Collections cadence template: how often to follow up on unpaid invoices

A collections cadence is the planned schedule of reminders you send on an unpaid invoice: when to reach out, on which channel, and in what tone at each step. The right cadence usually starts at the due date, follows up three to five days past due, then continues roughly every one to two weeks as the invoice ages, tightening as escalation nears. The spacing flexes with the customer's risk and history.

Cadence is what separates invoices that get paid from invoices that get forgotten. Ad hoc chasing means some accounts get hit five times and others not at all. A defined cadence works every invoice the same disciplined way, so nothing slips and no one gets harassed. The timeline and templates below give you a multi-channel cadence you can run as is or tune to your terms.

Why cadence determines collection speed

Most invoices are not unpaid because the customer refuses to pay. They are unpaid because no one followed up at the right moment. An invoice that gets a reminder on day one past due clears far faster than one that sits untouched for a month, by which point it competes with newer bills and the relationship has cooled.

Consistency compounds. A customer who knows you follow up reliably pays you ahead of suppliers who do not. The cadence trains payment behavior over time, which is why a steady, predictable sequence beats sporadic bursts of effort. Speed comes from showing up on schedule, every invoice, every time.

The ideal follow-up cadence by stage

Here is a standard cadence for net-30 terms. Each step names the timing, the channel, and the tone. Shift the days to match your own terms.

COLLECTIONS FOLLOW-UP CADENCE (net-30)

Step 1  | -3 days before due   | Email          | Friendly heads-up
        | "Invoice [No.] for [Amount] is due [Date]. Pay: [Link]"

Step 2  | Due date             | Email          | Courtesy reminder
        | "Invoice [No.] is due today. Pay: [Link]"

Step 3  | +4 days past due     | Email + SMS    | Light nudge
        | "Invoice [No.] is now past due. Settle: [Link]"

Step 4  | +14 days past due    | Email + call   | Firm, ask for date
        | "Invoice [No.], [Amount], is [Days] days overdue. Pay
        |  or reply with a date: [Link]"

Step 5  | +30 days past due    | Letter + email | Escalation notice
        | "Second notice. Pay [Amount] by [New date]: [Link]"

Step 6  | +45 days past due    | Call + email   | Pre-final, human touch
        | "We need to resolve invoice [No.] this week. Call us."

Step 7  | +60 days past due    | Final demand   | Last step before escalation
        | "Final demand. Pay by [Date] or the account escalates."

When to use this: as your default sequence for standard net-30 invoices, working each one from before the due date through to pre-collections escalation.

Adjusting cadence for risk and history

A single cadence for every account is a starting point, not the finish. The right intensity depends on who the customer is and how they pay. Tighten the cadence for risky or slow accounts and loosen it for reliable ones.

• High-risk or first-time accounts: start earlier and follow up more often. Move the first call up to day 7 and the escalation notice to day 21.
• Strategic or long-standing customers: lead with a softer touch and a phone call before any letter. Protect the relationship while still being consistent.
• Chronic late payers: keep the cadence tight and predictable, and lean on channels they actually answer.
• Large balances: add a human call earlier in the sequence, since the cash at stake justifies the time.

The point is to spend your effort where the risk and the dollars are, not to treat a $200 invoice and a $200,000 one the same way.

Multi-channel cadence template

A cadence that only uses email gets ignored once the customer tunes it out. Rotating channels keeps each touch fresh and reaches the customer where they actually respond. Email carries the detail and the link. A short text gets a fast read. A phone call breaks through when written reminders have not.

Sequence the channels so each one does its job: email for the routine reminders, SMS to nudge an unread email, a call for the firmer steps, and a letter for formal weight near escalation. Keep the invoice number, amount, and payment link identical across every channel so the customer sees one coordinated effort. For the wording at each step, pull from the payment reminder email sequence and the guidance on how to chase invoices politely.

Avoiding over- and under-contacting

The two failure modes are opposite and equally costly. Under-contacting lets invoices age untouched, which is how good money turns into bad debt. Over-contacting, daily texts and repeat calls, reads as harassment, drives opt-outs, and sours the relationship you need for the next sale.

The cadence above threads the line: present at every meaningful stage, never relentless. Two rules keep it healthy. First, vary the channel so seven touches do not feel like seven identical emails. Second, pause the entire cadence the moment a customer disputes the charge or commits to a date, and route that to a person. Continuing to chase someone who already replied is the fastest way to lose them. For the broader workflow, see how to automate payment reminders.

How Rex runs and adapts your cadence

Running a seven-step, multi-channel cadence across a full ledger by hand is where it falls apart. Someone has to track which invoice is on which step, on which channel, and remember to pause the ones that replied. Across hundreds of accounts, steps get skipped, customers get double-chased, and the cadence that looked clean on paper stops happening.

Rex runs the cadence per invoice, automatically. It sends each step at the right age on the right channel, tightens the sequence for risky accounts and softens it for reliable ones, and adapts when a customer responds. A promise to pay pauses the chase and sets a follow-up for the promised date. A dispute stops the cadence and escalates to a person. The team works only the cases that need a human decision, while every other invoice gets followed up on time.

See how Rex runs your collections cadence end to end.