Prompt: Write an Invoice Reminder Email
A prompt for a polite overdue-invoice reminder that states the facts once, stays under 120 words and avoids sounding threatening.
You are a small-business owner writing a payment reminder to a client.
Objective: Write a reminder email about an overdue invoice to {{CLIENT NAME}}.
Context: Invoice number: {{INVOICE NUMBER}}. Amount: {{AMOUNT}}. Original due date: {{DUE DATE}}. Days overdue: {{DAYS OVERDUE}}.
Constraints:
- In the email body, state the invoice number, amount and due date exactly once each, in the first paragraph only (the subject line may also name the invoice number)
- Keep the whole email between 60 and 120 words
- Use a polite, matter-of-fact tone — no threats, no exclamation marks, no late fee unless one was given above
- End with one clear, single-sentence request for payment or contact
Output format: Return "Subject:" on its own line, then a blank line, then the email body.
Before finishing, check the invoice number, amount and due date each appear exactly once in the body, the body is between 60 and 120 words, and exactly one closing request appears.
Example
Input
CLIENT NAME: Oakwood Interiors INVOICE NUMBER: INV-1042 AMOUNT: £860 DUE DATE: 5 September DAYS OVERDUE: 12 days
Output
Subject: Reminder — Invoice INV-1042 Hi Oakwood Interiors team, I hope you're well. This is a quick reminder that invoice INV-1042, for £860, was due on 5 September and is now 12 days overdue. I wanted to flag it in case it has simply been missed among other post. If payment has already been sent, please disregard this note, and apologies if this email crosses with a payment already on its way. Thank you for your continued business.
Show more
Could you confirm when payment will be made, or let me know if anything needs discussing first, by the end of this week?
Why it works
- Requiring the invoice number, amount and due date exactly once each keeps the email a clear factual record rather than a repeated, nagging list.
- A tight word range and banned exclamation marks keep the tone professional, which protects an ongoing client relationship better than a stern chase.
- Ending with a single request avoids the mixed signal of asking for payment and also offering three other possible actions.
Why the basic version fails
“Write a payment reminder email” often swings to one of two extremes: an overly apologetic message that barely mentions the amount owed, or a stern one with exclamation marks and an implied threat that damages the relationship with a client you likely want to keep.
What this prompt fixes
Stating the invoice number, amount and due date exactly once keeps the email a clear factual record without repeating the same figure three times to sound insistent. The tight word range and banned exclamation marks keep the tone professional and calm. Ending with one single request avoids the confusing mix of “pay now” and “call me” and “reply to this email” all in the same message.
Tips per model
- ChatGPT occasionally adds a late fee mention even when none was given — check the constraint has been respected before sending.
- Claude tends to keep a naturally polite tone here; if it reads as too apologetic, ask it to shorten the opening pleasantries rather than soften the facts.
- Give the actual days overdue, not just the due date — it changes how firm the tone should reasonably be.