PipeStitchNothing stays unpaid past 30 days
Every overdue invoice has a next step each Friday.
The short version
- Who runs it: The owner or bookkeeper, Friday morning, for 20 minutes.
- Set it up once: about 45 minutes
- Check it’s working: Zero invoices more than 30 days overdue without a note from this week. Check the overdue list every Friday before you close.
The short version
- Who runs it: The owner or bookkeeper, Friday morning, for 20 minutes.
- Set it up once: about 45 minutes
- Check it’s working: Zero invoices more than 30 days overdue without a note from this week. Check the overdue list every Friday before you close.
What it costs you today: Every week you wait is cash you’re not getting. A frustrated reminder can cost you the customer too.
What you’ll use
- QuickBookswhat you already pay
- Squarewhat you already pay
- Gmailfree
- Your AI assistantfree plan works
Set it up once
about 45 minutes
In QuickBooks or Square, switch on automatic payment reminders for emailed invoices. Set one before the due date and one a day after; the software sends them for you.
Save the prompt below as a saved chat called Overdue reminder.
Write your ladder down: day 7, a friendly note; day 21, a phone call; day 30, a final notice with a pay-by date. No fees or legal words unless your signed terms include them.
Put a 20-minute block on your calendar, Friday morning, called Overdue.
Run it every time
Open the overdue list in QuickBooks or Square. Note each invoice’s number, amount, due date, and days late.
For each invoice at day 7 or day 30, paste its facts under the prompt, say which reminder it is, and get a draft.
Read it out loud and fill in every [?]. Send it from your email, with the payment link.
For day 21, call. Don’t draft; talk.
Write the date and what happened in the invoice’s notes.
Copy this prompt
Paste this, then the invoice facts underneath.
Write a short, calm reminder about an unpaid invoice, using only the facts I give you below. It’s either reminder 1 (a friendly note at day 7) or reminder 2 (a final notice at day 30, with the pay-by date I give you); I’ll say which. The message should: give the invoice number and the amount still owed, give the original due date, say one clear next step (how to pay or who to contact), and invite a reply. Don’t add late fees, interest, or penalties unless they’re in my facts. No threats or legal words. Don’t make up anything I haven’t given you; put [?] where a fact is missing. Here are the invoice facts, and which reminder this is:
The number to check
When not to use it
- The customer has disputed the work. That’s a conversation, not a reminder.
- The amount is under $50. A reminder can cost more goodwill than it collects; mention it on the next job.
- You’ve already sent the final notice. The next step is deciding on collections or writing it off, not another draft.
Privacy: Use the invoice number and amount. Skip bank details, street addresses, and extra contacts.
When you outgrow this
Next playbook: Every review answered in two days →