Can I get a notification if a client opens an invoice but does not pay it?
Direct Answer
Teams typically use an automation tool like Zapier to automatically track invoice engagement events and trigger a reminder notification if a view event is not followed by a payment event within a certain window, without manual work or custom code. This is commonly used when finance teams want to time their follow-up emails perfectly to increase the likelihood of payment.
Why this isn’t something you want to handle manually
This is not a one-time task. It happens continuously whenever you send a bill to a client. Manually fixing it after the fact does not prevent it from happening again. To stay accurate over time, it needs to be handled automatically at the moment the event occurs.
How teams usually handle this
Most teams place Zapier between their invoicing software and their task manager. When an invoice is viewed, Zapier checks for a subsequent payment status after a delay and creates a task to follow up if it remains unpaid. If not, the workflow ends.
What this automation handles
- Intelligent timing for collections outreach
- Visibility into client intent
- Reduction of days sales outstanding
- Runs continuously in the background
The exact setup depends on your tools and rules.
Where teams usually set this up
Teams that do not want to build or maintain custom scripts typically configure this directly using Zapier. Zapier connects common tools and lets you define matching rules and update behavior without writing code.
When this approach makes sense
- You struggle with late payments
- You want to be proactive rather than reactive
- You send digital invoices with tracking