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Sequence

Dunning email sequence (all four steps)

Dunning is just the old word for systematic payment chasing, and a good dunning sequence is a ladder: fixed steps, fixed timing, tone that escalates on a schedule instead of with your mood. This is Duebay's default sequence in full. Run it by hand from these templates, or let the product run it and log every send. Two rules if you run it manually: stop the sequence the moment an invoice is disputed, and stop when a human replies; a template arriving the day after someone explained their payment run is Friday torches goodwill.

Step 1: 3 days before due (upcoming)

Subject: Invoice {{invoice_number}} from {{business_name}} is due {{due_date}}

Hi {{customer_name}},

A quick heads-up that invoice {{invoice_number}} for {{amount_due}} is due on {{due_date}}.
You can pay online here: {{payment_url}}
Your full statement is here: {{portal_url}}

If it's already scheduled, please ignore this.

Thanks,
{{business_name}}
Step 2: 3 days after due (friendly)

Subject: Overdue: invoice {{invoice_number}} ({{amount_due}})

Hi {{customer_name}},

Invoice {{invoice_number}} for {{amount_due}} was due on {{due_date}} and looks unpaid on our side.
You can settle it in a couple of minutes here: {{payment_url}}
If payment is already on its way, or if something about the invoice doesn't look right, just reply and we'll sort it out.

Thanks,
{{business_name}}
Step 3: 14 days after due (firm)

Subject: Second notice: invoice {{invoice_number}} is {{days_overdue}} days overdue

Hi {{customer_name}},

This is a second reminder about invoice {{invoice_number}} for {{amount_due}}, now {{days_overdue}} days past its {{due_date}} due date.

We'd like to get this resolved this week. If there's a problem with the invoice or you need to discuss timing, reply to this email and we'll work it out.
Pay online: {{payment_url}}
Your statement: {{portal_url}}

Regards,
{{business_name}}
Step 4: 30 days after due (final)

Subject: Final notice: invoice {{invoice_number}} ({{amount_due}}, {{days_overdue}} days overdue)

{{customer_name}},

Despite previous reminders, invoice {{invoice_number}} for {{amount_due}} remains unpaid {{days_overdue}} days after its due date of {{due_date}}.

Please arrange payment within 7 days of this notice. If we don't hear from you, we'll have to consider our options for recovering the balance, which may include late fees where your agreement provides for them.
Pay now: {{payment_url}}
If you believe this is in error, reply immediately.

{{business_name}}

When to use it

  • As the default treatment for every B2B invoice on net 30 style terms
  • Stretch the later offsets on net 60+ terms; compress them for known slow payers
  • Pause for disputes and replies; a sequence should never talk over a human

Getting the tone right

  • The ladder is the message: each email is fair because the previous one visibly happened
  • Escalate structure (days named, deadlines set), not volume or sarcasm
  • Consistency beats cleverness; the same sequence every time is what customers learn
The merge fields, explained

Placeholders in double braces fill from the invoice when Duebay sends this template; replace them by hand if you are pasting it into your own email client.

{{customer_name}}
The billing contact's name
{{business_name}}
Your business name (the sender)
{{invoice_number}}
The invoice reference
{{amount_due}}
Outstanding balance, formatted (e.g. $1,250.00)
{{due_date}}
The invoice due date
{{days_overdue}}
Whole days past the due date
{{payment_url}}
Online payment link, if you have one
{{portal_url}}
The customer's statement page

In Duebay the payment line is conditional: it renders only when the invoice has a payment link, so an invoice without one never says "pay online here:" followed by nothing. The copies below have that line included and the conditional markers removed, so they paste straight into an email client.

Adjacent rungs of the ladder

Put this template on autopilot

This is a live Duebay template: sequences send the ladder on schedule, log every send, and stop when the invoice is paid.