Payment protection
Unpaid Invoice Decision Tool
Use the age of the invoice, the balance, and the client type to choose a practical next step.
Inputs
This tool does not decide legal rights. It helps you avoid waiting too long, escalating too early, or using the wrong level of pressure for the account.
Simple rule: early invoices usually need follow-up or notice. Older and larger balances usually need formal escalation.
Output
Recommended next action based on invoice age, balance, and client type.
Recommended next action
Send Notice
A formal notice is the clearer next step now.
Why this result
- The invoice has moved beyond ordinary follow-up timing.
- A notice creates a cleaner record than repeated informal reminders.
- This step is usually appropriate before you commit to lien or court escalation.
This is a collection triage tool. Contract terms, project type, notices, and deadlines can change the proper escalation path.
How to use this result
Use follow-up when the account is early and the main problem may be delay. Use notice when the invoice is old enough to require a documented warning. Move toward lien or court review when the balance is material or the delay is becoming a risk to collection rights.
Example scenario
A subcontractor is owed $4,200 by a general contractor, and the invoice is 28 days overdue. This tool points to notice. The invoice is no longer fresh, but it is still early enough that a documented demand is usually the next practical step before stronger escalation.