Escalations is an optional skill on a collection agent. When an invoice is still unpaid well after its due date, the agent stops repeating the same overdue notice and moves the invoice through a series of firmer steps. If it's still unpaid at the end, Adfin stops chasing and hands it back to you with everything you need to follow up.
You decide when escalation starts, how quickly it moves and what each email says.
Escalations is in beta
If you'd like it switched on for your account, please speak to your account manager.
Why use it
After two or three overdue notices, another identical reminder rarely works. Escalations changes the message and gives your customer a way out, so the invoice either gets paid or comes back to you at a clear point, rather than being chased forever.
The escalation stages
Stage | What happens | Can you switch it off? |
1. Escalated notice | A firmer overdue email, clearly marked as escalated. The invoice is marked At risk · Escalated, and you get a task and an email listing the customer's escalated invoices. | No, always on |
2. Payment plan offer | An email inviting your customer to reply and agree a way to pay, such as instalments or a direct debit. You can then set this up in Adfin. Skipped for invoices already on an instalment plan. | Yes |
3. AI phone call | An automated phone call to your customer from Adfin's AI collection agent, letting them know their invoice is now seriously overdue. It's a firmer nudge that's harder to ignore than another email, before the final notice goes out. | Yes |
4. Final notice | A formal final email before you consider further steps. | No, always on |
5. Handover | Automated chasing stops. The invoice's collection method changes to None, with a note that it's been handed back to you, and it's marked At risk · Handed over. You get a task and an email listing the invoices handed over. | No, always on |
Example: with escalation starting 21 days after the due date and 7 days between stages, the Escalated notice goes on day 21, the Payment plan offer on day 28, the AI phone call on day 35, the Final notice on day 42 and Handover on day 49.
How to turn it on
Please make sure you have an email connected in Adfin. Escalation emails are sent from your connected mailbox.
Go to console.adfin.com/collection-agents and open the agent you want to use. Escalations works with optimised agents and agents with manually defined steps.
Add the Escalations skill.
Choose when escalation starts: 14, 21, 28 or 30 days after the due date.
Choose the gap before each later stage: 3, 5 or 7 days.
Optionally, set a minimum amount due so only larger invoices escalate.
Decide whether to include the Payment plan offer and the AI phone call.
Review the emails for each stage, edit them if you like, and save.
Editing the emails
Each stage starts from an Adfin default email, and you can edit it. Like your other agent emails, each one is adapted to the customer and invoice when it's sent.
To keep messages firm but fair, some words and phrases that could alarm or mislead a customer (for example "bailiff") aren't allowed. If your email includes one, you'll be asked to change it before you can save.
Which invoices escalate
Invoices with a single payment request, standalone payment requests and instalment plan payments on an agent with Escalations turned on.
Only invoices at or above your minimum amount, if you've set one.
Only invoices whose days overdue still fit within your escalation timeline. Invoices that are already further overdue when you turn Escalations on are left alone, so no customer jumps straight to a final notice.
While an invoice is escalated
The agent's other reminders and overdue notices for that invoice stop, so your customer only gets the escalation messages.
If several invoices for the same customer reach the same stage on the same day, they're combined into one email.
You can see each upcoming and sent stage in the invoice's activity tab.
You can filter your invoice list by the Escalated and Handed over statuses.
What stops or pauses an escalation
If… | What happens |
The invoice is paid | Escalation ends and the Escalated status clears. |
You pause collection for the customer or invoice | Escalation holds at its current stage and picks up again when you resume. |
You switch Escalations off for the customer, or move the invoice to Auto Collect | Escalation pauses at its current stage and normal chasing returns. If you switch it back on and the invoice is still overdue, it continues from the same stage. |
Your email is disconnected | Escalations hold. When you open an affected customer, you'll see Escalations stopped. Reconnect your email to continue. Reconnect your email to carry on. |
An escalation email fails or bounces | That invoice holds and you get an escalation stopped task. Once you resolve it or update the customer's contact details, the stage is sent again and later stages count on from there. |
Turn Escalations off for one customer
Some customers need a lighter touch, for example a long-standing client or someone you know is struggling. Open the customer, go to the Agent tab and turn off the Escalations switch. This only affects that customer.
Escalations can't be switched off for a single invoice. To stop chasing one invoice, pause it instead.
After handover
Once an invoice is handed over, Adfin won't contact your customer about it again. Your task lists the invoices handed over for that customer so you can decide what to do next, such as contacting them directly or agreeing a payment plan.
Adfin doesn't act as a debt collection agency or take legal action on your behalf. The final notice isn't a formal Letter of Claim. If you're considering further action against an individual or sole trader, the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims applies.