How to stop chasing invoices: a simple automation
Late payments eat your time and your cash flow. Here is a simple automation that sends invoices and polite reminders for you, using the tools you already have.
Ali Hassan
· 3 min read
Quick answer
Send the invoice automatically the moment a job is marked done, then let polite reminders go out on day 7 and day 14 if it is still unpaid. When the payment arrives, the reminders stop on their own and your books update. Tools like QuickBooks, Xero and Stripe can do this when they are connected properly.
Chasing invoices is one of the least enjoyable jobs in any small business. It takes time, it feels awkward, and every late payment holds back your cash.
The fix is simpler than most people think. You don't need a new accounting system. You need the tools you already have to talk to each other.
The problem in three steps
For most small teams, getting paid looks like this:
- The job is finished, but nobody tells the person who does invoices.
- The invoice goes out late, sometimes days or weeks after the work.
- Nobody notices it's overdue until cash is tight, then someone has to make an uncomfortable phone call.
Each step depends on a person remembering. That's where the delays come from.
The automation, step by step
Here is the simple version we set up for clients:
| When this happens | The automation does this |
|---|---|
| A job is marked done | The invoice is created in QuickBooks or Xero |
| The invoice is created | It's emailed to the client with a payment link |
| 7 days pass, still unpaid | A short, polite reminder goes out |
| 14 days pass, still unpaid | A second reminder, and your team gets a heads-up |
| The client pays | Reminders stop and your books update on their own |
That's it. No new software for your team to learn.
What a good reminder looks like
Automatic doesn't have to mean cold. A good reminder is short and friendly:
"Hi Sam, just a quick reminder that invoice #1042 for the website update is due. You can pay here in one click. Thanks again for working with us!"
Write the messages once, in your own voice. The automation only takes care of the timing.
What you need to make it work
- One place where jobs are marked as done. A spreadsheet, a CRM or a job app all work.
- An accounting tool with invoices. QuickBooks, Xero and similar tools are fine.
- Optional: online payments. Stripe or your accounting tool's own payment links.
If you already use these, the automation simply connects them.
What changes for you
- Invoices go out the same day the work is done.
- You stop keeping a mental list of who owes what.
- Nobody on your team has to make awkward calls for normal late payments.
- You can see at a glance what's paid, what's due and what's late.
Want it set up for you?
This is often one of the first automations we build, because it's quick to set up and the results show up in your bank account. Book a free 20-minute call and we'll map how invoicing works in your business today, then send you a fixed-price plan.
Looking for other places to start? Read 5 tasks every small business should automate first.