Categories / Invoicing/
DEV.to n8n Invoice Chaser: 3/7/14-day escalating reminders; days-to-pay 28→11
A free n8n workflow reads unpaid invoices from Google Sheets every morning and sends escalating reminders at 3, 7, and 14 days — the author reports average days-to-pay falling from about 28 to 11.
- Task
- stop forgetting unpaid invoices and avoid awkward personal chase emails
- Result
- author reports average days-to-payment drops from ~28 to ~11 when automated reminders run; $0/mo stack if self-hosting n8n + Gmail + Sheets; stops instantly when status marked paid
- Tools
- n8n (Schedule, Code, Switch, Gmail/SMTP, Slack)
- Google Sheets invoice list
- optional Slack webhook
- Setup
- sheet columns client_name/email/amount/due_date/status/last_email_sent → daily 8am Schedule → read unpaid rows → compute days overdue → tier 1 at 3 days, tier 2 at 7, tier 3 at 14+ with Slack alert → update last_email_sent
- mark paid to stop
Step-by-step setup guide + copy-paste prompt
Honest note: Pure rules (Schedule → Sheets → Switch → Gmail/Slack). No generative AI required. Needs a tech-comfortable owner or a helper for the first build.
Prerequisites
- n8n (cloud trial or self-host).
- Google Sheet with columns: client_name, email, amount, due_date, status, last_email_sent.
- Gmail (or SMTP) + optional Slack webhook.
Step-by-step setup
Step 1. Build the sheet with the columns above. Mark paid invoices status=paid so they stop.
Step 2. New n8n workflow. Add Schedule trigger daily at 8am.
Step 3. Read unpaid rows (Google Sheets node → filter status ≠ paid).
Step 4. Compute days overdue (Code node) → Switch on tiers: 3 days / 7 days / 14+ days.
Step 5. Send email (Gmail/SMTP) per tier; on 14+ also Slack alert. Update last_email_sent.
Step 6. Activate the workflow. Test with one sample unpaid row first.
Copy-paste prompt
Write three short invoice reminder emails (day 3 friendly, day 7 firmer, day 14+ with call offer) for {{business}}.
Placeholders: {{client_name}}, {{amount}}, {{due_date}}, {{invoice_link}}. Under 90 words each.Sources
- DEV.to: Stop chasing unpaid invoices with n8n. Credit: an automation builder.
Industries: AI automation for Agencies & Consultancies
Results as reported by the source; not independently verified. Community-sourced from public sites and attributed to the source platform. Original author? Ask us to correct or remove it. Read the disclaimer.