Tracking and follow-up of outstanding payments

Purpose

1. The automation streamlines and automates tracking, notification, and follow-up of outstanding payments for power plant consulting, reducing manual intervention and accelerating receivable collections.

2. It automates reminders, escalations, and client communications to ensure every overdue invoice is addressed, minimizing bad debt and optimizing cash flow.

3. Automates reporting, logs all attempts, and integrates with financial, CRM, and communication systems for a seamless receivables management experience.

Trigger Conditions

1. Invoice due date reached with payment still outstanding in the accounting system.

2. Periodic checks (daily/weekly/bi-weekly) to identify and automate follow-ups for overdue invoices.

3. Manual flag set by finance team or automated triggers from payments API indicating partial/payment failure.

4. Automated escalation when reminder thresholds (e.g., 1st, 2nd, final notice) are reached without resolution.

Platform Variants

1. Salesforce

• Function: Configure Workflow Rule to trigger outbound message/notification for overdue invoice
  
• Sample: Automating Process Builder to send REST API call to communication channel on status = “Overdue”
  

2. QuickBooks Online

• Feature: Automate Invoice Reminder via Payments API
  
• Example: Trigger Automated Reminder using Payments → SendInvoice API
  

3. Xero

• Function: Automate Invoice Reminder Emails
  
• Configuration: Use Invoice Reminders setting; connect with Webhooks for external workflow triggers
  

4. SAP

• API: BAPI_ACC_DOCUMENT_READ for overdue invoice lookup, RFC for custom notification automation
  
• Sample: Schedule background job to execute BAPI, automate outbound message via SAP PI/XI
  

5. Oracle NetSuite

• Setting: Saved Search for overdue invoices; automate email reminder via SuiteScript
  
• Sample: Use SuiteScript 2.0 Email.send() on overdue records
  

6. Microsoft Dynamics 365

• Function: Automate Workflow to trigger on payable status change, Power Automate for multi-channel message
  
• Sample: Use built-in overdue invoice flow to automate notifications
  

7. Stripe

• API: /v1/invoices/upcoming endpoint for checking overdue status; trigger webhook for automation
  
• Sample: Automated follow-up via email/SMS when event “invoice.payment_failed” is received
  

8. Zoho Books

• Feature: Configure automated payment reminders
  
• Sample: Set up “Payment Reminder Emails” and connect with workflows for external app integration
  

9. FreshBooks

• Setting: Automated late payment reminders
  
• Configuration: Enable late reminders through Payment Settings, automate escalation via Zapier integration
  

10. Twilio

• API: Send automated SMS reminders via /Messages endpoint
  
• Sample: Trigger automated SMS for each overdue status event, configure escalation schedule
  

11. SendGrid

• API: Automate dynamic transactional email via /mail/send endpoint
  
• Sample: Use templates to automate personalized overdue payment reminders
  

12. Slack

• Feature: Automated channel notification using Incoming Webhooks
  
• Sample: Configure workflow to automate alert to finance channel for escalated overdue invoices
  

13. HubSpot

• Workflow: Automate overdue invoice task creation and email via Workflow Automation
  
• Sample: Assign automated follow-up task to account rep on trigger
  

14. Google Sheets

• Scripts: Automate lookup of invoice dates, trigger email via Apps Script
  
• Sample: Automated script to detect overdue entries, send notification via Gmail API
  

15. Gmail

• API: Automated mail merge for overdue invoices using /messages/send endpoint
  
• Sample: Use Apps Script or API for personalized, automated follow-up emails
  

16. Outlook 365

• API: Automated email reminders using Microsoft Graph sendMail endpoint
  
• Sample: Scheduled automated emails for overdue invoices based on dynamic recipient data
  

17. Pabbly

• Feature: Workflow automator to connect billing system with reminders
  
• Sample: Trigger on overdue event, automate notification sequence
  

18. Monday.com

• Automation: Board automation to assign follow-up tasks, notify users
  
• Sample: Automate checklist generation and reminders through date triggers
  

19. Mailgun

• API: Automate sending overdue invoice and escalation emails
  
• Sample: Use /messages API with schedule for repeated automated reminders
  

20. DocuSign

• Feature: Automate envelope reminders for unsigned/unpaid invoices
  
• Sample: Enable automated reminders in DocuSign settings; link status events to notification sequence
  

Benefits

1. Automates monotonous manual follow-up, ensuring timeliness and accuracy of reminders.

2. Reduces outstanding receivables duration, improving organization’s cash flow automatedly.

3. Elevates customer experience with structured, professional, and consistent communication.

4. Scales automatable processes across low and high volume invoice cycles, enabling better resource allocation.

5. Centralizes audit trails of automated actions, streamlining compliance and reporting.

6. Decreases risk of human error, ensuring every overdue is tracked and followed up automatically.

7. Supports escalation automator workflows for unresolved cases to management or legal.

8. Provides flexibility—automatedly connects various platforms, channels, and escalation paths to suit specific consulting needs.

9. Enables powerful integration of automating payment collections into broader financial analytics and decision systems.

10. Ensures proactive ongoing relationship management through automated checks, updates, and reminders.