Work summary reminder before each retainer invoice
A retainer invoice reminder automation covers the checks, emails, and waits that happen in the five days before a subscription invoice date.
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A retainer invoice goes out on a schedule, but the awkward part is the gap right before it: somebody needs to confirm the subscription is still active, send a quick work summary for the cycle, and make sure nothing got missed before the invoice lands. The automation here runs that run-up for subscriptions with an upcoming invoice date and an email address on the subscription.
The steps move in order: Still active? prompts a check, then Send this cycle's summary sends the message while the work is fresh. A Wait 3 days step creates a pause, then Sent? acts as a second check before the last message, The invoice goes out in two days, so the client knows what's about to happen and when.
- Trigger Starts 5 days before the subscription’s upcoming invoice date.
- Still active? Creates an early check so the cycle doesn’t continue on an inactive subscription.
- Send this cycle's summary Sends the work summary for the current billing cycle to the email address on the subscription.
- Wait 3 days Holds the workflow for three days before the next check runs.
- The invoice goes out in two days Sends the final reminder after the “Sent?” check, timed two days before the invoice date.
Every step runs inside Plutio, so nothing needs a third-party account. Once the trigger is in place, the workflow starts 5 days before the subscription’s upcoming invoice date and works through the same sequence each cycle.
We went from spending hours on every proposal to creating fully customized ones in under 5 minutes. That's not an exaggeration - we timed it.
Every step, in order
Plutio runs these 5 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: 5 days before Subscription upcoming invoice date
- Still active?
- Send this cycle's summary (Still active? → Yes)
- Wait 3 days
- Sent?
- The invoice goes out in two days (Sent? → No)
What happens when you install it
- This automation is copied into your workspace with all 5 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
Retainer-based freelancers and studios who bill clients through subscriptions and send a short work summary before each cycle’s invoice.
Questions about this automation template
How do you remind a client about a retainer invoice before it goes out?
A reminder usually goes out a few days ahead, after a quick check that the retainer is still active and the cycle’s work has been summarised. This automation starts 5 days before the subscription invoice date and sends a summary, waits, then sends a two-day reminder.
When should a retainer invoice reminder be sent?
Timing depends on how much time you want for questions, but a common window is 2 to 5 days before the invoice date. The trigger in this workflow starts 5 days before, then the last email lands 2 days before the invoice date.
What do you need set up for an invoice reminder automation to work?
The workflow needs subscriptions with an upcoming invoice date set and an email address on the subscription. The automation won’t have anywhere to send the emails without that address.
Does this workflow require any third-party email or automation tools?
No, every step runs inside Plutio. The automation works without connecting any outside accounts.
What happens if the subscription isn’t active anymore?
The first step is a “Still active?” check, so the sequence can stop before any reminder emails go out. That keeps the workflow from nudging a client about an invoice that shouldn’t be issued.
Does the workflow send one email or multiple emails?
The workflow includes two email steps: one that sends the cycle’s summary and a later one that says the invoice goes out in two days. A three-day wait and a “Sent?” check sit between them.
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