Most people find writing payment reminders more awkward than it needs to be. The solution is to stop writing each one from scratch. Keep a set of templates, change the names and numbers, and send them on a schedule. Below are templates for each stage, with notes on when to use them and how to adapt the tone. Our guide on invoice follow-up explains the timeline behind them.
Before you send anything
Always attach the invoice again, include the invoice number, the amount, the due date and how to pay, and address the person by name. Keep each message short. Replace the items in square brackets with your own details.
1. A friendly note before the due date
Subject: Invoice [number] due on [date]
Hi [name], just a quick note that invoice [number] for [amount] is due on [date]. I have attached a copy for your records, and payment details are at the bottom of the invoice. Please let me know if you need anything from me. Thank you!
2. On the due date
Subject: Invoice [number] is due today
Hi [name], a reminder that invoice [number] for [amount] is due today. If payment is already on its way, thank you, and please ignore this message. A copy of the invoice is attached.
3. A few days after the due date
Subject: Invoice [number] is now overdue
Hi [name], I noticed that invoice [number] for [amount], due on [date], has not been paid yet. It may have slipped through, so I have attached a copy. Could you let me know when I can expect payment?
4. One week to ten days overdue
Subject: Reminder: invoice [number], [number] days overdue
Hi [name], I am following up on invoice [number] for [amount], which is now [number] days overdue. Please arrange payment by [date], or let me know if there is an issue I can help with. The invoice is attached again for convenience.
5. A firm reminder
Subject: Overdue invoice [number] – payment needed by [date]
Hi [name], invoice [number] for [amount] is now [number] days past its due date, and I have not had a response to my earlier messages. Please pay in full by [date]. If there is a problem, please tell me this week so that we can resolve it. As agreed in our terms, late fees may apply to overdue balances.
6. A final notice
Subject: Final notice: invoice [number]
Dear [name], this is a final reminder that invoice [number] for [amount] remains unpaid, [number] days after the due date. Please pay by [date]. If we do not receive payment or hear from you by then, I will have to consider further steps to recover the amount, and I would prefer to avoid that. Please contact me to arrange payment.
7. After a partial payment
Subject: Thank you for your payment on invoice [number]
Hi [name], thank you for the payment of [amount] received on [date]. The remaining balance on invoice [number] is [balance], due on [date]. I have attached an updated copy. Please let me know if you would like to discuss the schedule.
8. When the invoice is disputed
Subject: Your query on invoice [number]
Hi [name], thank you for letting me know about [issue]. I would like to resolve this quickly. Could you tell me exactly which items you disagree with? If there is an error, I will issue a corrected invoice or credit note straight away. In the meantime, I would be grateful if you could pay the part that is not in question.
9. A short version for chat or text
Hi [name], a quick reminder that invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date]. Could you let me know when it will be paid? Thanks!
Writing better subject lines
A good subject line names the document and the status, so the message is easy to find: "Invoice 0042 due 24 October", "Overdue: invoice 0042". Avoid vague lines such as "Hello" or "Following up", which are easy to ignore, and do not use all capitals.
Adjusting the tone
Match the tone to the relationship. A long-standing client may respond best to a casual line; a large company may expect formal wording. In every case, stay polite and factual. Do not apologise for asking, do not accuse, and always say what you want to happen and by when.
The schedule at a glance
A workable pattern is to send template 1 about three days before the due date, template 2 on the due date, template 3 three to five days after, template 4 around ten days after, template 5 at two to three weeks and template 6 at about thirty days. Change the days to match your payment terms, but keep the order, from friendly to firm.
When there is no reply
If two or three messages get no response, change the channel instead of repeating yourself. Phone the client, or write to another contact such as the accounts department. Check that the invoice actually reached the right person, because a message that bounced or went to spam explains a lot. Keep a short log of what you sent and when, which will help if the matter has to be escalated.
Send them on a schedule
Put the dates in your calendar when you issue the invoice, or use software that sends automatic reminders. Templates save time, but they only work if you use them regularly. For the full routine, see how to get paid faster and collecting unpaid invoices.
Check your invoice too
Many reminders are needed because the invoice was unclear. Make sure yours has a due date, payment details and any reference number the client needs. Our free invoice generator includes all of these, and flags the invoice as overdue when the date passes. These templates are general suggestions, not legal advice.
