Playbook: Overdue invoice chaser

Overdue invoices pile up because nobody has time to chase them

The problem

Chasing money is unpleasant, repetitive and always last on the list. Invoices drift past due, the reminder goes out three weeks late — if at all — and the conversation with the customer is harder than it needed to be.

What you end up with

An agent that reviews open receivables every morning, decides which ones are due a reminder and which tone that reminder deserves, drafts the messages, and records what it sent so the next reminder escalates properly.

What it needs

• Access level: Power User or above.
• Instance: connected — open invoices, due dates and payments live there.
• Mailbox: a mailbox for sending, if you want it to send rather than draft.
• Pro app: not required.

Build it step by step

1. In the Agent Builder:

   Create an agent called "Receivables". Every working day at 08:00 it reviews unpaid customer invoices past their due date.

2. Define the escalation ladder explicitly — this is the part that matters:

   Use three stages. 1–14 days overdue: a friendly reminder. 15–30 days: a firmer reminder that mentions the amount and the due date. Over 30 days: do not write to the customer — notify the account manager and me instead.

3. Say what must never happen:

   Never contact a customer twice within seven days. Never chase an invoice that is disputed or on a payment plan. Never state a payment deadline that is not in the invoice.

4. Start in draft mode:

   For now, prepare the emails and show them to me for approval rather than sending them.

5. Add the record-keeping:

   Keep a note on each invoice of what you sent and when, so the next reminder knows which stage it is at.

6. Enable the schedule in the Activation tab.

Try it

Ask it in chat:

Show me what you would send today, grouped by stage, with the customer, the invoice, the amount and the days overdue.

Read the stage-three list first. If somebody you know is on it who shouldn't be, that is a rule to add before you let it send anything.

Variations

• Statement instead of per-invoice — one message per customer listing all their overdue documents.
• Pre-due courtesy — a gentle note three days before the due date; it prevents more late payments than any reminder after.
• Collections handover — anything past a limit becomes a task or a ticket for a person.
• With a screen — a Pro app showing the ageing list and what was sent to whom.

Where it can go wrong

• Chasing paid invoices. Make sure it reads payments and credit notes, not just the invoice. Nothing damages a customer relationship faster.
• Wrong recipient. Send to the accounts contact, not the person who once placed an order.
• Tone. Read the stage-two wording yourself before enabling sending.
• AI disclosure. These emails identify themselves as AI-sent — see AI Disclosure in Email. Decide whether the account manager should be the sender for sensitive accounts.