Tutorial 9 · 5 min read · Xero (any plan with invoicing). MYOB and most job apps have similar settings.

Turn on invoice reminders in Xero

This is the easiest money you'll ever save time on. Xero can politely chase overdue invoices for you. It takes about five minutes to switch on.

What you'll need

A Xero login with invoice access
Your payment terms (e.g. 7 or 20 days)

Step 1: Open invoice reminders

In Xero, go to Business → Invoices, then open the settings (the 'Invoice reminders' option). Menu names change from time to time — if you can't find it, search Xero Central for 'invoice reminders'.

Step 2: Turn reminders on

Switch reminders on. Set up a sensible schedule:

3 days before due (optional friendly heads-up)
1 day after due
7 days after due
14 days after due — then pick up the phone

Step 3: Rewrite the messages in your voice

Xero's default wording is fine but stiff. Use AI to warm it up, then paste it in:

Copy this prompt and fill in the [square brackets]:

Rewrite this invoice reminder to sound friendly but clear, NZ English, under 60 words. Keep the placeholders exactly as they are: [paste Xero template]

Step 4: Make paying easy

Add online payment options or your bank details clearly to every invoice. The easier it is to pay, the faster you get paid.

Step 5: Check it's working

After a fortnight, look at your overdue list. You should see fewer, older debts.

Checklist

☐ Reminders switched on
☐ Schedule set: before and after due date
☐ Messages rewritten in your voice, placeholders kept
☐ Payment options on every invoice

Common mistakes to avoid

Deleting Xero's placeholders like [Contact Name] when rewriting
Forgetting to exclude customers on payment plans