Track invoices that are getting older
An invoice is easiest to resolve while the work and approval are still fresh. An aging list turns missed payments into a routine follow-up rather than a crisis.
A quiet warning in receivables
A designer notices a familiar client has not paid. The invoice is already six weeks old, and the original contact has moved teams. A weekly review would have flagged the missing confirmation near the due date, when the correct approver was easier to locate.
Make follow-up routine
Review open invoices on a fixed day. Send a short reminder near the due date, document any promised payment date, and update the cash calendar only when the money arrives.
Set the next contact date
Create columns for current, recently overdue, and long overdue invoices. For each item, write the next person to contact and the date of that follow-up. Check whether any recurring issue needs a contract change.
Read the reason behind delay
Keep approval details nearby
An aging view groups unpaid invoices by how long they have been open, but the number of days is only a starting point. Record the invoice date, due date, buyer, approval contact, purchase-order reference, and any dispute. Then distinguish an administrative delay from a substantive disagreement. A polite follow-up can include the invoice, the agreed milestone, and a clear request for the next step. Escalation should follow the contract and the relationship, not a script that treats every late account the same. Repeated delays from one client also affect future deposits, payment terms, and the amount of work you can safely accept.
Learn from repeated lateness
Do not assume that silence means an invoice was approved. Preserve delivery evidence and seek appropriate professional advice if a dispute becomes formal.
