Collections Cadence Checklist
A documented cadence turns ad-hoc chasing into a calm, repeatable sequence anyone on the team can run the same way.
What's included
- Work through a day-by-day collections cadence
- Map each touchpoint from due date to referral
- Assign a channel and tone to every step
- Build in checkpoints for disputes and hardship
- Set the threshold where in-house effort ends
5 min read
The checklist
Use this as your standard sequence for an overdue account. Adjust the days to suit your business, but keep the discipline: each step happens on schedule, logged, regardless of who is at the desk.
Standard collections cadence [ ] Due date: invoice issued earlier, payment expected today [ ] Day +2: friendly first reminder email (assume oversight) [ ] Day +7: firmer second reminder email, ask for a date [ ] Day +10: collection phone call, confirm promise in writing [ ] Day +14: chase any missed promise; statement if multi-invoice [ ] Day +21: final notice email with firm deadline [ ] Day +25: consider account hold; pre-legal warning [ ] Day +30: run escalation checklist [ ] Day +30-45: letter of demand or referral Checkpoints throughout: [ ] Dispute raised? Acknowledge and pause disputed portion [ ] Hardship raised? Offer a realistic payment arrangement [ ] Every contact and promise logged with date and name
How to use it
The value of a cadence is that it removes the daily decision of "what now?" — the schedule decides, so nothing slips because one person is busy or away. Treat the days as a default you apply consistently, not a target you negotiate per account. Build the checkpoints in deliberately: a dispute or a hardship signal should divert the account onto the right path, not be steamrolled by the next scheduled reminder. Log every step, because the trail is what lets a colleague pick up the account and what becomes evidence if it escalates.
Tune it to your business
The exact intervals matter less than running them every time. Adapt the rhythm to your risk and your customers.
- Tighten for high-risk or high-value accounts — shorter gaps, earlier calls.
- Soften slightly for trusted long-term payers who slip occasionally.
- Front-load the friendly steps — most accounts resolve in the first week.
- Hold the escalation threshold firm — set it once and honour it.
What happens next
When the cadence reaches its end without payment, run your escalation checklist and choose between a formal demand and referral. For accounts that consistently reach the late stages, the real fix is upstream — tighter terms, deposits, or credit checks — so fewer invoices ever enter the cadence at all.
Tips
- A documented cadence removes the daily 'what now?' decision.
- Apply the schedule consistently rather than negotiating per account.
- Build in checkpoints so disputes and hardship divert the path.
- Hold the escalation threshold firm and log every step.
FAQ
How many days should each step be apart?
The example uses 2, 7, 10, 14, 21, 30 days, but tune it to your risk. Consistency matters more than the exact intervals.
Can I automate the cadence?
The reminders, yes — many accounting tools schedule them. Keep calls and judgement calls human, and let checkpoints divert exceptions.
What if an account jumps a step, like an early dispute?
Follow the checkpoint, not the calendar. A dispute or hardship signal should reroute the account immediately.
Templates are a head start — not legal advice
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