Guide
2026-09-27
Partial payments and “the check is in the mail”
A partial ACH or a promised check is not a paid invoice. Track the balance that is still open so you do not chase money you have, or forget money you have not.
US clients often pay something and call the invoice done. A $2,400 bill with $1,000 received still has $1,400 open. If you mark the whole due paid, the rest disappears from your morning list and never gets chased.
The other failure is the opposite: they initiated ACH or mailed a check, you keep sending “please pay the full $2,400,” and they think you are disorganized.
Write down what actually arrived
Ask for three facts: amount sent, date sent, and method (ACH, Zelle, check number, PayPal). Compare that to the deposit in your account. Pending is not received. A check that is “in the mail” is not received until it clears.
If the bank holds the check or the ACH returns, the balance goes back to open. Note that on the due so the next reminder matches reality.
What the next reminder should say
“Thanks for the $1,000 ACH on May 20 toward invoice INV-18. The remaining $1,400 is still open. Please send it by May 29 with memo INV-18.”
Do not restart the conversation as if nothing was paid. Clients answer faster when you show you already credited them.
In JobPay, either lower the open amount or keep a note of the balance and chase that figure. When the rest arrives, mark paid so the streak of reminders stops.
Short payments
PayPal, card, and wire fees sometimes shrink what you receive. If the agreement says you are paid the invoice total, the difference is still due. If you agreed to absorb the fee, record the invoice as paid and keep the fee in your own notes so you do not chase a closed bill.
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