Check what was actually promised

Before chasing, refresh the payment records. Check the customer, invoice reference, current balance and the exact message or call note behind the promise. A payment may have arrived, been allocated elsewhere or still be in transit.

Record both the amount and the date money was expected to arrive. “We will pay on Friday” may describe a sending date. Clarify it before treating the promise as missed. A promised instalment may cover only part of the invoice.

Fictional example, reviewed on 10 September 2026
Invoice INV-1042: £1,250 original total.
Earlier payment already matched: £300.
Verified balance: £950.
Further amount promised for 9 September: £500.
That payment has not arrived.

The balance is still £950. The promise does not reduce it. Of that balance, £500 was promised and £450 sits outside the promise.

Check for invoice errors, missing purchase-order references and an existing dispute. The Small Business Commissioner recommends confirming payment terms and the correct payment contact before deciding the next step.

Send a specific, calm follow-up

Refer to the actual commitment, say when you checked, and ask for one useful update. This is a payment-status enquiry you can adapt to the client’s agreed follow-up process.

Subject: Invoice [number] — payment update

Hi [name],

You confirmed [amount and currency] would reach us by [agreed date] for invoice [number]. I checked our payment records at [time and date], and that payment is not showing yet. The invoice balance is [verified balance and currency].

Has the payment been sent? If so, please share the payment date, amount and reference so we can match it. If it has not been sent, please confirm the amount and date we can expect it, and anything you need from us to resolve the delay.

Thank you,
[name]

Replace every bracketed field. Only say you checked the records if you did. Use the correct payment contact; the person who commissioned the work may not handle invoices.

If they say it was sent, reconcile it

Record “customer says sent” until the payment is matched. Ask for the date, amount and reference, then give the reconciliation a review date. A payment claim or remittance note is a lead to check.

Subject: Invoice [number] — matching your payment

Hi [name],

Thanks for confirming the payment was sent. It is not yet matched in our records as of [time and date]. Please confirm the payment date, amount and reference so we can check it against the invoice.

We will check again on [review date] and update you.

Thank you,
[name]

If part of the instalment arrived, acknowledge that amount. In the fictional example, a newly matched £200 payment reduces the invoice balance from £950 to £750. Of the promised £500, £300 remains unpaid. Keep the other £450 visible too.

If the plan changes, put the agreement in writing

If the customer identifies a dispute, record the specific issue and the person who can resolve it. If they need a different payment plan, take that proposal to the person authorised by your client to agree it.

After agreement, confirm the amounts and expected arrival dates. The Small Business Commissioner recommends documenting agreed instalment terms in writing and sharing them by email.

Subject: Invoice [number] — agreed payment dates

Hi [name],

Following our conversation on [date], the verified balance on invoice [number] is [balance and currency]. Here is the payment plan agreed with [authorised person]:

[Amount and currency] to arrive by [date].
[Amount and currency] to arrive by [date].

Please confirm these details match our agreement. Let us know promptly if anything changes.

Thank you,
[name]

Use this only for an agreed plan. Check that the instalments account for the agreed balance, and keep disputed amounts or adjustments separate. A new promise needs a new dated entry; preserve the previous promise and its outcome.

Leave one clear next action

Close each review with an action, an owner and a date: “Jo checks the bank and allocation on 11 September,” or “Client’s project owner supplies the missing PO reference.” If the customer does not respond, follow the client’s collection process and identify who makes the escalation decision.

For a practice working across several businesses, keep the client business with the invoice so another bookkeeper can continue from the same facts. Use the downloadable worksheet for that handover; it includes all three email templates and a promise-history section.

In Remeto, use Promised payment date and Next follow-up for current dates. Keep promised amounts, source notes and earlier commitments in Notes. Record actual payments separately, and reconcile credits or adjustments in the accounting ledger.

Existing accounting reminders may already cover your process. Remeto is for keeping the next action and its context across client ledgers. Recording a follow-up does not send an email to the customer.

Sources and context

The worksheet and templates are original Remeto materials for routine payment-status follow-up. Formal demands and changes to terms need the client’s agreed process and appropriate review.

Give every invoice a next step.

Open the example or use your own CSV in the free invoice report. Your file stays in the browser until you choose to save it. Saved workspaces have a 14-day trial with no card, then £29/month.

Try the free invoice report

See how to prepare your invoice CSV and handover.