Late payments are often process failures, not moral failures. Before you write a stern email, confirm the invoice was correct, sent to the right person, and easy to pay. Then follow a calm cadence.
Pre-flight checklist
- Due date and total are visible on page one of the PDF.
- Purchase order numbers or project codes the client asked for are present.
- Payment instructions match what you agreed (bank, PayPal, card link).
- You sent the file to AP — not only the Slack channel that said “looks good.”
A practical reminder cadence
- 3 days before due — friendly heads-up with the PDF attached again.
- 1 day after due — polite notice; ask if anything is blocking payment.
- 7 days after due — firmer tone; restate amount, due date, and payment details.
- 14+ days — escalate to the contract terms you already agreed (late fees only if they were disclosed).
Tone that works
Assume good intent. “Wanted to check whether invoice INV-1042 dated 12 Mar was received by accounts” outperforms “Your payment is overdue” on the first reminder. Save stronger language for repeated silence.
Product angle
Clear PDFs reduce follow-ups. If clients keep asking for missing fields, fix the template — not just the email. Our mistakes guide pairs well with this process.