Invoice reminder templates

Invoice Reminder Templates for SMS and Email

Q: What should an invoice reminder say?

An invoice reminder should clearly identify the business, customer, invoice, amount owing, and that payment is outstanding while keeping the tone polite and professional.

Q: Should invoice reminders be sent by SMS or email?

Both can be useful. SMS reminders are direct and harder to miss, while email reminders provide a more detailed written follow-up.

Q: How many invoice reminders should I send?

Many small businesses send a small number of polite reminders over a few weeks before deciding whether further action is needed.

Use these invoice reminder templates to follow up overdue invoices professionally, whether you manage invoices manually, in Xero, or in another accounting tool.

Brindle sends friendly reminders automatically.

Add an unpaid invoice once, or import overdue invoices from Xero, and Brindle automatically sends polite SMS reminders and email follow-ups when a customer email is provided. Your first automated invoice is free.

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How to use these invoice reminder templates

The best invoice reminder is clear, polite, and easy to understand. It should tell the customer who is contacting them, which invoice is outstanding, and what action is needed.

You can copy the templates below and adjust them for your business. Replace placeholders like {customer_name}, {business_name}, {invoice_number}, and {amount} with the correct invoice details from Xero, another accounting platform, or your own records.

The simple version

A good invoice reminder should be polite, specific, and easy for the customer to act on.

SMS invoice reminder templates

SMS reminders should be short. Keep the message focused on the invoice and avoid adding unnecessary detail.

Friendly first reminder

Hi {customer_name}, just a friendly reminder from {business_name} that invoice {invoice_number} for {amount} is still outstanding. Thanks.

Short overdue reminder

Hi {customer_name}, invoice {invoice_number} from {business_name} is now overdue. Please arrange payment when you can. Thanks.

Second follow-up

Hi {customer_name}, following up again on invoice {invoice_number} for {amount}. If already paid, please ignore this message. Thanks, {business_name}.

Firm but polite reminder

Hi {customer_name}, invoice {invoice_number} from {business_name} remains unpaid. Please arrange payment or contact us if there is an issue.

Email invoice reminder templates

Email reminders can include a little more context than SMS. They are useful when you want a professional written follow-up the customer can refer back to.

Friendly email reminder

Subject: Friendly reminder: invoice {invoice_number}

Hi {customer_name},

Just a friendly reminder that invoice {invoice_number} from {business_name} for {amount} is still outstanding.

If payment has already been made, please ignore this message. Otherwise, please arrange payment when you can.

Thanks,
{business_name}

Overdue invoice follow-up

Subject: Overdue invoice reminder: {invoice_number}

Hi {customer_name},

I am following up on invoice {invoice_number}, which is now overdue. The outstanding amount is {amount}.

Please arrange payment when possible, or let us know if there is an issue we should be aware of.

Thanks,
{business_name}

Final polite reminder

Subject: Final reminder: invoice {invoice_number}

Hi {customer_name},

This is a final reminder that invoice {invoice_number} from {business_name} remains unpaid.

Please arrange payment as soon as possible or contact us if you need to discuss the invoice.

Thanks,
{business_name}

What tone should an invoice reminder use?

Most small businesses should start with a friendly tone. A customer may have simply missed the invoice, forgotten to pay, or assumed someone else in their business had already handled it.

If the invoice remains unpaid after several reminders, the wording can become firmer while still staying professional. The aim is to keep the follow-up clear without damaging the customer relationship unnecessarily.

Invoice reminder best practices

Use the customer's name where possible
Include your business name
Mention the invoice number if available
Keep SMS reminders short
Avoid aggressive or threatening language
Stop reminders when the invoice is paid

How Brindle uses invoice reminder templates

1Add the overdue invoice details once, or import overdue invoices from Xero.
2Brindle sends friendly SMS reminders, with email follow-ups when a customer email is provided.
3When the invoice is paid, mark it paid and reminders stop.

Brindle integrates with Xero to automatically import overdue invoices and send SMS and email reminders based on proven invoice reminder templates.

Frequently asked questions

What should an invoice reminder say?

An invoice reminder should identify your business, the customer, the invoice, the amount owing, and that payment is outstanding.

Should invoice reminders be sent by SMS or email?

Both can be useful. SMS is direct and harder to miss, while email provides a more detailed written reminder.

How many invoice reminders should I send?

Many small businesses send a few polite reminders over several weeks before deciding whether further action is needed.