Getting paid
Thanking a client for payment: when, how, and messages to copy
A short thank-you after a payment confirms it arrived, closes the invoice for both of you and makes the next one easier. When to send it, what to put in it, receipts, and sample messages for full, part and late payments.
8 Nov 2026 · 5 min read
Aisha runs a physiotherapy clinic and pays her marketing freelancer by bank transfer each month. One month she messages “Paid, ref LP-2210” and hears nothing back. Three weeks later a reminder arrives for the same invoice. The money had come in; it simply had not been recorded. Her freelancer apologised, but Aisha now checks her bank twice before paying anyone. One reply on the day of payment would have avoided all of it.
Why it is worth a message
- It confirms the money arrived. The client knows the matter is closed, and so do you.
- It stops wrong reminders. Recording the payment the moment you thank them means no one gets chased for an invoice they paid.
- It is remembered. Few suppliers bother. A client who feels noticed when they pay is more likely to pay promptly next time.
- It helps their records. An accounts team can file your confirmation with the payment.
When to send one
| Moment | Thank them? |
|---|---|
| A client tells you they have paid | Check your bank, then confirm when it has arrived |
| A first payment from a new client | Always: it sets the tone for the rest |
| A large payment, or one paid early | Yes, and say you noticed |
| A deposit before work starts | Yes, with when the work begins |
| A part payment | Yes, with what is still owed |
| A regular client paying their monthly invoice | A short line, or a quiet mark as paid if they prefer |
Send it once the money is actually in your account, not on the strength of a screenshot. A transfer can be stopped or bounce, and a thank-you for money that never arrived is awkward to take back.
What to put in it
- Their name.
- The amount received and the currency.
- The invoice number it pays.
- What is still owed, if anything, and when the next part is due.
- A link to the invoice marked paid, or a receipt, if they need proof.
- One line of thanks. Not three.
Messages to copy
Paid in full
“Hi Aisha, thank you. £850.00 arrived today for invoice OG/2026/0102, so it is settled. Here is your copy marked paid: [link]. Have a good week.”
A first payment from a new client
“Hi Daniel, your payment of $2,400.00 for invoice OG/2026/0115 has arrived. Thank you for paying so promptly, and for the project. It was a pleasure to work on, and I hope there is a next one.”
A deposit
“Hi Mei, thank you. The 30% deposit of S$1,500.00 is in, so we are booked for the shoot on 14 November. The balance of S$3,500.00 will be invoiced on delivery.”
A part payment
“Hi Ravi, thank you for the payment of ₹20,000 against invoice OG/26-27/0088. ₹15,400 is still open on it, due on 30 November, as we agreed.”
A payment that came late
“Hi Tom, thank you. A$1,650.00 has arrived for invoice OG/2026/0118, so it is settled. I appreciate you sorting it out.”
Keep the late one as warm as the rest. Any hint of “finally” undoes the goodwill you are trying to keep. If you want to talk about paying on time in future, do it separately, before the next invoice.
Receipt, or a paid invoice?
Between businesses, a copy of the invoice marked paid, with the date and the way it was paid, is usually all the proof a client needs. For cash, for counter sales and when a client asks for one, give a receipt. The difference is explained in invoice or receipt.
Record it first
The order matters: check the bank, record the payment against the invoice, then send the thanks. If you thank first and record later, the reminder you already planned may still go out. If the amount is less than the invoice, find out why before you reply; it may be a bank fee or tax withheld. See why a client paid less, and for a weekly habit of checking payments, matching bank payments to invoices.
The short version
- Thank clients once the money has arrived, not when they say they have sent it.
- Say the amount, the invoice it pays, and what is still owed, if anything.
- Record the payment before you send the thanks, so no reminder goes out by mistake.
- Keep it short and warm, including for payments that came late.
- A copy of the invoice marked paid is usually proof enough. Give a receipt when asked or for cash.