How to set up Billing Debt Reminders in Uku
TL;DR: Activate debt reminders in Billing settings to automatically send up to three escalating email reminders to clients with overdue invoices. Customize timing, email content, and disable reminders for specific clients as needed.
Who can do this
Account administrators with access to Settings & Apps
Users with the Billing app enabled
An email server must be configured in Billing settings for reminders to send
Overview
Uku's debt reminder system automatically emails clients when invoices become overdue. You control when each reminder sends by setting the number of days after the due date. The system sends up to 3 reminders in sequence, and you can customize the email content for each reminder level.
Key capabilities:
Up to 3 sequential reminders per overdue invoice
Customizable timing (days past due date)
Full control over email content and tone
Client-level opt-out for special situations
Works with all invoice types and currencies
Step 1: Activate debt reminders
Navigate to Settings & Apps.
Open the Billing app.
Select the Settings tab.
Locate the Send Debt Reminders section.
Activate the Send Debt Reminders toggle.
Once enabled, you will see options to configure three reminder levels.
Step 2: Configure reminder timing
Set how many days after the due date each reminder should send:
Reminder 1 (First Notice)
Reminder 2 (Follow-Up Notice)
Reminder 3 (Final Notice)
Important: If you set a reminder to 0 days or leave it blank, that reminder will not send. This lets you use 1, 2, or all 3 reminders based on your collections process.
Step 3: Customize reminder email content
Create professional, branded reminder emails for each reminder level:
Navigate to Billing, then Invoice Templates.
Find the Email Debt Reminder templates.
Create or edit templates for each reminder level.
Alternatively, select Edit Templates next to the Send Debt Reminders toggle to go directly to the templates.
Available template types:
Debt Reminder 1 -- First overdue notice
Debt Reminder 2 -- Second overdue notice
Debt Reminder 3 -- Final overdue notice
Step 4: Use dynamic placeholders
Personalize your reminders with placeholders that automatically populate with invoice data:
##{{client_name}}-- Client company name##{{seller_name}}-- Your company name##{{invoice_number}}-- Specific invoice number##{{invoice_date}}-- Date invoice was created##{{due_date}}-- Original payment due date##{{overdue_days}}-- How many days payment is late
Placeholder tips
Use
##{{overdue_days}}to create urgency as reminders escalate.Reference
##{{invoice_number}}so clients can easily locate the invoice.Include
##{{due_date}}to remind clients of the original commitment.Add
##{{client_name}}for personalization at scale.
Step 5: Disable reminders for specific clients
Some clients need special handling. Disable automatic reminders for individual clients:
Open the Client profile.
Select the Billing tab.
Locate the Billing Settings section.
Enable the Disable debt reminders checkbox.
Select Save.
Troubleshooting
Q: Can I send debt reminders immediately when an invoice becomes overdue?
A: Yes, set Reminder 1 to 0 days to send on the due date.
Q: What happens if a client pays after the first reminder but before the second?
A: Once Uku detects payment (either through manual status update or integration sync), all scheduled reminders stop automatically.
Q: Can I manually trigger a reminder outside the automatic schedule?
A: Currently, reminders send only based on the automatic day count settings. For manual follow-up, use the standard email function under client communication.
Q: Do reminders send on weekends and holidays?
A: Yes, reminders send every day based on the day count.
Q: Can different clients have different reminder timing?
A: No, reminder timing applies company-wide. However, you can disable reminders entirely for specific clients who need different handling.
Q: What if I have multiple currencies?
A: Debt reminders work with all currencies. The reminder references the invoice in the client's billing currency automatically.
Q: Can I see which clients receive reminders each day?
A: Check the invoice list and filter by overdue status. Review client communication history to see which reminders were recently sent.
Q: Can clients unsubscribe from debt reminders?
A: No, debt reminders are transactional payment notices, not marketing emails. However, you can disable reminders per client if requested.
Q: What happens if I change the reminder timing after setup?
A: New settings apply immediately to all future reminders. Previously sent reminders are not affected.
Q: Do reminders work with parent company billing?
A: Yes, when invoicing under parent companies, reminders send to the parent company's contact based on your resource settings.