Most payment issues start before the invoice is sent. Use this checklist to align contract terms, milestone triggers, and follow-up cadence.

Phase 1: Before work starts

  • Confirm invoice schedule in contract (deposit, milestone, final).
  • Confirm payment terms (for example net-7 or net-14).
  • Confirm accepted payment methods.
  • Confirm late-payment policy.

If these are unclear, fix contract handoff first: Proposal-to-Contract Handoff Workflow Setup.

Phase 2: Before sending each invoice

  • Confirm milestone acceptance criteria are met.
  • Confirm deliverable evidence is documented.
  • Confirm invoice amount matches contract scope.
  • Confirm due date and payment instructions are present.

Phase 3: Sending and tracking

  • Send invoice from one consistent system.
  • Log send date and due date immediately.
  • Add reminder dates at +3 days and +7 days after due date.

Phase 4: Follow-up rhythm

  • Reminder 1: friendly reminder after due date.
  • Reminder 2: direct reminder with updated status request.
  • Reminder 3: escalation note referencing contract terms.

Keep follow-up professional and structured, not emotional.

Phase 5: Payment closeout

  • Mark invoice paid in your system of record.
  • Reconcile payment to milestone and project record.
  • Confirm whether next invoice trigger is scheduled.

Common payment workflow failures

  • Invoices sent without documented milestone completion.
  • Payment terms not confirmed before kickoff.
  • No reminder cadence (manual memory-based follow-up).
  • Inconsistent records between project and billing tools.