Most overdue invoices we've seen at small businesses fall into one of three failure modes:
- The PDF looks like an Excel print.
- The payment terms aren't on the invoice — they were "agreed in WhatsApp".
- There's no follow-up.
Fix all three and you'll typically cut your average days-sales-outstanding by a week or more.
Rule 1 — the PDF earns trust
People who would never argue with an Infosys-issued invoice routinely argue with a "homebrew" one. A clean, professional PDF — proper margins, your logo, GSTIN visible, totals aligned — signals that the business has its act together. The customer's accounts team has fewer questions, processes faster.
Rule 2 — payment terms in writing
Net 0, Net 15, Net 30, Net 45, Net 60. Pick one. Print it on the invoice. "Due on receipt" reads as urgent without sounding aggressive.
Rule 3 — automated reminders
Set up reminders at:
- 3 days before due (gentle)
- On due date (clear)
- 7 days after due (firm, with overdue language)
In Ketpy Book, these are toggles on every invoice — on by default, can be silenced for relationships where you handle reminders by hand.
That's it. Three rules. Most small businesses we see that adopt them stop having receivables conversations and start having growth conversations.