Recurring statements send a client’s statement automatically on a schedule you choose, so clients are kept up to date with their balance without you sending each statement by hand. They are a simple way to keep your credit control running in the background.

You set up a schedule from the client’s statement, or from Sales > Recurring statements. You can send each statement by email or by Snail Mail.

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Before you start

• The client needs a contact with a valid email address. Recurring statements go to the client’s main contact.
• To attach a PDF copy of the statement, turn on Allow PDF Attachments in the client’s record first (see Why is the PDF option missing? below).
• To send statements by Snail Mail, your account needs enough Snail Mail credit when each statement is prepared.

How do I set up a recurring statement?

1. Open the client’s statement. See Client statements management if you need help finding it.
2. Click the yellow Setup a recurring schedule tab above the statement preview.
3. In the Recurring client statement profile window, enter the Start Date in dd/mm/yyyy format. Choose today or a later date.
4. Choose how often to send the statement from the Frequency list.
5. Choose Send always or Send only when balance exists.
6. Choose Send by Email or Send by Snail Mail.
7. If you want to attach a PDF copy of the statement, tick Send statement as a PDF attachment.
8. Click Save profile.

The Frequency list has these options: Weekly, Every 2 Weeks up to Every 12 Weeks, Every Month, Every 2 Months up to Every 6 Months, End of Month, Yearly and Every 2 Years. For a quarterly statement, choose Every 3 Months.

Send only when balance exists sends the statement only when the client has an outstanding balance. The balance does not have to be overdue.

What does my client receive?

Recurring statements are sent to the client’s main contact. Each statement lists all the outstanding invoices at the time it is issued, together with a rolling 30-day view of payments and credit notes allocated to the account.

The email uses the same template as a statement you send once from the statement page. To change the wording, go to Account Settings > Routine emails and modify the New Statement Created template. See Customise your email templates for the steps.

If you tick Send statement as a PDF attachment, a PDF copy of the statement is attached to the email.

How do I see all my recurring statements?

Go to Sales > Recurring statements. You can also go to Reports > Recurring Statements. The Clients - Recurring Statements page lists your schedules with the Client Name, Balance Only, Statement Frequency and Next Due Date for each one.

To set up a schedule from this page:

1. Click Create new schedule.
2. In the Select a client box, start typing the client’s name and choose the client from the list.
3. Complete the Recurring client statement profile window in the same way as above, then click Save profile.

How do I change or stop a recurring statement?

Once a schedule is saved, the yellow tab on the client’s statement changes to Update recurring schedule.

1. Open the schedule by clicking the Update recurring schedule tab on the client’s statement, or by clicking Edit on the schedule’s row on the Recurring Statements page.
2. Change the Start Date, then click Save profile.

The window shows the date the next statement will be sent automatically. To stop sending statements to the client, click Delete profile in this window.

Troubleshooting

Why is the PDF option missing?

The Send statement as a PDF attachment tick box only shows for clients that have Allow PDF Attachments turned on, and it is not shown when you choose Send by Snail Mail. Open the client’s record, click Modify, go to the Options tab, tick Allow PDF Attachments and click Update Details. Then open the recurring schedule again.

Related topics

Related articles on client statements, email templates and recurring invoices:

• Client statements management: View, filter and send a client’s statement, including by Snail Mail.
• Customise your email templates: Change the wording of the emails QuickFile sends to your clients.
• Snail mail credit: Find out how credit is used when you post documents by Snail Mail.
• Setting up a recurring invoice: Raise invoices for a client automatically on a schedule.
• Client statement CSS: Change the look of your client statements with custom CSS.