Spending too much time on invoices and chasing payments? Invoice in one sentence, with automatic reminders

Mostly three places: filling in every invoice from scratch, chasing each one after it goes out, and figuring out which invoice a payment belongs to.

The owners we work with are mostly contractors, restaurants that cater, hair and nail salons, independent consultants and landlords. The pattern is familiar:

• A Word or Excel template where you change the name, the amount and the date every time, and resend when you miss one.
• No record of what went out, so who paid and who didn't lives in your head and your text threads.
• Chasing money feels awkward, so it slides for months.
• Payments arrive by Zelle, check or WeChat transfer with no clear link to an invoice, and the mismatch only shows up at bookkeeping or tax time.

Each invoice only costs a few extra minutes, but over a year that's a lot of evenings, plus money that never gets collected.

You write one sentence in English or Chinese saying who, what, how much and when it's due. The system drafts the invoice and prompts you for anything missing as you type.

For example, "Bill the kitchen-remodel client $3,500 for the final payment, due next Friday." The system picks out the customer, the job, the amount and the due date. A few things that save time:

• Plain-language dates: "next Friday" and "net 30" both work.
• Repeat customers: their details and your last price are already there.
• Templates for common services, such as monthly cleaning or a catering package, filled in with one tap.
• English, Chinese or bilingual PDFs, so the same invoice works for American and Chinese-speaking customers.

When it looks right, send it in one step. The system emails the customer, or you can copy the link into a text, WhatsApp or WeChat, or show a QR code in person.

Steps from top to bottom.

Step	What happens	Details
1	You write one sentence	Who, what, how much, due when
2	The system drafts the invoice	It flags anything missing; you review it
3	The system emails it	You can also share the link by text, WhatsApp or WeChat, or show a QR code
4	The customer opens a private link	View the invoice, optionally sign, copy payment details, upload proof of payment
5	You confirm payment	A receipt goes out automatically; unpaid invoices get automatic reminders on the due date and 7 days late

They tap a private link to see it, with no account and no app. They can sign to approve it, view and copy your payment details, and upload a screenshot once they've paid.

• You choose the payment options: for each invoice, pick which methods to show and which one is preferred, such as Zelle, bank transfer / ACH, Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, check or cash.
• Cards: add your own card payment link and customers pay through it.
• WeChat Pay and Alipay: upload an image of your own payment QR code. Customers scan it, pay and upload a screenshot.
• Safer screenshots: the page reminds customers to cover full card and account numbers.
• Sign first, then pay: for estimates and service agreements, one link can take the customer through signing, then the invoice, then payment. You can also hold back the files you deliver until the invoice is paid in full.

Set a due date and the system sends one reminder on that date and another 7 days later, so you don't have to ask. You can turn them off.

• If a customer pays part of the bill, the payment is recorded and the balance is shown.
• Once you confirm the money arrived, the customer automatically gets a receipt by email.
• With a sign-then-pay link, unsigned documents and unpaid invoices each get up to 2 automatic reminders.

You can see where every invoice stands: sent, opened, how much is paid and how much is still owed.

Your invoices and payment records are the raw material for your books and your return. Clean records make 1099 and sales tax season easier, but they don't post themselves to your books, and they don't decide how much income you report.

• All business income is reported, whether or not a customer sends you a 1099-NEC. The 1099-NEC threshold is a rule for the payer: $600 for payments made in 2025 and $2,000 for payments made in 2026 and later. It decides whether they file the form, not whether you report the income.
• Payments by card, PayPal or other third-party platforms may be reported by the platform on a 1099-K. Match those against your own records so income isn't counted twice or missed.
• Paying subcontractors or helpers? Get a W-9 before you pay, and issue a 1099-NEC when you hit the threshold (see our 1099-NEC guide).
• Sales tax: if you sell taxable goods or services (some catering and retail sales, for example), collect sales tax under your state's rules and show it as a separate line on the invoice. Whether it applies and at what rate depends on the state and the item. See our sales tax guide at yclcpa.com/salestax or ask us.
• Reconcile to the bank: invoices show what you should have collected; bank statements show what you actually collected. Your books are clean when the two agree.

Read from top to bottom in time order.

When	What to do
Day to day	Send invoices and links, customers upload proof of payment, you confirm
Monthly	Reconcile invoices and payments to the bank statement and close the books
Before paying a subcontractor	Collect a W-9
On your state's filing schedule	File sales tax returns if they apply (see yclcpa.com/salestax)
Early the next year	Match the 1099-NEC and 1099-K forms you receive (1099-NEC threshold: $600 for 2025 payments, $2,000 for 2026 and later) and report all business income for the year

Automatic recurring invoices, customer statements, card processing on your behalf and built-in WeChat Pay or Alipay processing aren't available yet.

• Recurring invoices: monthly rent or a fixed monthly cleaning fee still has to be invoiced each month. It's one sentence, but it isn't automatic yet.
• Statements: there's no single statement summarizing every invoice and payment for a customer.
• Cards: the system doesn't process card payments. You add your own card payment link.
• WeChat Pay and Alipay: you can upload a QR code image only. The customer pays, uploads a screenshot, and you confirm.

It depends on whether you invoice on your own today, already have us doing your books, or are sitting on a pile of unpaid invoices.

• Option A: Set up YCL invoicing (recommended). Tell us your business name, your common services and how you take payment. We set it up, and from then on you invoice in one sentence while the system handles email and reminders. Ask us about pricing.
• Option B: You're a YCL bookkeeping client, or plan to be. Each month we use your invoices and payment records to reconcile your bank accounts, so 1099s and your return have a solid base at year end.
• Option C: Staying with Word or Excel for now. At a minimum, number every invoice and give it a due date, note which invoice each payment belongs to the day it arrives, and get a W-9 before paying a subcontractor.
• Already have a stack of unpaid invoices? List what's outstanding, reissue each one with a due date, and let the reminders take it from there.