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How do I remind my debtors?

Contents

All practices are confronted with debtors. In this article, we will explain how to select and remind debtors about overdue payments.

Before you start

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  • Check that the debtor templates (i.e. for letters/emails/text messages), which you want to use for reminding your debtors have already been created in the Content Designer.
  • For each template you wish to use, ensure both “category” and “context” are set to “debtors”.
  • You need permission to be able to see and manage debtors. Permissions can be adjusted by practice administrators in > General Settings > Role Management.
  • Before proceeding you need to process bank payments received from debtors first.
  • The reminder is sent with the header and footer as configured for the location you are logged into.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Go to > Financial > Debtors.
  2. The default view shows you the full list of debtors on the current day.

  3. You can use the filter options at the top to control the invoices which are displayed. By default, your current location will be selected as “invoice location” in the filter options. Read more about the filter options here.

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    We advise using the filter option “show invoices x times reminded”, and work from 6 times reminded down to 0 times reminded. If you do not, and work from 0 times reminded to 6 times reminded, a client that has not yet been reminded, will end up being reminded 6 times after you finish the process.

         

  4. Select the clients you want to remind using the corresponding checkboxes on the left.
  5. Scroll to the bottom of the page, where you can select a method to send your message.
    Depending on the method you choose, the following menu options will change accordingly. Please click your remind method in the list below.
    Text message
    This allows you to send a brief text message, reminding the debtor of their open invoice(s).

    • Choose sms text: templates in this dropdown list have been created in > General Settings > Content Designer > SMS.
    Email
    This allows you to send an email with the invoice attached.

    • Choose email text: templates in this dropdown list have been created in > General Settings > Content Designer.
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      Note: the attached invoice will contain the text you have entered in > General Settings > General Settings > Invoice. For new invoices (0 times reminded) information from the field “invoice text” will be used. For reminder invoices, the information from the field “invoice text reminder” will be printed.
    • Send bcc copy to: you can select a BCC (blind copy) email address to send the reminder to.
    • Choose letter: choose if you want to include the normal invoice or the normal invoice where the word “invoice” is replaced by “first reminder”, “second reminder”, “third reminder” or “fourth reminder”.
    • Print header and footer: select “yes” if you want to show the header and footer in the email.
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    Warning: when you are sending out a large batch of emails you might receive a notification to resend the reminder. Do not proceed. Please wait until the page is ready. If you need to continue working you may do so in a separate tab or window.
    Debtor letter
    This letter will be printed and will not include the complete invoice, only the amounts.

    • Choose text: templates in this dropdown list have been created in > General Settings > Content Designer.
    • Print invoices sorted on: Select whether you want to sort the printed letters on “postcode”, “surname” or “invoice number”. It will automatically add the header and footer that you have defined in your general settings.
    Invoice
    When you choose this option you will print an invoice without a cover letter.

    • Choose letter: choose if you want to include the normal invoice or the normal invoice where the word “invoice” is replaced by “first reminder”, “second reminder”, “third reminder” or “fourth reminder”.
    • Print invoices sorted on: Select whether you want to sort the printed letters on “postcode”, “surname” or “invoice number”.
    • Print header and footer: select “yes” if you want to print the header and footer.
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    Note: the invoice will contain the text you have entered in > General Settings > General Settings > Tab Invoice. For new invoices (0 times reminded) information from the field “invoice text” will be used. For reminder invoices the information from the field “invoice text reminder” will be printed.
  6. Select whether to add administration costs. The amount you enter here will be the total amount of administration costs.
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    Example: If you have charged an administration fee of £5.00 in your last reminder and you want to charge an extra £5.00 for this reminder, you should enter £10.00 as the previous amount is overwritten by the amount you enter here.
  7. Select whether to raise the reminder count.
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    Attention note: When you tick the box to raise the number of times reminded, if the generation fails (e.g. because of an invalid phone number or email address for example), the count will still raise the by 1.
  8. Click Remind.

More about this

How can I use the filter options?

There are several filters available to control the invoices which are displayed. They can all be combined, except for ‘debt’ and ‘batch’ options; only one of these can be used at any given time.

Field nameDescription
Show invoices ... times remindedHere you can filter by the number of times a reminder has been sent or created. For example, if you only want to see the invoices that have been reminded twice, then you can select “2” here. The maximum you can select is "6".
Debt days categoryThis lets you filter and display outstanding invoices that fall within one of the following standard debt day categories: 0-30, 31-60, 61-90, 91+ days old.
Debt older/younger than….
OR
Batch		You can only select one of these two options – not both! Tick the relevant checkbox and choose your options. You can choose the age of the debt (debt older or younger than x days). This refers to the number of days from the invoice date until today; this is the “debt days”. Alternatively, you can select a batch that was created through monthly accounts.
Exclude debtorYou can exclude certain debtors. These exclusions are set at Edit Invoice.
Invoice locationBy default, all locations are shown but here you can choose to filter by one location.
Invoice typeHere you can select a certain invoice type.
Client locationBy default, all locations are shown but here you can choose to filter by one location (from Client Data).
Direct debitHere you can choose to exclude clients on direct debit. By default it will show all clients.
EmailHere you can choose to exclude clients with an email address. By default it will show all clients.
Monthly accountsHere you can choose to exclude clients that are monthly account holders. By default it will show all clients.
Exclude credit invoicesHere you can choose to exclude credit invoices. By default it will show all invoices.

The output will look like this:

By clicking on the invoice number you will go to the specific invoice in the client file.

What do the columns display?

All columns can be sorted by clicking on the header of the column. Below is an explanation of the columns.

Field NameDescription
MMonthly account holder. M will show in this column when the client is a monthly account holder.
DDDirect Debit. DD will show in this column when the client has given permission for bank collection.
@Email. The @ sign will show in this column when the client has an email address in Client Data.
Number Invoice number.
ClientClient name.
Client locationThe practice location the client is registered (in Client Data).
Invoice locationThe practice location where the invoice was created.
Invoice type Invoice type for the client
Open Open amount for that invoice.
Cost Administration costs of last reminder.
Date Invoice date.
XNumber of times reminded.
Debt days Number of days since invoice date.
Reminder age Number of days since last reminder.
Remarks The following will be shown here (depending on what data is stored);
1) the country of the client if they are abroad;
2) ”remarks for debtorslist” on the invoice;
3) “description” from the invoice.

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Updated on 12 March 2024
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