Automated Payment Reminders

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Overview

Akili Apps automatically sends professional payment reminders for overdue invoices. Learn how the automated reminder system works, customize reminder schedules, and manually send reminders when needed.

What You'll Learn

• How automatic payment reminders work
• Reminder schedule and timing
• Customizing reminder emails
• Sending manual reminders
• Tracking reminder history

Automatic Payment Reminder System

Overview

The payment reminder system automatically:

• Monitors all sent invoices daily
• Detects overdue invoices past their due date
• Sends friendly reminder emails on schedule
• Tracks reminder history
• Escalates tone appropriately

No Action Required: Once enabled, reminders send automatically.

How It Works

1. Daily Check: System runs daily at 9:00 AM
2. Identifies Overdue: Finds unpaid invoices past due date
3. Calculates Days: Determines how many days overdue
4. Checks Schedule: See if reminder is due per schedule
5. Sends Email: Sends appropriate reminder to client
6. Records: Logs reminder in invoice history

Reminder Schedule

Default Schedule

Akili uses a 3-tier reminder system:

First Reminder - 7 Days Overdue

• Tone: Friendly and polite
• Subject: "Friendly Reminder - Invoice #[number] Due"
• Message: Gentle reminder with assumption payment may have been forgotten

Second Reminder - 14 Days Overdue

• Tone: Professional and direct
• Subject: "Payment Reminder - Invoice #[number] Now Overdue"
• Message: More direct, emphasizes overdue status

Final Reminder - 30 Days Overdue

• Tone: Urgent but professional
• Subject: "Urgent - Invoice #[number] Payment Required"
• Message: Urgency emphasized, mentions potential service interruption

Reminder Logic

Reminder Sent Only Once Per Type:

• Each reminder type (first, second, final) sends only once
• Won't repeatedly send the same reminder
• Next tier waits for its schedule

Weekday Sending:

• Reminders not sent on weekends
• Weekend-due reminders sent following Monday

Already Sent Check:

• System checks if reminder type already sent
• Prevents duplicate reminders

Reminder Email Content

First Reminder (7 Days)

Email Includes:

• Friendly greeting
• Gentle reminder payment overdue
• Invoice details (number, amount, original due date)
• Days overdue count
• "Make Payment" button with payment link
• Your business contact info

Sample First Reminder:

Hi [Client Name],

I hope this email finds you well!

This is a friendly reminder that invoice #INV-2025-11-001 for $1,500.00 was due on October 15, 2025 (7 days ago).

If you have already sent payment, please disregard this reminder. Otherwise, please submit payment at your earliest convenience.

[Make Payment Button]

Invoice Details:
- Invoice Number: #INV-2025-11-001
- Amount Due: $1,500.00
- Original Due Date: October 15, 2025
- Days Overdue: 7

Thank you for your business!

Second Reminder (14 Days)

Tone Shift:

• More professional, less casual
• Emphasizes overdue status
• Encourages prompt payment

Key Differences:

• Subject line emphasizes "Now Overdue"
• Message is more direct
• Offers to discuss if issues

Final Reminder (30 Days)

Most Urgent:

• Strong subject line
• Emphasizes urgency
• Mentions potential consequences
• Encourages immediate contact if issues

Includes:

• All invoice details
• Total days overdue (30+)
• Mention of late fees (if applicable)
• Request to contact if payment issues

Enabling/Disabling Reminders

Global Settings

1. Go to Settings > Invoices > Payment Reminders
2. Toggle Enable Automatic Reminders
3. Adjust schedule if desired:
   • First reminder: 1-14 days (default: 7)
   • Second reminder: 7-30 days (default: 14)
   • Final reminder: 14-90 days (default: 30)
4. Save settings

Per-Invoice Override

Disable for Specific Invoice:

1. Open invoice detail
2. Click Settings icon
3. Uncheck Send Payment Reminders
4. Save

Use Cases:

• Payment arrangement agreed upon
• Client has financial difficulty
• Special circumstances
• Large corporate clients with slow payment processes

Manual Reminders

Sending Manual Reminder

When to Use:

• Before automatic schedule kicks in
• Custom reminder needed
• Following up on client inquiry
• After phone conversation about payment

How to Send:

1. Open overdue invoice
2. Click Send Reminder button
3. Choose reminder type:
   • First Reminder (Friendly)
   • Second Reminder (Professional)
   • Final Reminder (Urgent)
4. Customize message (optional)
5. Click Send Reminder
6. Email sent immediately

Manual Doesn't Affect Automatic:

• Manual reminders don't reset automatic schedule
• Automatic reminders continue per schedule
• Both manual and auto reminders logged

Reminder History

Viewing Reminder History

Per Invoice:

1. Open invoice detail page
2. Scroll to Reminder History section
3. See all reminders sent

Information Shown:

• Date and time sent
• Reminder type (first, second, final)
• Days overdue when sent
• Email status (sent, delivered, failed)
• Recipient email address

Failed Reminders:

• If email fails, error message shown
• Can resend manually
• Check client email address validity

System-Wide Reminder Log

Access:

1. Go to Reports > Invoice Activity
2. Filter by Payment Reminders
3. See all reminders sent across all invoices

Useful For:

• Monitoring reminder effectiveness
• Tracking client payment patterns
• Ensuring reminders being sent

Customizing Reminder Templates

Email Template Customization

Available Plans: Plus and Professional

Customize:

1. Go to Settings > Invoices > Email Templates
2. Select reminder type to edit:
   • First Reminder Template
   • Second Reminder Template
   • Final Reminder Template
3. Edit template content:
   • Subject line
   • Email body
   • Closing
4. Use merge fields for dynamic content:
   • {{clientName}}
   • {{invoiceNumber}}
   • {{amount}}
   • {{dueDate}}
   • {{daysOverdue}}
   • {{businessName}}
5. Preview template
6. Save changes

Tips for Custom Templates:

• Maintain professional tone
• Clear call-to-action
• Include all relevant invoice details
• Provide contact information for questions

Payment Reminder Best Practices

Timing Strategy

1. Set Reasonable Due Dates: Give clients enough time to pay initially
2. First Reminder Timing: 7 days is generally good balance
3. Escalation Pace: 7-day intervals between reminders appropriate
4. Know Your Clients: Adjust for industries with longer payment cycles

Communication Tips

1. Stay Professional: Even final reminders should be courteous
2. Assume Positive Intent: Maybe they forgot or have cash flow issues
3. Offer Solutions: Suggest payment plan if needed
4. Multiple Contacts: Try email, phone, mail for important clients
5. Document Everything: Keep records of all payment communications

When to Use Manual vs. Automatic

Use Automatic For:

• Standard invoices
• Most clients
• Consistent enforcement
• Hands-off approach

Use Manual For:

• VIP clients (more personal touch)
• Special circumstances
• After verbal agreement
• Before automatic schedule
• Custom messages needed

Troubleshooting

Reminders Not Sending

Check:

• ✅ Automatic reminders enabled in settings
• ✅ Invoice status is "Sent" or "Overdue" (not Draft)
• ✅ Client has valid email address
• ✅ Reminder for this tier not already sent
• ✅ Invoice not excluded from reminders

Solution:

• Enable reminders in settings
• Verify invoice status
• Check client email address
• Send manual reminder if needed

Client Says They Didn't Receive

Possible Causes:

• Email in spam/junk folder
• Incorrect email address
• Corporate email filtering
• Typo in email address

Solutions:

1. Ask client to check spam folder
2. Add your email to their whitelist
3. Resend manually
4. Try alternative email address
5. Follow up via phone

Too Many Reminders Sent

Check:

• Manual reminders sent in addition to automatic?
• Multiple team members sending reminders?
• System error (rare)

Solution:

• Coordinate team reminder sending
• Review reminder history
• Contact support if technical issue

Reminder Tone Too Aggressive/Too Soft

Customize Templates:

• Edit reminder templates to match your brand voice
• Adjust language to your client relationship style
• Test with internal team first

Reminder Effectiveness

Tracking Success

Metrics to Monitor:

• Average days from reminder to payment
• Payment rate after first reminder
• Payment rate after second reminder
• Payment rate after final reminder

Available Reports:

• Invoice aging report (shows reminder effectiveness)
• Payment timeline analysis
• Client payment behavior patterns

Improving Payment Speed

Strategies:

1. Shorter Due Dates: Net 15 vs Net 30
2. Early Payment Incentives: 2% discount for payment within 10 days
3. Easy Payment Methods: Stripe payment links
4. Clear Terms: Explicit payment terms on invoice
5. Relationship Building: Better relationships = faster payment

Legal Considerations

CRA Requirements

• Keep records of all invoices and reminders
• Document payment efforts for write-offs
• Maintain professional communication

Collection Activities

When Reminders Don't Work:

• Consider collection agency (after 90+ days)
• Small claims court for larger amounts
• Write-off for uncollectible (consult accountant)

Not Legal Advice: Consult lawyer for collection issues.

Common Questions

Q: Can I change the reminder schedule?

Yes, in Settings > Invoices > Payment Reminders. Customize days for each reminder tier.

Q: Will reminders stop if client contacts me?

No, they continue unless you manually disable for that invoice. Disable if payment arrangement made.

Q: Can I CC myself on reminder emails?

Yes, enable "CC me on invoice emails" in email settings.

Q: Do reminders work for recurring invoices?

Yes, generated invoices from recurring templates receive reminders if unpaid.

Q: What if invoice is partially paid?

If balance remains and invoice not marked as Paid, reminders continue for balance due.

Q: Can I send reminder before automatic schedule?

Yes, use manual reminder feature to send earlier.

Q: Will reminder send if due date is extended?

If you extend the due date, the overdue calculation resets. Reminders won't send until new due date passes.

Q: Can clients unsubscribe from reminders?

No, payment reminders for legitimate invoices aren't marketing emails. They're transactional.

Related Articles

• Sending Invoices
• Invoice Status
• Managing Clients
• Recording Payments

Need Help?

For payment reminder questions:

• Email: support@akiliapps.com
• In-app: Click Help > Contact Support

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