How to send invoice reminders in QuickBooks

Automatic reminders cover invoices you've already emailed, and only while they're unpaid. An invoice that hasn't been emailed won't get one, so send it first, with Review and send on the invoice or Send in its Action column dropdown. An invoice that has been emailed shows the status Sent on the Invoices page, which is an easy way to check.

Plan the timing. You start with one reminder and can add a second and a third, each set a number of days before or after the due date, as far as 90 days either way. Each reminder has its own email template, so an early, polite nudge and a later, firmer one can be worded to suit.

You set reminders up once, in Account and settings, not invoice by invoice. The templates you set become the standard for every invoice reminder. Intuit's tip is to keep the word reminder in the subject line.

1. Go to Settings and select Account and settings.
2. Open the Sales tab, then select the edit icon in the Reminders section.
3. Turn on Automatic invoice reminders.
4. Open the dropdown for Reminder 1 and turn Reminder 1 on.
5. Choose the number of days, and Before or After, to tell QuickBooks when to send it.
6. Edit the Subject line if you want different wording.
7. Tick Use email greeting for a personal greeting, and choose one from the dropdowns.
8. In the Email message field, write your own message or keep the default. Variables such as Invoice No. and Company Name bring in the invoice's details.
9. Add a second and third reminder the same way if you want them.
10. Select Save, then close the window.

To send a reminder yourself, go to All apps, select Sales & Get Paid, then Invoices. Find the invoice, open the dropdown in its Action column and select Send reminder. Adjust the message, fill in any details it asks for and select Send.

With reminders turned on, QuickBooks keeps an eye on your invoice due dates for you. When an emailed invoice is still unpaid and its due date matches a reminder's timing, that reminder goes to the customer without you doing anything.

Changing the reminder rules later only affects reminders still to come. Ones that have already gone out aren't changed.

A manual reminder goes out when you select Send. It's useful for a customer who needs a nudge outside your schedule.

To stop automatic reminders, go to Settings, select Account and settings, open the Sales tab and select the edit icon in the Reminders section. Turn off Automatic invoice reminders, select Save and close the window. Your customised wording is kept, ready for when you turn reminders on again.

If a customer didn't get an automatic reminder, check three things: that the invoice was emailed to them, that it's still unpaid, and that the reminder's days and Before or After setting line up with its due date.

If you want to chase an invoice further than 90 days from its due date, the automatic schedule doesn't reach that far. Send a reminder by hand from the Invoices list instead.