Most late invoices are not a mystery. They sit because chasing feels awkward, so the next reminder never gets a date. A chase schedule in a spreadsheet fixes that: every open invoice has a next stage and a next date. On Monday you filter for "chase today", send the matching email, and tick the log. This guide is the schedule itself. It is general information for freelancers and small businesses, not legal or tax advice, and it does not replace your contract or local law.
1. The five stages (change the days if you want)
There is no single legal timetable for reminders. What matters is consistency. A schedule that works for many B2B freelancers and agencies:
| Stage | When (from due date) | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-due reminder | -3 days | Friendly heads-up; re-attach the invoice |
| Due-day reminder | 0 | Polite: due today; ask for a payment date if delayed |
| Firm reminder | +7 days | Clear that it is overdue; ask for a firm date |
| Final notice | +14 days | Last written step before a call or formal next step |
| Interest claim (UK B2B only, optional) | +30 days | Only if your customer is a business and your contract does not set another rate |
Put the next date in a Next chase column after every send. Move weekend dates to the next weekday if your clients never read Friday emails.
2. Columns that make the schedule work
- Invoice no, client, amount, invoice date, due date, balance — the basics.
- Last stage sent and Last chased on — so you never guess.
- Next stage and Next chase date — the Monday filter.
- Promised pay date — if they name a day; mark it broken when that day passes unpaid.
- Disputed? — pause the chase until you answer their question.
- Chase log (separate tab) — date, channel, what you sent, what they said. Useful if an invoice is later disputed.
For a free starting sheet and a Gmail reply check, see Track unpaid invoices in Google Sheets. To draft one email fast, use the free invoice reminder email generator (it does not send anything).
3. What to write (keep it short)
Reply on the same thread that carried the invoice. One subject pattern that stays clear: Invoice INV-1042 – due 12 Oct – reminder. Body: what is owed, the due date, how to pay, and one ask ("Please confirm payment by Friday"). Attach the PDF again. Do not pile on threats you will not follow through.
4. UK late-payment interest (business customers only)
In the UK, if your customer is a business and your contract sets no other rate, statute can allow interest of 8% a year above the Bank of England reference rate, plus a fixed sum of £40, £70 or £100 once per invoice depending on the size of the debt (see the GOV.UK pages in the sources). The reference rate is the Bank Rate in force on 31 December or 30 June before interest starts (SI 2002/1675 art. 4). If no payment date was agreed, payment is late 30 days after the customer gets the invoice or you deliver, whichever is later. Consumers are treated differently. Outside the UK, rules differ (EU Late Payment Directive 2011/7/EU is implemented country by country). Mention interest only when you have checked it applies. This is not legal advice.
5. When a ready-made workbook helps
If you want the due date, days overdue, aging bucket, next reminder and next date calculated for you, plus eight editable letters and a printable client statement, that is what the Invoice Chase Kit is for (Excel / Google Sheets; Solo $49 / Team $99; 14-day money-back guarantee; buy on Gumroad). It is an organiser and letter pack — it does not send emails, file court claims or collect debts. For Gmail "who replied last?" tracking across many contacts, see FollowSheet.
Sources
- GOV.UK – Late commercial payments: interest and debt recovery
- GOV.UK – Charging interest on commercial debt
- GOV.UK – Claim debt recovery costs (£40 / £70 / £100)
- SI 2002/1675 art. 4 – rate of statutory interest
- Bank of England – Bank Rate history
Related guides
- How to track unpaid invoices in Google Sheets, with Gmail reminders
- Gmail follow-up tracker without a CRM
- A free Gmail CRM in Google Sheets
Published 2026-10-09 by Karuna Labs. Our tools check file structure and checksums; always review outputs (and payment files in your bank's preview) before relying on them. This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice.