Seven emails for chasing an unpaid invoice, from a first nudge to a final notice. Each one asks a single question the customer can answer. Fill in your details, then copy the one you need.
Template 1
When to send it: 1 to 7 days past due. Most invoices this late were simply missed, so keep it short and assume good faith.
Subject Invoice [Invoice #] was due [Due date]
Hi [Contact name], A quick note that invoice [Invoice #] for [Amount] was due on [Due date], and I don't see a payment on our side yet. I've attached a copy in case it's easier to have it here. Could you let me know when it's scheduled to be paid? Thanks, [Your name] [Your company]
Template 2
When to send it: About two weeks past due, or when the first reminder got no reply. Ask a question they can answer in one line.
Subject Is anything holding up invoice [Invoice #]?
Hi [Contact name], Following up on invoice [Invoice #] for [Amount], which was due on [Due date]. If something is holding it up on your side, like an approval, a missing PO number, or a problem with the invoice itself, just tell me and I'll sort it out. If it's already approved, could you share the date it's scheduled to go out? Thanks, [Your name]
Template 3
When to send it: The customer's AP team or supplier portal rejected the invoice, or you suspect it's sitting unmatched.
Subject PO number for invoice [Invoice #]
Hi [Contact name], I think invoice [Invoice #] for [Amount] may be stuck because it doesn't have a PO number, or doesn't match the one on file. Could you send me the PO number it should go against? I'll reissue the invoice with it right away, or resubmit it through your supplier portal if that's how your team prefers to receive it. Thanks, [Your name]
Template 4
When to send it: Emails bounce, or the person you've been working with has left. Send it to anyone at the company who's likely to know.
Subject Who handles supplier invoices at [Customer] now?
Hi [Contact name], I've been working with [previous contact] on invoices for [Customer], but I haven't been able to reach them recently. Could you point me to whoever handles supplier payments now? Invoice [Invoice #] for [Amount] was due on [Due date], and I want to make sure it's with the right person. Thanks, [Your name] [Your company]
Template 5
When to send it: A payment came in for less than the invoice, with no remittance explaining the difference.
Subject Payment on invoice [Invoice #] came in short
Hi [Contact name], Thanks for the payment on invoice [Invoice #]. It came in under the invoiced [Amount], and I couldn't find a note explaining the difference. Was a deduction taken, for pricing, a return, or something that arrived damaged? If you can send the details or the remittance advice, I'll look into it and either issue a credit or send over what supports the original amount. Thanks, [Your name]
Template 6
When to send it: The customer gave you a payment date and it has passed. Send it the next business day.
Subject Payment for invoice [Invoice #]
Hi [Contact name], You mentioned invoice [Invoice #] for [Amount] would be paid on [promised date]. I checked this morning and haven't seen it arrive yet. Could you check whether it went out, and if not, when it's now scheduled? If you have a payment reference, that helps us match it quickly. Thanks, [Your name]
Template 7
When to send it: 60 or more days past due, after several follow-ups. Be clear about the next step, and only name one you're prepared to take.
Subject Final notice: invoice [Invoice #] is past due
Hi [Contact name], Invoice [Invoice #] for [Amount] was due on [Due date], and we haven't been able to resolve it despite several follow-ups. Please arrange payment by [date], or reply and tell me what's stopping it. If we don't hear back by then, we'll [pause new orders / refer the balance to collections / apply the late fee in our agreement]. I'd much rather sort this out directly, so if anything on our side needs fixing, let me know. [Your name] [Your company]
After the first email, sending the same reminder again rarely helps, because the invoice is usually stuck on something specific. The approver is out, the supplier portal rejected it, the AP contact left, or the customer paid short and is waiting for you to notice. Templates 2 to 6 are written for those cases. Pick the one that matches what the customer told you, not the next one in the list.
Want to know what the late invoices are costing you? The DSO calculator shows how far past terms your customers pay and how much cash that ties up.
Within a few days of the due date. Most invoices that are a few days late were missed, not refused, and a short, friendly reminder usually fixes it. Waiting a month makes the conversation harder and the invoice easier to forget.
Three or four over 30 to 60 days is plenty, as long as each one moves things forward. After the first reminder, ask what's holding the invoice up instead of repeating that it's overdue. The answer tells you what to fix.
The invoice number and the due date. It tells the reader what the email is about, and it makes the thread easy to find when their AP team searches for it later.
Only if your contract or invoice terms include them, and only when you're prepared to apply them. Rules on charging interest on overdue invoices vary by state and country, so check yours before adding a fee to a reminder.
Reply in the original thread whenever you can. It keeps the invoice, earlier replies, and any promised dates in one place, which makes it easier for the customer to act on.
The first reminder can be. After that, what you send depends on the customer's reply: a missing PO, a new contact, or a short payment each need a different email. That's the part a reminder schedule can't handle.
Alder reads each thread, works out why the invoice is late, and drafts the right follow-up for your approval. See how collections works.
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