Guide
Late Invoices: A 7-Day Fix to Get Paid Faster
Invoices stack upCash flow tightPayment follow-ups
What this is: A 7-day plan to clear the invoice backlog.
Who it helps: Teams billing after the job and waiting too long to get paid.
Next focus: Where invoices are getting stuck in your process.
The situation
Invoices are late, and follow-up happens only when cash gets tight.
Customers pay slower when the invoice is delayed or unclear.
Why invoices pile up
- Job details are scattered across notes and texts.
- No standard template or line-item list.
- No reminder schedule for overdue payments.
A 7-day reset
- Day 1: Write a simple invoice template you can reuse.
- Day 2: Add a pay link and send it the same day.
- Day 3: Set a reminder schedule (2, 5, and 7 days after sending).
- Day 4-7: Clean up past due invoices in one batch.
What to look for in tools
- Fast invoice creation with saved templates.
- Clear payment status and reminders.
- Card or ACH options for customers.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting invoices wait until the end of the week.
- Sending invoices with vague scope details.
- Chasing payments without a set schedule.
Quick win (no new tool)
Before trying a new app, do these three things:
- Send invoices the same day the job is done.
- Add clear payment terms (Net 15 / Net 30).
- Set a fixed follow-up schedule (2, 5, 7 days).
These steps help — but once volume grows, manual tracking and follow-ups usually break down.
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