How to Write a Past Due Invoice Email and Free Templates to Use

As a small business owner, one of your greatest challenges is ensuring that your clients or customers pay their invoices on time. The reality is that sometimes clients or customers may miss payment deadlines or forget to pay altogether, and this can seriously affect your cash flow. The solution to this predicament is sending a past-due invoice email.

In this article, we will explore what a past due invoice email is, why they are important, when to send them, and how to write one effectively. 

Additionally, we will provide free templates to use when drafting past due invoice emails to make the process easier for you and ensure that you get paid for your services or products sold. 

What is a Past Due Invoice Email?

A past due or overdue invoice email is an email that a company sends to a client or customer to remind them that an invoice payment deadline has passed or the invoice is now overdue.

Importance of Sending Past Due Invoice Emails

When customers or clients do not comply with a sales invoice's terms, it could endanger your business's financial health.

If clients don't act promptly on your initial invoice email, sending past due invoice emails is important because it helps ensure you receive overdue payments.

Tips for Writing an Effective Past Due Invoice Email

The following tips will help you to write an effective past due invoice email:

• Start with a clear subject line indicating that the email is about the overdue invoice.
• Be polite but firm in your tone. Remain professional, but ensure your message is clear and direct.
• Mention the invoice number and the due date in the email so the customer can easily identify which invoice is overdue.
• Explain why the payment is now overdue, and include any late fees that may now apply.
• Offer payment options and provide clear instructions for payment.
• Include a deadline for payment and indicate the consequences of not paying within that timeframe.
• End the email by thanking the customer for their prompt attention.

When to Send a Past Due Invoice Email?

Before sending a past due invoice email, you must know when an invoice becomes overdue. 

When writing an invoice, you should have a clearly stated due date for client’s reference.

However, if the due date to submit payment has passed, the invoice is now considered past due, and a reminder will need to be sent.

How to Choose the Right Tone for a Past Due Invoice Email?

When reminding a client about a past due invoice, it's important to be mindful of your tone. Avoid using accusatory language, as this may cause the client to become defensive.

Try offering help in your final notice if the client struggles to pay the invoice. Some effective reminders that you can use in the past due invoice email are:

• "We noticed that the payment for Invoice ABC is now five days overdue."
• "Please let us know if there are any issues or reasons due to which you have not paid the invoice."
• "Can we work out a payment arrangement that will be easier for you? We are willing to work together so that we can both agree on a plan."
• "Please contact us immediately and let us know when we can expect the payment to arrive."

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Offering Payment Options in Past Due Invoice Emails

Offering payment options in past due invoice emails can be helpful for clients who may be unable to pay the full amount upfront or have difficulty paying by the original due date.

Look for alternative online payment methods and specify how to access them in the past due invoice email.

What to Do When a Customer Does Not Respond to Past Due Invoice Emails?

If the client does not respond to your past due invoice email or refuses to pay, send a follow-up past due invoice email that is firmer in its tone.

If the client still refuses to pay after that, you may have to engage a collection agency to recover the funds and take legal action to recover your money.

How to Follow-up After a Past Due Invoice Email?

When to Follow-up After Sending a Past Due Invoice Email?

You should follow up with the client after a week of not receiving a response to your past due invoice email.

It shows you are serious about resolving the issue and receiving the payment.

How to Handle a Late Payment or an Overdue Invoice?

It is important to have clear payment terms and conditions in the payment method in place to avoid late payments or overdue invoices. 

Some effective ways to handle a late payment or an overdue invoice are:

• Follow up regularly but kindly with the customer via email or phone to remind them.
• Offer incentives to the customer to pay on time.
• Consider offering a discount to customers who pay early or on time.
• Include a late fee or charge if a payment is overdue.
• Consider engaging a collections agency or taking legal action if the client ignores your reminders or refuses to pay the overdue invoice.

Free Templates for Past Due Invoice Emails

Below are some free email templates that you can use when writing a to request payment past due invoice email:

Template 1: Reminder for a Past Due Invoice

Subject Line: Reminder: Payment Due for Invoice # [Invoice Number]

Dear [Client Name],

I hope this email finds you well. I am reaching out to remind you that the payment for invoice number [Invoice Number] is past due. According to our records, the payment was due on [Due Date].

We understand that sometimes payment schedules can slip our minds, so we kindly request that you settle the outstanding balance as soon as possible. If you have already made the payment, please disregard this email.

Please note that failure to pay may result in additional fees and could impact our future business transactions. We value our relationship with you and hope to continue working together in the future.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Template 2: Second Reminder for a Past Due Invoice

Subject Line: Second Reminder: Payment Past Due for Invoice # [Invoice Number]

Dear [Client Name],

I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to follow up on our previous email regarding the payment for invoice number [Invoice Number].

We understand that payment delays can occur for various reasons, and we want to work with you to find a solution. However, it has now been [Number of Days Past Due] days since the payment was due, and we have yet to receive payment.

We kindly request that you settle the outstanding balance as soon as possible to avoid any further complications. If you have already made the payment, please disregard this email.

We appreciate your cooperation in this matter and look forward to resolving the issue as soon as possible.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Template 3: Final Reminder for a Past Due Invoice

Final Reminder: Payment Past Due for Invoice # [Invoice Number]

Dear [Client Name],

I hope this email finds you well. This is a final reminder that the payment for invoice number [Invoice Number] is now [Number of Days Past Due] days past due.

Despite our previous attempts to contact you, we have not received payment for this invoice. As we value our relationship with you, we kindly request that you settle the outstanding balance immediately.

Please be advised that if payment is not received within the next [Number of Days] days, we will have no choice but to escalate this matter to our legal team. This could result in additional fees and legal action.

We sincerely hope that it does not come to this and that we can resolve this matter amicably. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Best Practices for Using Past Due Invoice Email Templates

The following best practices will help you to make the most out of past due invoice email templates:

• Always personalize the email and the template for your business by including your company's name, logo and email address.
• Choose a template that suits your business and meets your requirements.
• Proofread and edit the email template to ensure that there are no errors or mistakes.
• Ensure that the template follows your company's branding principles regarding fonts, colors, and styling.
• Ensure the template includes all essential information and details for the client to complete the payment.

Automate Your Invoicing and Email Sending Process with Portant

With Portant, you can automate your invoicing and email-sending process. This means you no longer have to spend hours creating invoices and manually sending follow-up emails. Portant automatically generates and sends invoices on your behalf, saving you time and effort. 

Try using Portant's free Google Sheets invoice template, and send your first invoice in minutes.

Portant's invoicing and email automation features are incredibly flexible and customizable. You can easily create professional-looking invoices with your own branding and logo, add your own payment terms, and choose your preferred payment method.

You can customize your email templates to reflect your brand's voice and tone and set up email sequences to send automated follow-up emails to clients who still need to pay their invoices.

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