes time, and it usually happens only when cash gets tight.
When reminders depend on memory, some customers get three and others get none. A customer who already paid gets a firm email by mistake, and a good relationship takes a hit.
Example · illustrative
A food distributor's net-terms account
- Monday at 9 amA restaurant customer has an invoice due Friday.
- They get a short email with the invoice and a link to pay.
- No payment posts by Friday.
- On Tuesday a firmer note goes out with a current statement attached.
- The buyer replies, "Check is in the mail." The reminders pause, and the reply lands with the office manager, who notes it on the account.
How it works
How payment reminders works
- Starts whenAn invoice is sent with a due date
- 1Step 1Check the balanceBefore each reminder, the accounting software is checked for a payment, a partial payment or a credit.
- 2Step 2Send the reminderA friendly note before the due date and a firmer one after, each with the invoice and a payment link.
- 3Step 3Watch for repliesA question, a dispute or a promise to pay pauses the reminders and goes to the office.
- A person decidesDecide on the accountInvoices still unpaid after the last reminder go to a person. They decide on a call, a payment plan or a hold on new work.
Before · by hand
- Someone runs an aging report when they have time.
- Reminders depend on who remembers to send them.
- Customers who already paid sometimes get chased by mistake.
With payment reminders
- Every open invoice follows the same reminder schedule.
- Reminders stop as soon as a payment is recorded.
- Staff handle only disputes and accounts that need a call.
What we build
The parts of payment reminders
Your systems
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- Stripe
- Square
- Clio
- AppFolio
What we build
1Open invoice feed
A connection to the accounting software that lists open invoices, due dates, balances and each customer's billing contact.
2Reminder schedule
The timing and wording for each step before and after the due date, set by customer group and approved by you.
3Pre-send balance check
Looks up the invoice again just before each message, so paid, partly paid or credited invoices are handled correctly.
4Reply and dispute handling
Spots replies, promises to pay and disputes, pauses the sequence, and sends the conversation to the office.
5Escalation list
A short list of accounts that finished the sequence unpaid, with their reminder history, for a person to call.
Your team decides
- Staff decide when to call, offer a payment plan or put work on hold.
- Disputed invoices always go to a person.
- The owner approves the wording and timing of every reminder.
Industries it fits
What payment reminders looks like in each industry
HVAC, plumbing & electrical
Homeowners get a reminder that names the job and the service address, with a card payment link. Customers on a maintenance plan can get a softer tone, since you'll be back at their house.
Everything for hvac, plumbing & electricalYour industry isn’t listed, or works differently? Describe it and get an answer in a minute.
Getting started
What you need first
We go through these with you in the audit, before anything is built.
Before we start
5 things to have ready- Accounting or billing software that shows open invoices and payments, such as QuickBooks Online or Xero.
- A payment link or portal customers can use, from your processor or accounting software.
- The schedule and wording you're comfortable with, and which customers to treat differently or leave out.
- Records of who agreed to texts, if reminders should go by text.
- A person who handles replies, disputes and the final call.
How a rollout runs
- 1Review the aging reportWe look at your open invoices, how customers usually pay, and which accounts need a lighter or firmer touch.
- 2Write the sequenceWe write the reminder steps with you for each customer group, and decide when a person takes over.
- 3Connect and dry-runWe connect the accounting software and run the schedule without sending, so you can see who would get what, and when.
- 4Send with reviewReminders go live. The office watches every reply and checks that paid invoices drop out of the sequence.
- 5Adjust groups and wordingWe tune timing and tone by customer group, based on the replies and how payments come in.
What to measure
How to know it's working
Weekly report · payment reminders
IllustrationAverage days to pay
Shows whether customers pay sooner once reminders are running.
Overdue balance by age
Shows whether old balances are shrinking or just moving to the next bucket.
Payments made through the reminder link
Tells you the reminders themselves prompt payment.
Replies and disputes
A rise can point to unclear invoices or wording that lands badly.
Accounts escalated to a person
The work left for staff. It should be a short, specific list.
Reminders sent to paid accounts
Should be none. Any here means the balance check or payment posting needs a look.
We measure the baseline before building, so the change can be compared afterwards.
When it’s not a fit
- If payments are recorded late in the books, customers who paid can still get a reminder. Payments need to post promptly.
- It doesn't fix a billing problem. If invoices are often wrong, reminders just bring more disputes.
- Customers who pay by check need more slack in the schedule, since the money is in the mail before it's in the books.
- Formal collections, late fees and legal notices have their own rules. Those stay with a person and your advisor.
Tool or custom build
Do you need a custom build?
Option A · a ready-made tool
An off-the-shelf tool may be enough
QuickBooks Online and Xero both send basic reminders on a schedule, and tools like Chaser add more steps and customer groups. If one schedule fits every customer, the built-in option is often enough.
Option B · built around your systems
When a custom build is worth it
A custom build makes sense when reminders should go by text or read replies. It also fits different rules by customer, or more than one billing system.
Not sure which fits?
What it typically costs
Typical ranges as of October 2026. Not a quote.
Ready-made tool, set up by us
An existing platform on your own account, configured for your business.
- Setup, one timepaid to Lorryn
- $500–$750
- Tool subscriptionpaid to the provider
- $25–$125 / month
Fits when your process matches what the platform already does.
Custom build
Built around how you work, with no platform subscription. You own it.
- Build, one timebasic version to full version
- $1,000–$3,000
- Running costshosting and usage, on your accounts
- ~$5–$25 / month
Fits when your systems, rules or exceptions don't match a ready tool.
Optional Automation Care: $125 · $250 · $375 / month
1, 2 or 3 hours of support a month, with monitoring and alerts included. Without it, you run it yourself after handover.
Typically works with QuickBooks Online, Xero, Stripe, Square.
Booking into or writing to your field-service, practice or shop software adds up to $500 to the ready-made tool (often a built-in feature) and $500–$1,500 to a custom build.
Your price depends on volume, the systems involved and how many exceptions need a person. Our team confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
Proof and who stays in charge
Who does what
The automation does the routine steps. A person makes the call.
- 1Check the balanceAutomated
- 2Send the reminderAutomated
- 3Watch for repliesAutomated
- 4Decide on the accountA person
Consent and privacy
Text reminders go only to customers who agreed to texts, say they are automated, and accept STOP to opt out. Payments run on the processor's own page, so card details are never stored by the automation.
FAQ
Questions about payment reminders
It checks the accounting software just before each message. If a payment was recorded, the reminder is skipped.
Yes. Long-standing trade accounts can get gentler reminders than one-time customers, and some accounts can be left out entirely.
The reminders pause and the reply goes to the office. A person handles any question or dispute.
Yes, if your payment processor allows it. The next reminder then shows only what's left.
You approve the wording and timing. Most businesses keep a friendly tone before the due date and get firmer only later.
Yes, for customers who agreed to texts. Each text says it's automated and accepts STOP to opt out.
Yes. Each customer can get reminders in the language you choose, and replies in either language go to the office.
Related use cases
Often built together
- Billing & paymentsInvoicing automationBuilds a draft invoice from the finished job or order and puts it in your accounting software for review.
- Billing & paymentsFailed payment recoveryCatches declined recurring payments, asks the customer to update their card, and flags accounts that stay unpaid.
- Billing & paymentsBank and payment reconciliationMatches bank deposits and processor payouts to invoices and flags what doesn't line up.
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