Part-paid invoices in QuickBooks: remind for the balance, not the total

A customer pays half of an invoice. In QuickBooks Online the invoice stays open, with the balance showing what is left. Then the next reminder goes out, quoting the full original amount, and the customer's reply is the one you were hoping to avoid: "We already paid half of that."

It is a small mistake with an outsized cost, because it tells the customer nobody is reading the account.

Always quote the balance

Every reminder for a part-paid invoice should say three things: the original amount, what has been received, and what is still due. "Invoice 2208: 1,200 total, 600 received on 3 March, 600 still due" leaves nothing to argue with. It also shows the customer that you noticed the payment, which tends to make the rest of the message easier to accept.

Check where the first payment went

When a payment is part-applied, it can be easy to find it in the wrong place. Check that the payment is linked to the right invoice, not sitting as an unapplied payment or against a different job. A customer who has paid in full across two invoices can look like they owe one of them.

Do not let the old due date do the talking

The due date on a part-paid invoice is still the original one. If the customer paid half on time and the rest is a few days late, the tone should reflect that. A first reminder for the remaining balance does not need to read like a final notice.

Ask about the rest

Sometimes a part payment is a signal. The customer may be disputing part of the invoice, waiting on a credit note, or short of cash and paying what they can. A short question works better than a demand: "We have received 600 of 1,200. Is the balance on its way, or is there a question about part of the invoice?"

Use a statement when there are several

If a customer has a mix of paid, part-paid and open invoices, one statement is clearer than a string of reminders. It lists each open invoice with what has been paid and what is left. See a statement instead of another reminder.

Where Mugavi fits

Mugavi has a customer statement that lists every open invoice with what is paid and what is left, the days late, and totals per currency. You can print it, download it as a CSV, or email it with a 30-second Undo and an optional line from you. Nothing is sent until you approve it. Check how a part-paid invoice looks in your own client book before you rely on reminders for it: the QuickBooks connection is in beta, and your own report is the source of truth.