In short: Before chasing a participant, plan manager or support coordinator about an overdue invoice, check your bank account first, confirm who was actually meant to pay, look for bundled or partial payments, and re-check the invoice details. A short checklist saves an awkward chase when the money has already landed.
An invoice sitting there looking overdue gets the heart rate up, especially when rent is due and you are pretty sure it was paid. Before you send a chasing message to a participant, plan manager or support coordinator, run through a quick check. Half the time the money is already there, just not where you expected it, or the invoice details do not quite match what landed.
Start with your own bank account
This sounds obvious, but it is the step people skip when they are frustrated. Open your bank app and search by amount, not just by date. Payments from plan managers sometimes land a few days later than expected, or under a slightly different sender name than you anticipated. Search the exact dollar figure from the invoice before assuming nothing has come through.
Work out who was actually meant to pay
Scribe invoices go out as a PDF to the participant, the plan manager or the support coordinator, depending on who you set up for that client. If you are chasing the wrong party, naturally nothing will show up. Double check your invoice records and confirm who the PDF was actually sent to for that particular shift block. If a client has switched plan managers recently, this is a common place for a payment to go missing in the handover.
Watch for partial or bundled payments
Plan managers often pay several invoices in one batch. If you have invoiced the same participant twice in a short period, a lump sum payment might cover both, and the amount will not match either invoice individually. Add up any recent invoices for that client and see if the total lines up with what landed in your account. This is one of the most common reasons an invoice looks unpaid when it is not.
Double-check the invoice itself
Sometimes the issue is not the payment but the invoice. If a rate code was wrong, a custom support code was needed but not used, or travel was left off, the amount requested may not match what the payer is prepared to process. Scribe lets you create a custom support code with your own rate if a shift needs one, and that code sits alongside the standard ones. If something about the line items looks off, it is worth fixing and resending before assuming the payer is at fault.
If you use Xero sync
Scribe's Vault plan includes Xero sync, so if you are using it, check your reconciliation there as well as your bank app. Sparks Scribe makes the Scribe app and keeps this sync for Vault users; it does not automatically track or confirm whether an invoice has been paid, so it is still worth looking at your actual bank records alongside Xero rather than relying on one source alone.
When it's time to actually chase
Once you have confirmed the payment genuinely has not arrived, a short, friendly message works better than an accusatory one. Reference the invoice number, the amount and the date it was sent. Most delays are genuine admin hiccups, not someone avoiding paying you, so keep the tone practical rather than frustrated, even if you are feeling it.
- Search your bank app by exact invoice amount, not just by date
- Confirm which party the invoice actually went to: participant, plan manager or support coordinator
- Add up recent invoices for that client to check for a bundled payment
- Re-check rate codes, custom codes and travel lines for accuracy
- Cross-check Xero reconciliation if you are on the Vault plan
- Send a calm, specific follow-up only once you have ruled out the above
Frequently asked questions
Does Scribe automatically mark an invoice as paid or overdue?
No. Scribe generates the NDIS-coded invoice as a PDF and sends it to the participant, plan manager or support coordinator. It does not track payment status automatically, which is exactly why a quick check routine matters before you assume something has gone wrong.
What if a plan manager paid two invoices together as one amount?
This happens often. Add up your recent invoices for that client and see if the combined total matches the payment that landed. If it does, both invoices are covered, even though neither matches the deposit individually.
Can I create a different rate if the standard code does not fit the shift?
Yes. You can create a custom support code with your own rate and apply it to the relevant shift. Custom codes sit alongside the standard catalogue and can also represent services that are not in the standard list.
I use Xero as well as Scribe. Should I check both?
Yes, it is worth checking your bank account directly as well as your Xero reconciliation. Xero sync is included on the Vault plan and helps keep records together, but it does not replace checking the actual deposit.
Who should I contact first if an invoice really has not been paid?
Check which party the invoice was sent to for that client, participant, plan manager or support coordinator, and start there with a clear, specific message referencing the invoice number and date.