How to politely request late payment from a university client

Late payment from a university client usually comes down to their process, not bad faith. Here's who pays, when, what tends to hold payment up, and a polite reminder you can send today.

Who pays, and when

Your department contact approves. Central procurement or accounts payable pays. Most pay through a supplier system, often on 30-day terms after approval.

Why payment runs late

Suppliers must be set up in the university's system, and invoices without a PO can be rejected.

Tips for chasing a university client

• Make sure you're registered as a supplier before invoicing.
• Quote the PO number and the department exactly as given.
• If accounts payable is slow, your department contact can usually check the status internally.

Example reminder email

Subject: Quick reminder: invoice [number] Hi [first name], I hope all's well. Invoice [number] for [amount] was due on [date]. If it's already on its way, thank you, and please ignore this. The PO number and department are listed to help it through your system. Could you check the status of the invoice in your finance system? You can pay here: [payment link] Thanks, [Your name]