The problem
Corporate events are billed in stages: a deposit to hold the date, an interim payment when suppliers need paying, then the final invoice with agreed extras. Planners often pay suppliers before the client pays them. A planner sending 12 invoices a month, 5 of them late, spends about 30 minutes chasing each through accounts departments: 150 minutes a month, while carrying supplier costs.
What the AI does
Xero is accounting software. Its invoicing page says it flags overdue invoices the moment they slip past their due date, sends automated reminders that chase payments for you, and lets customers pay by card or Direct Debit from a Pay now button through providers such as Stripe and GoCardless. Raise each stage as its own invoice with the client's purchase order number, set due dates that land before your supplier payments, and turn on reminders. Ignite allows 20 invoices a month, which covers this example.
A worked example
A corporate event planner in Edinburgh sends about 12 deposit, interim and final invoices a month. They move invoicing into Xero Ignite, add each client's purchase order number and accounts email, and turn on reminders.
Before
About 5 late invoices a month at 30 minutes of chasing each: 150 minutes a month
After
Reminders go automatically; about 2 still late, phoned at 15 minutes each: 30 minutes a month
What it's worth
About $67£50€60A$96C$94 a month saved, against $24£18€21A$35C$34 for Xero Ignite, excluding VAT. That's 2 hours (150 minus 30 minutes) at an assumed $33£25€30A$48C$47 an hour; 3 fewer late payers a month is an assumption. New UK customers can get 90% off for the first 6 months. Getting paid before supplier bills are due isn't counted.
How to set it up
- Set up Xero Ignite and add each client with their accounts payable email, not just the person you plan with.
- Turn on invoice reminders and read the wording a client receives; keep it polite and include your bank details.
- Connect a payment provider such as Stripe or GoCardless so invoices carry a Pay now button, and check its fees first.
- Raise the deposit, interim and final invoices with the purchase order number and due dates that come before your supplier payments.
- Each week, phone anyone still unpaid after the reminders.
What goes wrong
- Ignite allows only 20 invoices a month. A busy month with more needs Grow at $52£39€46A$75C$73.
- Xero's page doesn't say how far you can change reminder timing or wording, so check the settings before relying on them.
- Reminders go to the email on the contact. If that's the event lead rather than accounts, nobody pays.
- Put staged payment terms in your contract. Reminders can't enforce terms the client never agreed.