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What This Template Does
This Make.com scenario monitors your invoicing system and automates the entire collections process:
- Tracks invoice status — watches for unpaid invoices and their due dates
- Sends reminder emails — friendly reminder 3 days before due, reminder on due date, follow-up at 7 days overdue
- Escalates overdue accounts — at 14 days overdue, notifies management in Slack
- Tags paid invoices — when payment comes through, logs it and archives the record
- Weekly report — sends a summary of outstanding invoices to the finance team
What You'll Need
| Tool | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Make.com | ✅ Required | Free plan works (scheduled daily check is 1 operation) |
| Invoice tool (QuickBooks, FreshBooks, Xero, or Google Sheets) | ✅ Required | Any tool with an API or spreadsheet export |
| Gmail or email platform | ✅ Required | For sending reminder emails |
| Slack or Teams | ⚠️ Optional | For escalation notifications |
Setup Time: 30 Minutes
Step 1: Set up Make.com
Sign up for Make.com (free). Create a new scenario named "Invoice Follow-Up."
Sign up for Make.com (free). Create a new scenario named "Invoice Follow-Up."
Step 2: Add a scheduled trigger
Add a Schedule module set to run daily at 8:00 AM. This keeps operations low (1 operation/day) and ensures reminders don't fire at 2 AM.
Add a Schedule module set to run daily at 8:00 AM. This keeps operations low (1 operation/day) and ensures reminders don't fire at 2 AM.
Step 3: Fetch invoices from your tool
Add your invoicing tool's module (QuickBooks, FreshBooks, etc.) or use Google Sheets if you maintain a simple invoice tracker. Search for invoices where status is "unpaid" and due date is in the past or within 3 days.
Add your invoicing tool's module (QuickBooks, FreshBooks, etc.) or use Google Sheets if you maintain a simple invoice tracker. Search for invoices where status is "unpaid" and due date is in the past or within 3 days.
Step 4: Add a Router for timing
Add a Router module to create branches based on how overdue the invoice is:
Add a Router module to create branches based on how overdue the invoice is:
- Branch 1 (3 days before due): Filter: due date is 3 days from now. Send a friendly reminder email with payment link.
- Branch 2 (Due today): Filter: due date is today. Send a "payment due today" email with invoice attached.
- Branch 3 (7 days overdue): Filter: due date was 7+ days ago. Send a more direct follow-up. Add a second reminder note.
- Branch 4 (14+ days overdue): Filter: due date was 14+ days ago. Send escalation email AND notify manager in Slack.
Step 5: Build the email templates
For each branch, add a Gmail module with pre-written email templates:
For each branch, add a Gmail module with pre-written email templates:
- 3 days before: "Friendly reminder that invoice #123 is due soon"
- Due date: "Invoice #123 is due today — payment link inside"
- 7 days overdue: "Following up on invoice #123 — please remit payment"
- 14+ days: "URGENT: Invoice #123 is now 14 days overdue" + Slack alert
Step 6: Track paid invoices
Add a parallel branch that checks for recently paid invoices (via webhook or API pull). When found, log the payment date, update the invoice tracker, and send a "thank you" receipt email.
Add a parallel branch that checks for recently paid invoices (via webhook or API pull). When found, log the payment date, update the invoice tracker, and send a "thank you" receipt email.
Pro Tips
- Personalize reminders — include the client's name, invoice amount, and a direct link to pay. Generic reminders get ignored
- BCC yourself — add your email as BCC on all reminders so you have a record
- Use a dedicated sender — send reminders from billing@yourcompany.com, not your personal email
- Test the escalation path — before going live, set a test invoice to 14 days overdue and confirm the Slack alert fires
- Add a "stop" condition — if a client pays between the 7-day and 14-day check, the 14-day email shouldn't fire. Make.com handles this automatically if you check status fresh each run
Expected Results
- 2-4 hours saved per week — no more manual invoice tracking or reminder emails
- Faster payments — automated reminders reduce average payment time by 30-40%
- Fewer overdue invoices — the escalation chain ensures nothing slips past 14 days
- Better cash flow visibility — the weekly report gives you a snapshot of outstanding receivables
Import This Blueprint
Download the Make.com blueprint for one-click import:
- Sign up for Make.com (free)
- Click Create a new scenario → Import Blueprint
- Paste the JSON from the downloaded file
- Connect Google Sheets, Gmail, and Slack when prompted
- Replace YOUR_SHEET_ID with your actual Google Sheet ID
- Save and toggle to ON
Related Resources
- Make.com vs Zapier vs n8n — Why we recommend Make.com for ops automation
- All Free Templates — More automation scenarios
- Free AI Starter Kit — 8 tools worth knowing about