Automatic invoice reminders

Automatic invoice reminders let SortScape send follow-up messages for unpaid invoices automatically. This feature only applies to invoices created and managed in SortScape’s built-in invoicing system. It does not apply to Xero or QuickBooks Online invoices.

Automatic invoice reminders are included on the Premium plan. You also need SortScape’s built-in invoicing enabled.

Getting started

• Go to Customer messaging > Invoices.
• Turn on Send automatic invoice reminders.
• Choose when messages should send and whether to send them by email, SMS, or both.

How it works

Invoice reminders are based on the invoice due date:

• Reminder schedules send before the due date.
• Follow-up schedules send after the due date.

You can edit the send time, number of days before or after the due date, sender, message type, and template used for each schedule.

To change the default due date on new SortScape invoices, see Setting invoice due dates.

Enabling reminders on existing invoices

When you turn on automatic invoice reminders, SortScape does not send catch-up messages for schedule windows that have already passed. Reminders run from the day you enable the feature forward, based on each invoice’s due date and your reminder schedules.

For example, with default follow-ups at 7 and 14 days after the due date, an invoice that is already 30 days overdue will not receive those follow-ups when you first enable reminders. An invoice whose due date matches an upcoming schedule day (for example, an invoice due exactly 7 days ago) can still receive the matching follow-up.

Only sent, unpaid invoices are eligible.

If a customer has made a partial payment, the invoice is still unpaid until the balance reaches zero. SortScape can still send reminders for that invoice, and the reminder amount uses the remaining balance due rather than the original invoice total.

Sending a follow-up manually

If an invoice missed an automatic reminder window, you can still follow up yourself. Open the invoice and click the email or SMS icon, or choose Email invoice or Text invoice from the invoice menu.

In the send window, check Messages scheduled at the top. When SortScape still has an automatic follow-up due today or in the future for that invoice, you will see the scheduled message there with the send date, subject, and message text. That is a preview of what will go out automatically. To send it yourself now, choose the matching template from the template dropdown below and click Send.

If every automatic follow-up date has already passed, Messages scheduled will be empty. Choose a follow-up template (for example Overdue invoice) from the template dropdown and send the message yourself.

Messages scheduled only appears when Send automatic invoice reminders is turned on.

Managing reminders

• Edit the contact to turn Invoice reminders on or off for that customer.
• Use the invoice menu to turn reminders on or off for a single invoice.
• Edit your invoice email and SMS templates from the Notification templates section.

The amount_due tag is useful in reminder templates. It shows the balance still owing, so partially paid invoices remind the customer about what is left to pay.

Getting a copy of reminder emails

If you want a copy of invoice emails SortScape sends to customers, add your address under Email addresses to cc when emailing quotes and invoices on the Invoice messages settings page. Those addresses are CC’d on quote and invoice emails, including automatic invoice reminders and payment receipts.

To review emails and texts that were already sent, use Recent messages on the Customer messaging settings page. See Managing customer text messages and emails.

Important notes

• Only sent, unpaid invoices can receive reminders.
• Partially paid invoices can still receive reminders for the remaining balance.
• If an invoice is paid in full, reminders stop automatically.
• Email reminders require an email address on the contact.
• SMS reminders require a mobile number on the contact.
• SMS messages are only sent between 7:00am and 9:30pm.