Nudge a draft invoice that was never sent
An invoice follow-up automation covers waiting, checking draft status, sending a reminder, and handing the invoice off if it still hasn’t been sent.
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An invoice gets created, then sits as a draft while the client’s waiting for it and nobody’s quite sure who’s meant to send it. The automation in this template watches for that exact gap and starts nudging the right person until the invoice is finished and sent.
The steps run in a straight line: it waits 2 days, checks “Still a draft?”, then reminds whoever made it. After another 3 days it checks again, and if the invoice is still a draft five days on, the automation puts the next step on someone to finish. The whole thing only works if the invoice has an email address on it, because that’s what the reminder relies on.
- Trigger Starts when an invoice is created, then waits before checking whether the invoice is still in draft.
- Draft check Uses two “Still a draft?” checkpoints, one at 2 days and another five days after creation.
- Reminder Reminds whoever made the invoice, which means the invoice needs an email address on it.
- Hand-off If the invoice is still a draft after five days, the automation puts it on someone to finish.
Once the automation is in place, every new draft in invoicing gets the same follow-up without anyone having to remember to check back in. If the invoice never moves past draft, the last step makes the stuck work visible by putting it on a specific person.
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Every step, in order
Plutio runs these 6 steps top to bottom, from the trigger through each action and condition. Every one arrives configured and stays editable. The automation is added as a draft, so it sends nothing until you turn it on.
Starts: When Invoice is created
- Wait 2 days
- Still a draft?
- Remind whoever made it (Still a draft? → Yes)
- Wait 3 days
- Still a draft five days on?
- Put it on someone to finish (Still a draft five days on? → Yes)
What happens when you install it
- This automation is copied into your workspace with all 6 steps already configured.
- It arrives as a draft, so nothing runs until you turn it on.
- Every step stays editable, so the wording, the timing and the conditions all change before or after you activate it.
Who it is for
Freelancers and small teams who create invoices in Plutio and need a fallback when drafts don’t get sent.
Questions about this automation template
How do you follow up on an invoice that’s still in draft?
A follow-up needs two parts: a delay and a check that the invoice hasn’t moved out of draft. This automation waits 2 days, checks the draft status, sends a reminder, then checks again five days after creation and hands it off if it’s still stuck.
Can an automation remind the person who created the invoice?
Yes, the reminder step targets whoever made the invoice. The invoice needs an email address on it so the reminder has somewhere to go.
What happens if the invoice is still a draft after five days?
The automation runs a second “Still a draft?” check after waiting a total of five days. If the invoice is still a draft, it puts the next step on someone to finish.
Does this invoice follow-up need any third-party account?
No, every step in the automation runs inside Plutio. The only setup detail called out here is making sure the invoice has an email address on it.
How long does the automation wait before the first reminder?
The first delay is 2 days after the invoice is created. If the invoice is still a draft at that point, the automation sends the reminder and then waits another 3 days.
What triggers an invoice draft reminder automation?
The trigger in this template is “When Invoice is created”. From there the automation waits and checks whether the invoice is still a draft before taking the next step.
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