Automated Payment Reminders

Overview

Payment reminders automatically notify customers about upcoming due dates and overdue invoices. Configure when reminders are sent, and BlueClerk handles the rest - sending professional emails that help you get paid faster without manual follow-up.

Setting Up Payment Reminders

Accessing Reminder Settings

1. Go to Settings > Payments
2. Scroll to "Payment Reminders" section
3. Toggle "Enable Reminders" to ON

Configuring Reminder Schedule

You can set up to three types of reminders:

• Before due date - Remind customers X days before invoice is due
• On due date - Send reminder on the actual due date
• After due date - Follow up X days after invoice becomes overdue

For each reminder type:

1. Check the box to enable it
2. Set the number of days (for before/after reminders)
3. Customize the email message (optional)

How Reminders Work

Automatic Sending

BlueClerk checks for invoices needing reminders every day at 1pm UTC (8am Eastern, 7am Central):

• Scans all unpaid invoices with due dates
• Sends reminders based on your configured schedule
• Tracks which reminders have been sent to avoid duplicates
• Only emails once per reminder type per invoice

What Customers Receive

Reminder emails include:

• Invoice number and amount due
• Due date (or how many days overdue)
• Link to view invoice and pay online
• Your custom message (if configured)
• Professional tone that maintains customer relationships

Subscription Renewal Reminders

For companies with active or trial subscriptions, BlueClerk also sends pre-renewal reminders:

• Sent 3 days before renewal - Only for active/trialing subscriptions
• One reminder per billing cycle - Reset when subscription renews
• Skipped for companies with account credit - Admin credit indicates special handling
• Helps prevent failed payments by prompting card updates

These run separately from invoice reminders via the /api/cron/subscription-reminders endpoint.

Best Practices

Timing Your Reminders

• 3-5 days before due date - Gives customers time to process payment
• Day of due date - Gentle nudge for those who forgot
• 7 days after due date - Professional follow-up without being pushy
• 14+ days after due date - Firmer reminder for seriously overdue invoices

Customizing Messages

Keep reminder messages:

• Professional and friendly - You want repeat business
• Clear about next steps - "Click here to pay online"
• Specific about amounts - No confusion about what's owed
• Grateful - Thank customers for their business

What to Avoid

• Too many reminders - Don't spam customers
• Aggressive language - Stay professional even when overdue
• Generic messages - Personalization helps
• Ignoring payment plans - If customer is on a plan, adjust accordingly

Managing Reminders

Pausing for Individual Invoices

If a customer needs more time or you've made special arrangements:

1. Open the invoice
2. Disable reminders temporarily (feature coming soon)
3. Or mark invoice as paid when funds are received

Viewing Reminder History

See which reminders have been sent:

1. Open an invoice
2. Scroll to activity log (feature coming soon)
3. See when reminders were sent and to whom

Troubleshooting

Customers Not Receiving Reminders

Check:

• Email address is correct on customer record
• Invoice has a due date set
• Reminders are enabled in settings
• Customer hasn't marked emails as spam

Too Many Reminders Being Sent

• Review your reminder schedule - May be too aggressive
• Check for duplicate invoices for the same work
• Verify due dates are set correctly

Questions

Q: Can I customize reminder emails for different customers? A: Currently, reminder settings apply to all invoices. Per-customer customization is on the roadmap.

Q: What happens if I change my reminder settings? A: Changes apply to future reminders only - already-sent reminders aren't affected.

Q: Do reminders stop when an invoice is paid? A: Yes, as soon as an invoice is marked paid (manually or via online payment), no more reminders are sent.

Q: Can I see which reminders were sent for an invoice? A: Full reminder history tracking is coming soon - currently you can see if reminders are enabled for each invoice.

Q: Do subscription renewal reminders count against my email limits? A: No, subscription reminders are separate from invoice reminders and don't count against any sending limits.