In Workflows, you can create workflows from pre-built templates that send bill reminders to clients before, on and after each bill's due date. Each reminder goes out by email, text message or both, with wording that matches where the bill is in its payment cycle. The result is consistent follow-up on every unpaid bill, with a record of each reminder sent.
Understand bill reminder workflows
Each bill reminder workflow tracks a single bill and its due date. Bill reminder workflows require an active Clio Payments account, access to Workflows and administrator permission. Reminders apply to operating bills that are awaiting payment. Each reminder covers one bill. A client with three unpaid bills receives a separate reminder for each bill.
Turning off reminders for a client on the Outstanding Balances subtab stops automated bill reminders for that client only. Bill reminder workflows continue to send reminders for that client's bills.
Important: Bill reminder workflows and automated bill reminders in Clio Manage run separately, and each has its own settings. Automated bill reminders cover a client's total outstanding balance, on a schedule set from the bill's issue date. With both turned on, a client can receive two reminders for the same bill. Use one reminder method for the firm. Learn more in Send and Automate Bill Reminders.
- Before the due date
A courtesy reminder sends seven days and three days before the due date.
- On the due date
A reminder sends on the day the bill is due.
- After the due date
Reminders send seven, 15 and 30 days after the due date. The wording becomes firmer as the bill ages.
Prepare reminder templates
Email reminders use bill message templates from Clio Manage. Each bill reminder workflow includes a default email template for its reminder type, and administrators can create more email templates on the Bill message templates page. Text message reminders use standard wording that stays the same for every firm.
Reminder templates support these merge fields, along with the existing bill merge fields:
- Due date
- Days overdue
- Balance due
- Bill number
Bill reminder templates count towards the 30-bill message template limit. Learn how to create a template in Configure Bill Message Templates.
Create a bill reminder workflow
Bill reminder workflows start from templates in Workflows. Each workflow arrives with its trigger, steps and default template already in place. After activation, the workflow sends a reminder for every bill that reaches its reminder point.
Important: An active bill reminder workflow starts sending reminders to clients on activation, for every bill that matches. Review the templates and the due dates on unpaid bills before activating the workflow.
- Go to Automations > Workflows.
- Click Templates by Clio and select a bill reminder workflow.
- Select the Send bill reminder step to open its settings.
- Select the channel: Email, Text or both. Text is already selected when the bill recipient has a phone number on file and accepts text messages.
- Select a template for each channel, and review the preview and its merge fields.
- Select Save workflow.
- Select the Inactive toggle to activate the workflow.
Understand when reminders send
Before each reminder sends, the bill's payment status and recent reminders are checked. Clients receive reminders only for amounts they still owe, and the template matches the bill's status on the day of the send.
- A pending, authorised or manually recorded payment on the bill stops the reminder.
- A partly paid bill receives reminders for the remaining balance.
- A balance covered by an active payment plan skips reminders.
- Reminders for the same bill and channel follow a minimum send interval.
- Reminders send during business hours on business days.
Track bill reminders
Each workflow run keeps a record of the reminders it sent, the channel and the outcome of each step. Reminders that fail or skip are also recorded on the bill timeline in Clio Manage, with the channel and template.
- Go to Automations > Workflows > Workflow Runs.
- Select a bill reminder workflow run.
- Review the result of each step to confirm which reminders sent and on which channel.
- Select the link to the bill timeline to review a failed or skipped reminder in Clio Manage.
Up next
- Get Started With Workflows: Learn how workflows, triggers and runs work across Clio.
- Design Invoices With Invoice Templates: Create the email templates that bill reminder workflows send.