Week-1 Overdue Checklist

Why week one matters most

An invoice is never more collectable than in the week after it falls due. The amount is fresh, the work is recent, and a prompt, friendly reminder resolves most accounts before they harden into a problem. The businesses that get paid fastest are simply the ones that act in week one rather than waiting for a debt to feel serious. This checklist is the routine for those first seven days on a commercial account.

The week-1 checklist

1. Day 1 — confirm — check no payment has crossed in the post and no credit is owed.
2. Day 1 — remind — send a friendly reminder with the invoice, amount, due date and a payment link.
3. Day 2–3 — check delivery — confirm the invoice actually reached the right contact.
4. Day 3–4 — call — phone a named contact if there is no response or payment.
5. Get a commitment — agree a specific amount, method and date.
6. Confirm in writing — restate any promise by email the same day.
7. Log it — record the contact, the promise and the next action.

How to use it

Always confirm before you chase — calling about money already paid burns credibility instantly, so check for a crossed payment or owed credit first. Lead with a friendly reminder, then escalate to a call only if there is silence; assume an oversight rather than bad faith, because that is usually the truth. When you do reach someone, press gently for a specific amount and day from a named person, and confirm it in writing the same day so a vague "I'll look into it" becomes a trackable promise. Keep this aligned with your full collections policy template so week one feeds the rest of the cadence.

Know when week one ends

A strong first week sets up everything after it, but it is not the whole job. If the invoice is still open at day seven, it should move cleanly into the next stage of your cadence rather than resetting to gentle reminders. Log where each account stands so the +7 day step starts from a specific history — a kept or broken promise — not a blank page. Consistent week-one effort is what keeps most debts from ever needing escalation at all.