PAYMENT REMINDER EMAIL SEQUENCE =============================== Disclaimer — not legal advice. This template is provided free of charge, as is and with no warranty of any kind, and using it creates no attorney-client relationship. It is jurisdiction-neutral: you are responsible for adapting it, for your own legal and tax compliance, and for having a qualified professional in your jurisdiction review it before you rely on it. Full terms: https://trycolo.co/terms-of-use Five emails, from before the due date to 30 days late. Replace every [BRACKETED PLACEHOLDER] and send each one as a reply in the same email thread as the original invoice, so the history stays together. Email | When to send | Tone ----- | ------------------------------ | ----------------------- 1 | [3–5] days before the due date | Friendly heads-up 2 | On the due date | Neutral reminder 3 | 7 days late | Polite, asks for a date 4 | 14 days late | Firm, references terms 5 | 30 days late | Formal, sets a deadline ------------------------------------------------------------ Email 1 — Before the due date ----------------------------- Subject: Invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] due [DUE DATE] Hi [CLIENT FIRST NAME], A quick heads-up that invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] for [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT] ([PROJECT OR SERVICE NAME]) is due on [DUE DATE]. I've attached it again in case it got buried. You can pay here: [PAYMENT LINK]. If it needs to go through your accounts team or needs a PO number, let me know who to send it to and I'll forward it today. Thanks, [YOUR NAME] ------------------------------------------------------------ Email 2 — On the due date ------------------------- Subject: Invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] — due today Hi [CLIENT FIRST NAME], Just a reminder that invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] for [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT] is due today, [DUE DATE]. Payment link: [PAYMENT LINK] Bank details are on the attached invoice. If you've already sent it, thank you, and please ignore this. Best, [YOUR NAME] ------------------------------------------------------------ Email 3 — 7 days late --------------------- Subject: Overdue: invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] ([CURRENCY] [AMOUNT]) Hi [CLIENT FIRST NAME], Invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] for [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT] was due on [DUE DATE] and is now 7 days overdue. I haven't received payment yet. Could you let me know when I can expect it? If there's a problem with the invoice, such as a missing PO, the wrong billing entity, or a question about the work, tell me and I'll fix it straight away. Pay online: [PAYMENT LINK] Thanks, [YOUR NAME] cc: [ACCOUNTS PAYABLE EMAIL, IF KNOWN] ------------------------------------------------------------ Phone call script (between email 3 and email 4) "Hi [NAME], it's [YOUR NAME]. I'm calling about invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] for [AMOUNT], which was due on [DUE DATE]. Is there anything stopping it from being paid? ... Great, so I can expect it by [DATE]? I'll send a quick email confirming that." Follow the call with a one-line email confirming the date agreed. ------------------------------------------------------------ Email 4 — 14 days late ---------------------- Subject: Second notice: invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] 14 days overdue Hi [CLIENT FIRST NAME], Invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] for [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT], due on [DUE DATE], is now 14 days overdue. I've followed up on [DATE OF EMAIL 3] [and by phone on [DATE]]. Under clause [CLAUSE NUMBER] of our agreement dated [CONTRACT DATE], payment is due within [PAYMENT TERMS] days. [IF YOUR CONTRACT INCLUDES IT: The agreement also provides for [LATE FEE OR INTEREST TERMS AS WRITTEN IN YOUR CONTRACT] on overdue balances.] [IF ONGOING WORK: As set out in clause [CLAUSE NUMBER], I'll pause work on [PROJECT NAME] from [DATE] until the account is up to date.] Please arrange payment by [DATE — 7 DAYS FROM NOW]: [PAYMENT LINK] Regards, [YOUR NAME] ------------------------------------------------------------ Email 5 — 30 days late ---------------------- Subject: Action required: invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] 30 days overdue Dear [CLIENT FULL NAME], Invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] for [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT] is now 30 days overdue. I have written on [DATE], [DATE], and [DATE] without receiving payment or a payment date. Invoice | Issued | Due | Amount outstanding ---------------------------- | ------------ | ---------- | ------------------- [INVOICE NUMBER] | [ISSUE DATE] | [DUE DATE] | [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT] [ADDITIONAL INVOICE, IF ANY] | [DATE] | [DATE] | [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT] Total | | | [CURRENCY] [TOTAL] Please pay the full balance by [DEADLINE DATE — 7 TO 10 DAYS FROM NOW], or contact me before then to agree a payment plan. If I do not hear from you by that date, I will send a formal final notice and consider the further steps available to me under our agreement. Payment link: [PAYMENT LINK] Regards, [YOUR NAME] [YOUR BUSINESS NAME] [PHONE] ------------------------------------------------------------ Short follow-up after a partial payment --------------------------------------- Subject: Thanks, and remaining balance on invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] Hi [CLIENT FIRST NAME], Thanks for the payment of [CURRENCY] [AMOUNT PAID] received on [DATE]. The remaining balance on invoice [INVOICE NUMBER] is [CURRENCY] [BALANCE]. Could you confirm when that will follow? [PAYMENT LINK] Thanks, [YOUR NAME] ------------------------------------------------------------ How to use this template 1. Put the five send dates in your calendar the moment you send the invoice. 2. Reply in the same email thread each time, and copy accounts payable from email 3 onward. 3. Only mention late fees, interest, or pausing work if your signed contract includes them. 4. Make the call between emails 3 and 4; it often resolves the delay. 5. After email 5, move to the overdue invoice final notice. Template provided by Colo (trycolo.co). Not legal advice — review with a qualified professional in your jurisdiction.