How to set up automatic invoice reminders in QuickBooks (and what it can’t do)

Late payments rarely happen because your client is evil.

They happen because the invoice went to the wrong person, approval took longer than expected, the payment method felt annoying, or everyone simply forgot until you reminded them.

Automatic reminders solve this in the least dramatic way possible: they make follow-up predictable, polite, and routine.

If you already live in QuickBooks, great. You can absolutely set up automatic invoice reminders, but you should also know where the edges are so you don’t accidentally spam the wrong client or send awkward messages after someone already paid.

If you outgrow QuickBooks’ built-in reminders, tools like Can You Pay That exist specifically to handle the follow-up layer (portal, reminders, and a clean “paid or not” workflow) without turning you into a collections department.

Key takeaways (read this first)

1. QuickBooks Online can send automatic invoice reminders based on days before or after the due date, and you can configure up to three reminders.
2. Reminders can be scheduled up to 90 days before or after the due date.
3. QuickBooks’ built-in reminders are global, and you cannot exclude specific customers from the basic reminder feature.
4. QuickBooks may send reminders if the Customer Email field is filled, even if you did not originally email the invoice.
5. If you want invoice PDFs included, you can enable PDF attachment in delivery settings.
6. QuickBooks Desktop “payment reminders” work differently: they can prompt you to review and approve reminders before sending.

QuickBooks reminders at a glance (Online vs Desktop vs Advanced)

QuickBooks has three “reminder modes” people often confuse.

If you want a reminder-only layer that is purpose-built for follow-up (with schedules, templates, and “stop when paid” behavior), you can also compare options in this guide on invoice reminder software for small business.

efore you turn reminders on (do this first)

Automatic reminders only work as well as the invoice setup behind them. Do these quick checks first, because they prevent most “we didn’t see it” and “can you resend” loops.

1) Confirm every invoice has the right due date

QuickBooks triggers reminders based on the due date. No due date means no reliable automation.

Quick rule: decide on a default (Net 7, Net 14, Net 30) and be consistent.

If you want a proven cadence you can copy, use this best invoice reminder schedule as your baseline.

2) Confirm the billing contact email is correct

QuickBooks relies on the Customer Email field. If that email is wrong (or is a personal email instead of accounts payable), reminders will be “working” but landing in the wrong place.

Small but powerful habit: add the AP address early, before the first invoice.

3) Reduce payment friction (this matters more than tone)

Most late payments are friction plus forgetfulness.

If paying requires looking up bank details, finding the invoice again, or asking someone internally, you will get delays.

Make the next step one click when possible. If your business uses payment links or a portal, include it consistently.

This is one reason reminder-first tools exist, they optimize the “view invoice and pay” experience. For example, Can You Pay That is built around a client portal and reminders that stop when paid.

4) Decide if you want PDF invoices attached

Clients often forward invoices internally. PDFs make that easier.

QuickBooks explicitly notes you can enable invoice PDFs to be attached to reminder emails via Online delivery settings.

5) Use a predictable schedule, not emotional follow-up

If you want to stop improvising emails, start with a schedule generator that gives you exact send dates and copy.

Use the free invoice reminder schedule builder to generate a full sequence, then decide what to implement inside QuickBooks.

If you want more free helpers, browse the full set of free invoice tools.

Step-by-step: Turn on automatic invoice reminders in QuickBooks Online

This is the “exact clicks” part.

QuickBooks’ own documentation lays out the setup flow, and it’s straightforward once you know where the setting lives.

Step 1: Go to reminder settings

In QuickBooks Online:

1. Go to Settings (gear icon)
2. Select Account and settings
3. Open the Sales tab
4. In the Reminders section, select Edit

Step 2: Turn on automatic invoice reminders

1. Turn on Automatic invoice reminders.

Step 3: Configure Reminder 1 (your first automated email)

QuickBooks lets you set timing as days before or days after the invoice due date.

1. Turn on Reminder 1
2. Choose:
3. number of days
4. before or after due date

QuickBooks notes you can schedule reminders up to 90 days before or after due date.

Recommended default (works for most):

1. Reminder 1: 7 days before due date (friendly heads-up)

Why: pre-due nudges prevent “oops” payments, which is easier than fixing late payments later.

Step 4: Configure Reminder 2 and Reminder 3

QuickBooks supports a second and third reminder if you need them.

A simple, effective default:

1. Reminder 2: On due date
2. Reminder 3: 7 days after due date (second notice overdue)

If your invoices tend to be paid by AP on fixed pay runs, you may want “3 days after” first, then “7 days after.” Use your reality, not a perfect spreadsheet.

Step 5: Customize the subject, greeting, and message

QuickBooks lets you customize each reminder’s subject and message, and it recommends keeping the word “reminder” in the subject.

Use these principles:

1. Keep it short (3 to 6 sentences).
2. Include the essentials: invoice number, amount, due date, and how to pay.
3. Add a graceful “ignore if already paid” line to prevent awkwardness.
4. Keep tone neutral early, firm later.

You can also pull ready-to-copy language from these on-site templates:

1. invoice reminder email templates
2. polite invoice reminder email template

Step 6: Attach the invoice PDF (optional but recommended)

QuickBooks includes a clear note: enable PDF Attached via the Sales tab’s Online delivery settings.

If your clients forward invoices internally, PDF attachment reduces “can you resend the invoice” delays.

Step 7: Understand how QuickBooks sends reminders

QuickBooks checks due dates a few times a day and sends reminders automatically when invoices meet your criteria.

Two important limitations from the docs:

1. You can’t exclude specific customers with basic automatic reminders.
2. Reminders can send if the Customer Email field is filled out, even if the invoice was not initially emailed.

That second point is a big “surprise” for many teams, and it’s why you should verify your customer emails before enabling automation.

Step 8: Verify reminders were sent

QuickBooks adds “(Reminded)” to invoices in the Status column after it sends a reminder.

Build a habit: once a week, scan your invoices list for reminder status and anomalies.

Optional: Send reminders manually for one-off cases

QuickBooks also supports manual reminders:

1. go to Invoices
2. find the invoice
3. choose Send reminder from the Receive payment dropdown

Manual reminders are useful when:

1. a client says “we changed AP contacts”
2. a payment is in progress
3. you are handling a dispute and want a custom note

Templates you can paste into QuickBooks (Reminder 1 to 3)

Below are simple templates designed for QuickBooks’ reminder slots. They are intentionally short and calm.

Replace placeholders: [Client Name] [Invoice #] [Amount] [Due Date] [Invoice Link/Portal Link] [Payment Link]

Reminder 1 (friendly heads-up, pre-due)

Subject options

1. Reminder: Invoice [Invoice #] due [Due Date]
2. Quick heads-up: invoice due soon ([Amount])

Email

Hi [Client Name],

Just a friendly heads-up that Invoice [Invoice #] for [Amount] is due on [Due Date].

You can view it here: [Invoice Link/Portal Link]

If helpful, you can pay here: [Payment Link]

Thanks,

[Your Name]

If you want more variants (gentle to firm) plus subject line banks, use the full invoice reminder email templates.

Reminder 2 (due date, clear and neutral)

Subject options

1. Due today: Invoice [Invoice #] ([Amount])
2. Invoice [Invoice #] is due today

Email

Hi [Client Name],

A quick reminder that Invoice [Invoice #] for [Amount] is due today ([Due Date]).

Pay here: [Payment Link]

Invoice copy: [Invoice Link/Portal Link]

Thank you,

[Your Name]

Reminder 3 (second notice overdue, firm but professional)

Subject options

1. Second notice: Invoice [Invoice #] overdue
2. Follow-up: Invoice [Invoice #] past due since [Due Date]

Email

Hi [Client Name],

Following up because Invoice [Invoice #] for [Amount] is now overdue (due [Due Date]).

If payment is already in progress, you can ignore this message.

Otherwise, you can pay here: [Payment Link] or view the invoice here: [Invoice Link/Portal Link]

If there’s anything blocking payment (PO, details, approval), reply with what’s needed and I’ll help immediately.

Thanks,

[Your Name]

If your goal is to stay polite while still creating urgency, start from this reduce late payments system and treat reminders as one layer of a bigger workflow.

What QuickBooks can’t do (and the gotchas that surprise people)

QuickBooks reminders are useful, but they are not a full accounts receivable workflow.

Here are the limitations that matter in real life.

1) You can’t exclude specific customers (basic reminders)

QuickBooks states it directly: you can’t exclude specific customers from automatic invoice reminders.

This becomes painful when:

1. one client hates reminders and wants monthly statements
2. one client pays on net 60 and your global reminders feel too aggressive
3. you want “agency-style” escalation for some accounts but not others

Practical workaround: use manual reminders for exceptions, or consider QuickBooks Online Advanced workflows if your plan supports it.

2) The “Customer Email field” behavior can cause unexpected sends

QuickBooks notes that it can send reminders if the Customer Email field is filled, even if you did not originally send the invoice by email.

That means automation can accidentally touch accounts you intended to handle differently.

Fix: audit customer emails before enabling reminders, and standardize who “owns” that field (sales, ops, finance).

3) Partial payments and payments recorded outside QuickBooks

This is a real-world issue, not a QuickBooks-specific flaw.

If a client pays by bank transfer and you only mark the invoice as paid later, reminders can keep going until the status changes.

Rule: make “record payment” part of the same workflow as “check bank feed.” Reminders should be driven by reality.

4) Limited escalation logic

QuickBooks reminders are tied to time relative to due date, not to nuanced conditions like:

1. “if invoice is 14 days overdue and over $5,000, create a task”
2. “if client opened the invoice twice but did not pay, send a different message”
3. “route to project manager if the client claims a dispute”

If you need those kinds of controls, you’re moving beyond accounting software into AR ops.

5) Multi-channel follow-up and tracking is outside scope

QuickBooks email reminders are email reminders.

They are not:

1. SMS sequences
2. multi-inbox routing for a team
3. client portal analytics
4. follow-up notes and collaboration

If you are sending more than ~10 invoices/month, the pain is usually not “sending the email,” it’s “knowing what happened, and not thinking about it again.”

That’s where reminder-first tools come in (portal + reminders + email log). Can You Pay That, for example, positions itself around reminding until paid, with a client portal and an email log for what was sent.

Workarounds inside the QuickBooks ecosystem

If you want to stay inside QuickBooks as much as possible:

Option A: Use QuickBooks Online Advanced workflows (when you need segmentation)

The QuickBooks reminder doc points Advanced users toward workflows for invoice reminders.

Workflows can help when you need different behaviors for different customer groups, but they can add complexity and are not always worth it for small teams.

Option B: Keep automatic reminders simple, handle exceptions manually

A practical hybrid for many businesses:

1. use automatic reminders for 80% of invoices
2. send manual reminders for special accounts, disputes, or sensitive relationships

Optional escalation: automatic late fees (and how to use them without burning trust)

Late fees can work, but only when they are:

1. included in your written terms
2. appropriate for your market and relationship
3. communicated calmly (not as a surprise punishment)

QuickBooks Online supports automatic late fees, and Intuit’s help article walks through turning them on in Sales settings.

How automatic late fees behave in QuickBooks Online (important details)

1. Late fees begin applying after you turn them on, and QuickBooks calculates and applies them automatically (with timing behavior described in Intuit’s guidance).
2. QuickBooks notes there may be legal limits by jurisdiction, and you should confirm requirements where you operate.
3. QuickBooks also clarifies it will not automatically email invoices just because a late fee was applied, reminders are still your notification mechanism.

The non-obvious part: late fees only help if the client notices

Intuit explicitly notes you should use invoice reminders or send one manually to tell the customer they incurred late fees, otherwise they may not know.

If you add late fees, update your Reminder 3 template to include one calm sentence like:

“Per our terms, late fees may apply after [X] days overdue.”

No threats, no drama, just a fact.

Deliverability: don’t let your reminders land in spam

This is less about QuickBooks and more about reality in 2026: inbox providers are stricter about authentication and bulk sending.

Google’s sender guidance emphasizes SPF/DKIM (and DMARC for bulk senders) to reduce spoofing and improve deliverability.

Microsoft has also announced stricter requirements for high-volume senders that include SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.

If your reminders are critical to cash flow, it’s worth ensuring your domain’s email authentication is in good shape, especially if you send higher volumes from your own systems.

When to keep QuickBooks reminders vs add a dedicated reminder tool

Use QuickBooks reminders if:

1. you have a small invoice volume
2. you are okay with global rules
3. you rarely need segmentation
4. you can tolerate occasional manual exceptions

Add a dedicated reminder workflow if:

1. you send invoices regularly and want follow-up to be invisible
2. you need a client portal, payment links, and an email log in one place
3. you want reminders that stop reliably when invoices are paid
4. you want the reminder layer to be polished without tweaking accounting settings

If you want a quick way to design your schedule first, start with the free invoice reminder schedule builder, then decide whether QuickBooks can implement the cadence you want.

If you want the “set rules once, reminders run automatically until paid” experience, check Can You Pay That.

For a broader buyer’s guide (QuickBooks vs other tools vs reminder-first products), see invoice reminder software for small business.

A simple framework you can steal: “3C” reminders

If you want reminders that get paid without damaging relationships, use 3C:

1. Clear: invoice number, amount, due date, link to view/pay
2. Calm: neutral language, no guilt, no accusations
3. Convenient: one click to pay, PDF attached if needed

If you want the long version, read the automatic invoice reminders guide.

FAQ

Can QuickBooks send invoice reminders automatically?

Yes. QuickBooks Online supports automatic invoice reminders based on days before or after due date, with up to three reminders.

How many automatic reminders can QuickBooks send?

QuickBooks Online supports Reminder 1, 2, and 3 (three reminders).

Can QuickBooks send reminders before the due date?

Yes. You can schedule reminders before due date (and up to 90 days before or after).

Can I exclude specific customers from QuickBooks reminders?

Not with the basic automatic invoice reminders feature. QuickBooks explicitly states you can’t exclude specific customers.

Do QuickBooks reminders attach the invoice PDF?

They can, if you enable PDF attachment in Online delivery settings.

Why did QuickBooks send a reminder for an invoice I did not email?

QuickBooks notes that reminders may send if the Customer Email field is filled out, even if the invoice was not initially sent by email.

Will reminders stop automatically when a client pays?

They should stop once the invoice is marked paid. If payments happen outside QuickBooks, record them promptly so your reminders reflect reality.

Is it better to use QuickBooks reminders or dedicated reminder software?

If QuickBooks is your system of record and your needs are simple, built-in reminders may be enough. If you need better segmentation, a portal, logs, and a follow-up-first workflow, dedicated tools can be a better fit. For comparisons, see invoice reminder software for small business.

Conclusion

QuickBooks can absolutely handle the basics: automatic reminders, simple timing rules, editable templates, optional PDF attachment, and visibility into what was reminded.

The key is knowing what it can’t do (segmentation, exclusions, richer workflows) so you don’t build a brittle system.

If you want a polished reminder workflow built for “get paid without chasing,” check Can You Pay That.