An invoice follow up email should match the invoice’s current stage. Pick the stage your invoice is in, copy the matching message, check the details, and send it from your own mail app. This page has seven complete templates for the moments before and just after an invoice is due. For later overdue stages, use the overdue invoice email templates.
The examples use one fictional case. Alex, a designer, issued invoice INV-104 to Jordan on March 2, 2026 for USD 1,200. The terms are Net 30 from March 2, so the due date is April 1, 2026 (30 calendar days). The follow-up dates below are illustrations, not proven best dates. Change them to suit your client and your agreement.
Choose an invoice follow up email by stage
| Stage | Example date for INV-104 | Template | Hold off if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invoice sent, no sign it arrived | March 4 | 1. Did it arrive? | The client has already confirmed receipt |
| Shortly before the due date | March 29 | 2. Before the due date | The client has asked you to pause |
| Due date | April 1 | 3. Due today | The client has said they paid and you have not yet checked |
| First note after the due date | April 4 | 4. Payment not yet received | The client has disputed the invoice |
| Earlier notes got no reply | April 8 | 5. Right contact? | The client has already replied |
| Part of the invoice is paid | After you verify it | 6. Remaining balance | The payment is only claimed, not verified |
| Client mentioned an approval step | When they tell you | 7. Approval check | You do not know of any approval step |
Seven invoice follow up email templates
Each invoice reminder email below has one job. Square brackets mark what you fill in. Delete any line that does not apply before you send.
1. Did it arrive?
When to send: a couple of days after sending, when nothing is due yet.
Subject: Invoice [Invoice number]: did it reach you?
Hi [Client name],
I sent invoice [Invoice number] for [Currency and amount] on [Issue date]. Could you confirm it arrived and the details look right? If your team needs a PO number or a different billing contact on it, tell me and I will send a corrected copy.
Thanks, [Your name]
2. Before the due date
When to send: a few days ahead, as a plain heads-up.
Subject: Invoice [Invoice number] due [Due date]
Hi [Client name],
Invoice [Invoice number] for [Currency and amount] is due on [Due date]. You can pay here: [Payment link or method]. If it is already in your payment run, no need to reply.
Thanks, [Your name]
3. Due today
When to send: on the due date itself.
Subject: Invoice [Invoice number] is due today
Hi [Client name],
Today is the due date for invoice [Invoice number], [Currency and amount]. Payment details: [Payment link or method]. If you have already paid, tell me the date and I will check on my side.
Thanks, [Your name]
4. Payment not yet received
When to send: your first note after the due date. It states the facts and asks one question.
Subject: Invoice [Invoice number]: payment not yet received
Hi [Client name],
Invoice [Invoice number] for [Currency and amount] was due on [Due date], and I have not seen payment yet. Could you tell me when it is scheduled, or whether something is holding it up? I have attached the invoice again for reference.
Thanks, [Your name]
5. Is this the right contact?
When to send: when earlier notes went unanswered and you may be writing to the wrong person.
Subject: Who should I contact about invoice [Invoice number]?
Hi [Client name],
I wrote on [Date of first note] and [Date of second note] about invoice [Invoice number], [Outstanding amount], due [Due date]. I may not have the right contact. Who handles supplier payments on your side? I am happy to resend the invoice to them directly.
Thanks, [Your name]
6. Remaining balance after a verified payment
When to send: only after you have confirmed the money arrived.
Subject: Invoice [Invoice number]: balance after your payment
Hi [Client name],
Thank you for the [Verified payment amount] I received on [Payment date]. After that payment, [Remaining balance] is still open on invoice [Invoice number], due [Due date]. Payment details: [Payment link or method].
Thanks, [Your name]
7. Approval check
When to send: when the client has said the invoice needs sign-off.
Subject: Anything needed to approve invoice [Invoice number]?
Hi [Client name],
You mentioned that invoice [Invoice number] needs approval on your side. Is there a document, reference code or name I should add to help it through? The total is [Currency and amount], due [Due date].
Thanks, [Your name]
Preview your invoice follow up email before you send
A filled-in draft can still be wrong. Here is template 4 as Alex might prepare it on April 4, 2026:
Subject: Invoice INV-104: payment not yet received
Hi Jordan,
Invoice INV-104 for USD 1,200 was due on April 1, 2026, and I have not seen payment yet. Could you tell me when it is scheduled, or whether something is holding it up? I have attached the invoice again for reference.
Thanks, Alex
Read the preview against this list:
- Invoice number and issue date match the invoice the client holds.
- Currency and amount are right. Use the outstanding amount, not the original total, when something has been paid.
- Due date matches your agreed terms. If you are unsure how it was calculated, see Net 30.
- Payment link or method is present and current.
- Recipient is the person who should receive it.
- No brackets are left in the subject or body.
- The attachment is the right invoice, if you are attaching one.
The balance matters most. If Jordan says they paid, INV-104 stays at USD 1,200 until you verify the payment. If you verify USD 400, template 6 would show USD 800 remaining.
When an invoice follow up email should wait
Stop and sort out the situation first if any of these is true:
- The client replied. Answer what they said rather than sending the next scheduled note.
- The client disputes the invoice or a line on it. A payment reminder will not settle a disagreement. Deal with the dispute first.
- The client asked you not to contact them by this route. Respect that and choose another channel you have agreed on.
- The client says they paid. Treat it as a claim. Check your account, then reply. Do not reduce the balance until you have verified.
- The invoice changed. If you reissued or cancelled it, make sure the number and amount you quote are the current ones.
- Several notes have gone unanswered. Another copy of the same message adds little. Use template 5, a different channel such as text or WhatsApp, or the later stages in the overdue invoice templates.
If your contract or local rules affect what you can do about late payment, check them or ask a qualified professional. A friendly follow-up does not depend on them.
After you send an invoice payment follow up email
Sending is only part of it. Record what happened so the next step does not depend on memory:
- Note the send. Record the date, the template used and the recipient.
- Set the next step. Choose a date for the next check, or write down what you are waiting for, such as a reply or an approval.
- Record any reply. If the client answers, disputes, asks you to stop, or says they paid, write it down and pause further notes.
- Verify before you reduce a balance. Only a payment you have confirmed changes what is outstanding.
Sample data. Fictional demonstration, not a customer result.
Continue with homepage, invoice reminder process.
Frequently asked questions
How do I politely follow up on an invoice?
Name the invoice number, the amount, and the date it was or is due, then ask one direct question or state one clear next step. Keep the tone matter-of-fact instead of apologetic, even once the invoice is late, since over-apologizing can make a routine follow-up read as awkward. Avoid vague lines like 'just checking in', and give the client a specific, easy action to take instead of a general nudge.
How long should I wait before following up on an invoice?
A receipt check a few days after sending is one option. After that, work from the agreed due date and the client's responses. The example dates here show a possible sequence, not a proven best schedule. Pause when there is a reply, dispute or payment claim, and choose the next step from that new information.
What should the subject line of an invoice follow-up email say?
Put the invoice number and the situation in the subject line itself, so the client knows what the email is about before opening it. "Invoice 1042 due Friday" or "Invoice 1042 is now past due" both work better than something vague like "Quick question", which gets buried and does not signal that a reply is time-sensitive.
Who should I email about an unpaid invoice at a large company?
Start with whoever received the original invoice, since they usually know where it sits in the approval process even if they are not the one who pays it. If two emails to that person get no response, ask directly whether someone else, such as an accounts payable contact, handles payments instead. Company directories and old project emails can also point you to the right name.
Should I attach the invoice again?
Reattaching the current invoice can help a client locate the details once payment is late, especially if a finance contact was not on the original thread. Check the recipient and attachment before sending. A short receipt check may only need the reference and amount. Do not attach an older or superseded version just because it is available.