Getting Started Guide
Your first reminder in under 60 seconds

Create your first reminder — step by step

This guide walks you through every screen, so you know exactly what to expect before you even start.

Takes about 60 seconds to complete

Choose your reminder type

Pick whether this is for a single invoice or a repeating client relationship. You can always create both types later.

Step 1 of 5
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What type of reminder?
Choose the reminder type that fits your needs

One-time Reminder

Perfect for specific invoices or one-off projects. Set it up once and we'll handle the reminders.

Recurring Reminder

Automate reminders for repeat clients or retainer work. Set up once, repeat automatically.

When to use each type

Choose One-time for a specific project invoice (e.g., a website build). Choose Recurring for monthly retainers or clients you invoice on a regular cycle — nudge will auto-create each month's reminder for you.

Who's this reminder for?

Enter your client's email address and name. Nudge will send all reminder emails directly to this contact.

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Who's this reminder for?
We'll send reminders to this client

Use the exact email your client sees invoices from

This is the email address your client uses to receive invoices. Nudge will send reminders there automatically.

Add your invoice details

These details appear in every reminder email nudge sends. Your invoice reference number and amount keep things professional and specific.

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Invoice details
We'll include this in the emails

You can also attach your invoice file on the next screen

Nudge supports attaching PDFs, PNGs, JPGs, and XLSX files (up to 5 files, 4MB each). Your client receives the invoice directly in the reminder email — no excuses about "not receiving it."

Attach invoice documents

Optionally upload your actual invoice file so it lands directly in your client's inbox alongside the reminder. No more "I never received it" excuses.

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Attach invoice documents
Upload supporting files (optional)

Upload Invoice Documents

PDF, PNG, JPG, XLSX • Max 4MB per file • Up to 5 files

0 / 5 uploaded

This step is optional — skip it if you don't need it

You can hit Continue without uploading anything. Attachments are useful when you want the client to have the invoice PDF right there in the reminder email, but nudge works perfectly well without one.

Supported formats: PDF, PNG, JPG, XLSX

You can upload up to 5 files, with a maximum of 4MB per file. The files are attached to every reminder email nudge sends for this invoice — so your client always has the document on hand.

Choose your message style

Nudge emails are human-sounding by design. Pick the tone that fits your client relationship — you can customize further in your account settings.

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Choose your message style
Select how you'd like to communicate with your client

Friendly

Warm and approachable — builds trust

Long-term clients

Direct

Concise and to-the-point follow-ups

Quick follow-ups

Professional

Formal business-appropriate language

Corporate clients

When in doubt, choose Friendly

Most freelancers find the Friendly tone works best with nearly all clients — it's warm without being casual, and professional without feeling robotic. You can preview exactly what each email will look like before confirming.

When should we send reminders?

Choose a pre-built schedule or create a custom one. The Gentle Nudge option works for most clients and keeps things easy.

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When should we send reminders?
Build your custom email schedule
Gentle Nudge
3d before · Due date
Standard
7d before · Due date · 7d after
Persistent
7d before · Due date · 7d after · 14d after
Custom
Choose specific days

The pre-due-date reminder is your secret weapon

Most tools only remind clients after they're already late. Nudge sends a heads-up 3 days before the due date — when clients can still act on time. This alone prevents the majority of late payments.

What happens after you click "Create Reminder"

1
Reminder is scheduled instantly Your reminder appears in the dashboard and nudge queues all emails automatically.
2
Client receives a pre-due-date heads-up 3 days before the due date, a friendly email lands in your client's inbox.
3
On the due date, another reminder goes out A second email reminds them it's due today — polite and professional.
Mark as Paid to stop all reminders One click from your dashboard stops everything.

You're all set.

Your reminder is live. Nudge will handle every follow-up from here — so you can focus on your work, not on chasing payments.

Start nudging
See it

Watch the dashboard

Your reminders are grouped by date, showing client name, amount, due date, and status at a glance — including any attached files.

Set up recurring reminders

Have a monthly retainer client? Create a recurring reminder and never set it up again.

See it

Mark it paid when done

One click stops all future reminders instantly.

Read more →

Saved Drafts — nothing gets lost

Nudge auto-saves your progress if you exit early. Learn how the Drafts folder works.

Inside an expanded reminder — here's where you mark it paid
app.nudgetheory.app
MAR 6, 2026
Studio Client A
hello@nudgetheory.app
Project Alpha · $8.00 · Due Mar 13, 2026
1 file 0 days overdue
MESSAGE STYLE
Direct
EMAIL SCHEDULE
7d before Due date ✓ Due date ✓ 7d after 14d after
NEXT EMAIL
7 Days Before Scheduled
Mar 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM
1
Click to expand any reminder — tap the chevron on any reminder card to reveal its full details, schedule, and actions.
2
Email schedule at a glance — colour-coded tags show which emails are upcoming, sent, or overdue so you know exactly where things stand.
3
Mark Paid stops everything — one click cancels all remaining scheduled emails instantly. No further action needed.
4
Send Now — need to send a reminder immediately outside the schedule? This fires a one-off email to your client right away.

Saved Drafts — nothing gets lost

If you exit the reminder creation wizard at any point before finishing, nudge automatically saves your progress as a draft. You can pick up exactly where you left off.

Auto-save feature
You start creating a reminder Fill in some steps — client email, invoice details, whatever you get to.
You exit before finishing Close the modal, navigate away, close your browser tab — nudge catches it automatically.
Your draft is saved instantly Progress is stored and a "Drafts" folder appears in your sidebar, showing which step you were on.
Resume any time Click Resume to jump back in from the exact step you left off. All your filled-in data is waiting.
app.nudgetheory.app
FILTER
All Reminders 13
Pending 6
Overdue 1
Paid 7
Drafts 1
Payment Insights Growth+
SAVED DRAFTS
Acme Studio
Inv-2026-04
Step 3 of 5 — Invoice Details less than a minute ago
The Drafts folder only appears in your sidebar when you have saved drafts. No clutter when everything's complete.

Drafts expire after 30 days

To keep your dashboard tidy, drafts are automatically deleted 30 days after they were last saved. You'll see the creation timestamp on each draft card so you know how long it has.

Draft limits vary by plan

The number of drafts you can have saved at once depends on your current plan. If you hit your plan's limit, complete or delete an existing draft to free up a slot.

Resume from any step

Each draft card shows which step you were on when you exited. Click Resume and you'll land right back at that step — all previously filled fields are pre-populated.

Draft limits by plan
Plan Max saved drafts Expiry
Solo Varies — check your plan 30 days
Growth Varies — check your plan 30 days
Studio Varies — check your plan 30 days

The Drafts folder disappears when it's empty

If you always complete your reminders in one sitting, you'll never see the Drafts folder at all. It only surfaces when there's something unfinished — so your sidebar stays clean by default.