Most late payments are not dramatic. An invoice goes out, nobody writes down when to check on it, and a few weeks pass. A single list of every client, what they owe and the next date you'll follow up fixes most of that. Download the free tracker, import it in a minute, and use the cadence below.
Works in Notion, Google Sheets, Excel and Numbers. The first 3 rows are example data so you can see how it's used. Delete them before adding your own clients.
| Column | Use it to |
|---|---|
| Client, Contact email | Know exactly who to email, especially if the person who approves work isn't the person who pays. |
| Project, Stage | See where each job is: Quoted, In progress, Delivered, Invoiced, Paid. |
| Quote amount, Invoice # | Reference the right number and amount in every follow-up. |
| Invoice sent date, Due date | Spot what's overdue at a glance. |
| Status | Short state: Not invoiced, Sent, Overdue, Paid, Awaiting quote reply. |
| Last / Next follow-up date | The key habit: every open row always has a next date. |
| Notes | What was approved and when, what you last sent, any promised payment date. |
Google Sheets: open a blank sheet, then File → Import → Upload, choose the CSV, and pick "Replace current sheet". Sort by "Next follow-up date" to see what's due.
Notion: in the sidebar choose Import → CSV and select the file. Notion creates a database with one property per column. Change "Due date" and the follow-up columns to Date properties and "Stage"/"Status" to Select so you can filter and sort.
Excel: open the CSV directly (or Data → From Text/CSV), then save as .xlsx. Add a filter on "Status" and sort by "Next follow-up date".
After every email, update "Last follow-up date" and set the next one straight away. A 5-minute check of the tracker once or twice a week is usually enough. Need the actual wording? Use the 3 free emails that get unpaid invoices paid or the follow-ups for clients who went silent.
The tracker shows you who to chase and when. The paid packs give you the words and terms so you chase less often.
Instant ZIP by email after checkout, no subscription.
3 free emails that get unpaid invoices paid · Client ghosted you? 3 follow-ups · 3 free scope creep scripts