Invoice Chasing Automation
A workflow that watches your unpaid invoices, sends reminders on a schedule you set and brings the awkward cases to a person.
The problem
Chasing invoices is one of those jobs that is easy to postpone. Someone has to check which invoices are overdue, work out who has been contacted, write a polite message and remember to follow up. When the team is busy, reminders slip, and late payments then stretch out further than they need to.
Doing it by hand also makes the tone uneven, since a first reminder written on a Monday morning reads differently from one written on a Friday afternoon. An automated workflow sends consistent reminders at the right time, keeps a record of each contact and leaves people to deal with disputes and important relationships.
What it automates
Checking your accounting system for invoices that are due or overdue
Sending reminders by email, and text if you use it, on a schedule of your choosing
Adjusting tone by stage, from a friendly nudge to a firmer final notice
Attaching the invoice or a payment link to each message
Stopping reminders automatically once payment is recorded
Detecting replies such as a query, a promise to pay or a dispute, and alerting the owner
Producing a summary of what is outstanding and what has been chased
Before and after
Someone checks the ledger for overdue invoices whenever time allows, so reminders slip.
The workflow checks invoice status daily and sends reminders when your schedule says so.
The tone of reminders depends on who writes them and how busy they are.
Each stage uses agreed wording, moving from a friendly nudge to a firmer notice.
Customers are sometimes chased for invoices they have already paid.
Reminders pause or stop as soon as payment is recorded in your accounting tool.
Replies about queries or payment dates sit in someone's inbox unnoticed.
Replies are categorised and create a task for the right person, pausing the sequence.
How it works
Define the chasing sequence
We agree the timing and wording of each stage: before the due date, on it, and at set intervals after. Different customer groups can follow different sequences.
Connect your accounting tool
The workflow reads invoice status from the system you use, so reminders reflect what is really outstanding and stop when payment lands.
Set exceptions
Key accounts, disputed invoices and customers already in conversation can be excluded or routed to a named person for a manual decision.
Handle replies
Incoming replies are read and categorised, so a query or a promise to pay creates a task for the right person and a pause in the sequence.
Report and refine
You receive a regular view of overdue invoices and outcomes, and we adjust timing and wording as you learn what works.
A worked example
A worked example
Imagine a small consultancy that invoices monthly and often waits for payment. Three days before the due date, the workflow sends a polite reminder with the invoice attached. On the due date it checks the accounting system, finds the invoice unpaid and sends a second message with a payment link. A week later the client replies that the purchase order number is wrong. The workflow reads the reply, recognises a query rather than a promise to pay, pauses the sequence and creates a task for the account manager. The manager corrects the invoice and reissues it. Another client pays after the first reminder, and the workflow stops chasing them. Any payment plan or credit hold is decided by a person.
Common variations
Email-only sequence
Reminders are sent by email on a fixed schedule with the invoice attached. This is the simplest set-up and suits businesses whose customers mostly pay after an email nudge.
Email plus text message
A later reminder goes by text with a payment link, on the basis that a short message is more likely to be read. Timing and consent for text messages remain your responsibility.
Segmented by customer
New customers, large accounts and long-standing clients follow different sequences, or none at all. Key relationships can be routed to a named person to decide how to approach.
What we need from you
Access to your accounting system, with permission to read invoices and payment status
Your current chasing process, timing and example messages
A list of customers or accounts to exclude or handle personally
Approval of the wording and tone for each reminder stage
The name of the person who should receive queries, disputes and promises to pay
What to measure
Average days from due date to payment
Share of invoices paid after the first reminder
Reminders sent in error to paid invoices
Queries and disputes raised and time to resolve
Finance time spent on routine chasing
Typical integrations
Accounting and invoicing software
Email platforms and shared inboxes
SMS providers
Payment links and payment providers
CRM platforms
Spreadsheets for exception lists
Team chat for internal alerts
A good fit when
You invoice regularly and late payment is a recurring cash-flow issue
Your invoices and payment status live in an accounting tool that can be connected
Your chasing process is fairly consistent, even if it is currently done by hand
You want to spend finance time on exceptions instead of routine reminders
Honest limits
Reminders are only as accurate as your accounting data. If payments are recorded late, a customer may be chased for an invoice they have already paid, so we build in checks and pauses.
Humans decide on anything with financial or legal consequences, such as payment plans, interest, credit holds or escalation to a collections agency.
Late payment terms and communication rules vary by country and contract. You should confirm that your wording and timing are appropriate.
How we deliver Invoice Chasing Automation
Industries where Invoice Chasing Automation applies
Use cases related to Invoice Chasing Automation
Guides about Invoice Chasing Automation
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the reminders in my accounting software?
Built-in reminders usually send a fixed message on a fixed schedule. A custom workflow can vary the sequence by customer, read and categorise replies, alert the right person and combine data from more than one system.
Will it upset my customers?
It should not if the tone is set carefully. We write the messages with you, start with courteous wording, and exclude key accounts or disputed invoices so that a person decides how to handle them.
Can it handle disputes and part payments?
It can recognise that a reply looks like a dispute or a payment query, pause the sequence and notify the owner. Resolving the dispute or agreeing a part payment stays with a member of your team.
Which accounting systems can it connect to?
We can typically connect to systems with an API or a reliable export, and many popular accounting platforms fall into that group. We check the specific tool and your access permissions before we scope the work.
What stops it chasing an invoice that has already been paid?
Before each reminder it checks the current invoice status in your accounting tool, and it stops the sequence once payment is recorded. If payments are entered late, a customer can still be chased in error, so we add a short delay and a check.
Can different customers get different reminder sequences?
Yes. Sequences can vary by customer group, invoice value, payment terms or relationship, and key accounts can be excluded so that a person decides how to approach them. We agree these rules with you during design.