Payment reminder email

Friendly reminder before or on the due date

Send a few days before the due date or on the day. Neutral tone, all the details, nothing to decode.

Hi [Name],

A quick reminder that invoice [number] for [amount] is due on [date]. I've attached it again here.

You can pay by [link / bank transfer to account details / check to address].

If it's already on its way, thank you, and please ignore this.

Best,
[Your name]

Overdue reminder, about a week late

Firmer and more direct. Ask whether something is holding it up, since that often surfaces a missing purchase order or the wrong contact.

Hi [Name],

Invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date] and is now [X] days overdue. The invoice is attached.

Could you let me know when payment will be sent? If there's a problem with the invoice, or it needs to go to someone else in accounts payable, tell me and I'll sort it out today.

Thanks,
[Your name]

Final notice

Short and factual. Only state consequences that are in your contract or terms, such as late fees or paused work, and that you'll actually follow through on.

Hi [Name],

This is a final reminder that invoice [number] for [amount], due [date], remains unpaid despite reminders on [dates].

Please arrange payment by [date]. After that, per our agreement, [consequence, e.g. a late fee of X applies / work on the project will pause].

If you'd like to discuss a payment plan, reply today and we can work something out.

Regards,
[Your name]

When to send a reminder, and when to pick up the phone

• Email works for the first two reminders, since the invoice and payment details sit in the same place.
• Call or message your main contact once you're past the final notice, or if the client has gone quiet on everything.
• For large or long-overdue amounts, check your contract and consider getting advice before threatening collections.

What to avoid

• Leaving out the invoice number or amount. Accounts payable teams search by both.
• Sending reminders to your project contact only. CC the billing contact if you have one.
• Passive-aggressive lines like "per my last three emails." Dates of previous reminders say the same thing, politely.
• Threatening consequences you haven't agreed in writing.

How Synced helps chase invoices

Payment reminders are follow-ups with an attachment. Ask Synced to chase an unpaid invoice and it finds the invoice PDF in Google Drive or OneDrive, and drafts the reminder with the number and amount pulled from the thread. The draft waits in Decide for approval. More on follow-ups.